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Tables - Column Width Changes When Position S
DocumentID: 600612
Revision Date: 29-Feb-96 1:28:28 PM

The information in this document applies to:
WordPerfect® 5.1 for DOS

Problem

Symptoms: When a customer changes the column width of the first column in a table to 1.5", then changes the position of the table from Left to Full (Alt-F7, 6, 3, 4), the column width changes back to the default of 2.05". Solutions: The following steps can be used to change the column width in a table to a specific setting:
      1.      Enter Table Edit mode (Alt-F7)
      2.      Change the position of the table to Left (6-Options, 3-Position, 1- Left), then press F7
      3.      Press 2-Format, 2-Column, 1-Width, then enter the desired column width and press Enter

The following is an explanation of how WordPerfect 5.1 resizes columns in a table when a using Ctrl-Arrow:
In a table with the Position setting on Full (meaning the table extends to both left and right margins), WordPerfect must size the columns to make the combined width of the columns fill the space between the left and right margins. When users reduce the width of a column, the columns are sized larger to maintain the table's overall width.

When users reduce a column's width with Ctrl-Left Arrow, WordPerfect checks the overall width of the table. If the table is smaller than it should be, the columns are adjusted to fill the space. In doing this, the program retains the individual proportions of each column compared to the overall width of the table. Wider columns will be widened more than narrow columns.

With this method, all columns are sized, even the one users are shortening. What appears on the printed page is not evident on the editing screen, because monitors have lower resolution than printers. For a better display of how the table looks after it has been sized, users need to use View Document (Shift-F7, V) or print the document.

The following is an example of a three-column table. The columns each take up 33% of the table width to begin with. Column 1 is then shortened so that the proportions are 25%, 33%, and 33%. Since the three do not equal 100% of the width between the margins, WordPerfect adds the additional 9% to the three columns. Column 1 is widened by a slightly smaller amount, since it is proportionally narrower that columns 2 and 3.

When a table is defined with Position set to something other than Full, this process does not apply because it is not essential to have the table fill the space between the left and right margins. The default setting for tables is Left (the table is aligned with the left margin only).

Answer:

Details:


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