11 Creating Tables

Lesson overview

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to do the following:

• Convert text to a table, import tables from other applications, and create tables from scratch.

• Change the number of rows and columns in a table.

• Rearrange rows and columns.

• Adjust row and column sizes.

• Format tables with strokes and fills.

• Specify repeating header and footer rows for long tables.

• Place graphics in table cells.

• Create and apply table and cell styles.

This lesson will take approximately 45 minutes to complete.

Please log in to your account on peachpit.com to download the lesson files for this chapter, or go to the “Getting Started” section at the beginning of this book and follow the instructions under “Accessing the Lesson Files and Web Edition.” Store the files on your computer in a convenient location.

With InDesign, you can easily create tables, convert text to tables, and import tables from other applications. Rich formatting options—including headers, footers, and alternating row and column patterns—can be saved as table and cell styles.

Getting started

In this lesson, you’ll work on a fictional college flyer designed to be attractive, easy to use, and easy to revise. You’ll convert text to a table, and then format the table using options in the Table menu, Control panel, and Table panel. The table will include header rows that repeat when the table flows across multiple pages. Finally, you will create a table style and a cell style so the formatting can be quickly and consistently applied to other tables.

1. To ensure that the preferences and default settings of your Adobe InDesign program match those used in this lesson, move the InDesign Defaults file to a different folder following the procedure in “Saving and restoring the InDesign Defaults file” on pages 4–5.

2. Start Adobe InDesign.

3. The InDesign Start Screen displays. Click Open at left. (If the Start Screen does not display, choose File > Open from the InDesign menu bar.)

4. Open the 11_Start.indd file in the Lesson11 folder, located inside the Lessons folder within the InDesignCIB folder on your hard disk.

5. If the Missing Fonts dialog box displays, click Sync Fonts to access any missing fonts through Adobe Typekit. Click Close when font syncing is complete.

   Note: For higher contrast in the printed manual, the screen captures in this book show the Medium Light interface. Interface elements such as panels and dialog boxes may be darker on your screen.

6. To ensure that the panels and menu commands match those used in this lesson, choose Window > Workspace > [Advanced], and then choose Window > Workspace > Reset Advanced.

   

7. To display the document at a higher resolution, choose View > Display Performance > High Quality Display (if it’s not already enabled).

8. Choose File > Save As, rename the file 11_Tables.indd, and save it in the Lesson11 folder.

9. If you want to see what the finished document looks like, open the 11_End.indd file in the same folder. You can leave this document open to act as a guide as you work.

Creating a table

Tables are grids of individual cells set in vertical columns and horizontal rows. In InDesign, a table is always contained within a text frame. To create a table, you can convert existing text into a table, insert a new table at a text insertion point in a text frame (which adds the table to the text flow), or create a new freestanding table. Here, you will experiment with creating a new table. You will then delete that table because the table you will use in this exercise is created by converting text into a table.

1. With page 1 of the 11_Tables.indd document centered in the document window, choose Table > Create Table.

   

2. In the Create Table dialog box, leave the default settings for Body Rows and Columns as is. Click OK.

3. Drag the table creation pointer () anywhere on the page. When you release the mouse button, InDesign creates a table that matches the dimensions of the rectangle you draw.

   

4. Using the Selection tool (), select the text frame containing the new table you just created.

5. Choose Edit > Clear to delete the new text frame and table.

6. Choose File > Save.

Converting text to a table

Often, the text for a table already exists in the form of “tab-delimited text,” in which the columns of information are separated by tab characters and the rows of information are separated by paragraph returns. In this case, the catalog text was received in an email from the college and then pasted into the document. You will select this text and convert it to a table.

1. Using the Type tool (), click in the text frame starting with the words “ENRICHMENT COURSES.”

2. Choose Edit > Select All.

   

   Note: If you do not see the paragraph returns, tabs, and spaces, choose Type > Show Hidden Characters.

3. Choose Table > Convert Text To Table.

   In the Convert Text To Table dialog box, you will indicate how the selected text is currently separated. Because Hidden Characters (Type menu) is selected, you can see that the columns of information are separated by tabs () and that the rows are separated by paragraph returns ().

4. From the Column Separator menu, choose Tab. From the Row Separator menu, choose Paragraph.

   Tip: If a table style is already created in a document, you can select it while converting text to a table. This produces an automatically formatted table.

5. Confirm that Table Style is set to [No Table Style], and then click OK.

   

   The new table is automatically anchored in the frame that contained the text.

   

6. Choose File > Save.

Importing tables

InDesign can import tables from other applications, including Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. When you place a table, you can create a link to the external file. Then, if you update the Word or Excel file, you can easily update that information in the InDesign document.

To import a table, follow these steps:

1. Using the Type tool (), click to place an insertion point in a text frame.

2. Choose File > Place.

3. In the Place dialog box, select Show Import Options.

4. Select a Word file (.doc or .docx) that contains a table, or select an Excel file (.xls or .xlsx).

5. Click Open.

6. Use the Import Options dialog box to specify how to handle the formatting in Word tables. For Excel files, you can specify what worksheet and cell range to import along with how to handle the formatting.

To link to tables when they are imported, you would follow these steps:

1. Choose Edit > Preferences > File Handling (Windows) or InDesign CC > Preferences > File Handling (macOS).

2. In the Links section, select Create Links When Placing Text And Spreadsheet Files, and then click OK.

3. If the data in the source file changes, use the Links panel to update the table in the InDesign document.

Note that for tables to retain their InDesign-applied formatting when the Excel file is updated, all cells in the InDesign table must be formatted with table and cell styles. Header and footer rows must be reapplied when updating a link.

The Import Options dialog box for specifying the spreadsheet, cells, and formatting to import.

Changing rows and columns

When you start with source data from a client, you will often need to add a few rows, rearrange text, and more in a table during a document’s design and review cycle. Once a table is created, you can easily add rows and columns, delete rows and columns, merge cells, rearrange rows, adjust row height and column width, and specify text inset for cells. In this section, you will complete the shell of the table so you know its size before you start formatting it.

Adding and deleting rows

You can add rows above or below a selected row. The controls for adding and deleting columns work the same as for adding and deleting rows. Here, you will add a row to the top of the table to contain the column descriptions.

1. Using the Type tool (), click in the first row of the table, which starts with “ENRICHMENT,” to activate a cell. You can click in any cell.

2. Choose Table > Insert > Row.

3. In the Insert Row(s) dialog box, type 1 in the Number box, and click Below. Click OK to add the row.

   

4. Click in the first new cell, and type Department. To add column heads to the remaining cells, click with the Type tool in each empty cell, or press the Tab key to navigate from cell to cell. Type the following text in each cell, as shown:

   • Second cell: No.

   • Third cell: Course Name

   • Fourth cell: Credits

   

5. Using the Type tool, click in the first cell of the second row, and then drag to the right to select all cells in the row with the new column headings.

6. Choose Type > Paragraph Styles.

7. Click Table Column Heads in the Paragraph Styles panel.

   

8. Click in the cell containing the word “Credits” to activate the cell.

   You will insert a column to the right of this column to contain images.

9. Choose Table > Insert > Column.

10. In the Insert Column(s) dialog box, type 1 in the Number box, and click Right. Click OK to add the column.

    The table is now wider than the frame and the page; you will resolve that later.

    

11. Choose File > Save.

Deleting rows

You can delete selected rows and columns. Here, you will delete the blank row at the bottom of the table.

1. Using the Type tool (), click the left edge of the last row of the table, which is blank.

   

2. Choose Table > Delete > Row.

3. Choose File > Save.

Rearranging rows and columns

While working on a table, you may find that information works better in a different order, or you may discover a mistake. In that case, you can select and drag rows or columns to a new location. This table is in alphabetical order by department, but the “Math” row is in the wrong location.

1. Locate the last row of the table, which starts with “Math”.

2. Using the Type tool (), move the pointer over the left edge of the “Math” row until it appears as a horizontal arrow (). Click to select the row.

3. Click and hold on the selected row, and then drag the “Math” row up and drop it just under the “Fashion” row. A bold blue line indicates where the row will be inserted.

   

4. Choose File > Save.

Adjusting column widths, row heights, and text placement

Columns and rows, and the way text fits within them, often need fine-tuning according to the content and the design. By default, table cells expand vertically to fit their content—so if you keep typing within a cell, it gets taller. You can, however, specify a fixed row height or have InDesign create columns or rows of equal size within the table. If you want columns of the same width, rows of the same height, or both, choose Table > Distribute Columns Evenly or Table > Distribute Rows Evenly.

In this exercise, you will manually adjust the column widths, and then you will modify how the text fits within the cells.

1. Using the Type tool (), point at a vertical stroke between two columns. When the double-arrow icon () displays, drag to the left or right to resize the column.

2. Choose Edit > Undo. Experiment with resizing columns a few more times to get a feel for the tool. Choose Edit > Undo after each move. As you drag, keep an eye on the horizontal ruler at the top of the document window.

3. Place the final columns by dragging the right edge of each column, using the horizontal ruler at the top of the window as a guide.

   • Department column: 2.5"

   • No. column: 3.125"

   • Course Name column: 5.25"

   • Credits column: 6.25"

   • Blank image column: 7.75"

   

   Now that the columns widths better fit the text, you will add a little space around the text in the cells. In this case, you will change the entire table, but you can modify selected cells only.

4. Choose Window > Type & Tables > Table to open the Table panel.

5. Click anywhere in the table, and choose Table > Select > Table.

6. Type .125 in in the Top Cell Inset field (), and press Enter or Return. If necessary, click Make All Settings The Same () to increase the inset on all four edges of each cell.

7. With the table still selected, click Align Center () in the Table panel.

   This centers the text vertically within each cell.

   

8. Click anywhere in the table to deselect the cells.

9. Choose File > Save.

Merging cells

You can merge adjacent selected cells to produce a single cell. Here, you will merge the cells in the top row so the header “ENRICHMENT COURSES” spans the table.

1. Using the Type tool (), click in the first cell of the first row, and then drag to select all the cells in the row.

   Tip: The Control panel has a Merge Cells icon for easy access.

2. Choose Table > Merge Cells.

3. Choose File > Save.

   

Formatting a table

The border of a table is a stroke that lies outside the entire table. Cell strokes are lines within the table that set the individual cells apart from each other. InDesign includes many easy-to-use formatting options for tables. You can use these to make tables attractive and help them convey information to readers. In this section, you will specify fills and strokes for the table.

Adding a fill pattern

To achieve effects such as shading every other row, InDesign provides fill patterns for both rows and columns. You can specify where the pattern starts, which allows you to exclude any header rows. As you add, delete, and move rows and columns, the pattern updates automatically. You will add a fill to every other row in this table.

1. Using the Type tool (), click anywhere in the table to activate it.

2. Choose Table > Table Options > Table Setup. In the Table Options dialog box, click the Fills tab at the top.

3. From the Alternating Pattern menu, choose Every Other Row. Leave the default settings for the remaining options.

   

4. Click OK. Every other row now has a gray background.

   

5. Choose File > Save.

Applying a fill color to cells

An entire table can have a fill color, and each cell can have its own fill color. Using the Type tool, you can drag to select any contiguous cells to apply a fill color. In this section, you will apply a fill color to the header row so the gray text is easier to read.

1. Using the Type tool (), move the pointer over the left edge of the “ENRICHMENT” row until it appears as a horizontal arrow (). Click to select the row.

2. Choose Window > Color > Swatches.

   Tip: You can use the Fill box on the Control panel to apply color to cells as well.

3. Select the Fill box () in the Swatches panel, and then click the Dark Green swatch.

4. Drag the Tint slider all the way to the right to 100%.

   

5. Choose Edit > Deselect All to view the color. Choose File > Save.

Editing cell strokes

Cell strokes are the lines around individual cells. You can remove or change the stroke for selected cells or for the entire table. In this section, you will remove the stroke width from all the horizontal strokes, as the alternating pattern provides enough delineation.

1. Using the Type tool (), click anywhere in the table, and then choose Table > Select > Table.

2. Locate the proxy preview () in the center of the Control panel.

   Each horizontal and vertical line represents a row stroke, column stroke, or border stroke. You can click the lines to toggle the selection on or off. Clicking a line on selects that particular stroke for formatting.

3. Click all three horizontal lines in the proxy to select them. Ensure that all horizontal lines (and no vertical lines) are selected (toggled on) on the proxy.

4. Type 0 in the Control panel’s Stroke field. Press Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS).

   

5. Choose Edit > Deselect All to see the results.

6. Choose File > Save.

Adding table borders

A table border is a stroke around the entire table. As with other strokes, you can customize the border’s width, style, color, and more. In this section, you will apply a border to the table.

1. Using the Type tool (), click anywhere in the table.

2. Choose Table > Select > Table.

3. Choose Table > Table Options > Table Setup to open the Table Options dialog box. Select Preview in the lower-left corner.

4. In the Table Setup tab, in the Table Border section, choose 0.5 pt from the Weight menu.

   

5. Click OK, and then choose Edit > Deselect All.

6. Choose View > Screen Mode > Preview to see the results of your formatting.

7. Choose View > Screen Mode > Normal, and then choose File > Save.

Adding graphics to table cells

You can use InDesign to create effective tables that combine text, photographs, and illustrations. By default, table cells are essentially small text frames, but you can convert a text cell to a graphic cell. At that point, the cell essentially functions as a graphics frame whose dimensions are governed by the table. In this exercise, you will add photos to some of the course descriptions.

Converting cells to graphic cells

First, you will convert a selected cell to a graphic cell using the Table menu and the Table panel. Later, you will see how to automatically convert a cell to a graphic cell by placing an image.

1. Using the Type tool (), click inside the far-right cell of the table’s first body row (the row describing Art 102: Street Photography).

2. Chose Table > Select > Cell to select the cell.

3. With the cell selected, choose Table > Convert Cell To Graphic Cell.

   

   Tip: You can convert a text cell to a graphics cell simply by placing an image in it. However, if you are creating a template that indicates where images should be placed, you can do this by converting the cells to graphics cells.

4. With the converted cell still selected, choose Table > Cell Options > Graphic to see the options for positioning a graphic within a cell.

   

5. After viewing the options in the Graphic tab of the Cell Options dialog box, click Cancel.

6. Click inside the far-right cell in the third body row (the row describing Baking 101: Pies and Cakes). Drag to the right to select the cell.

   Tip: To edit Cell Options or convert a graphic cell to a text cell, you must first select the cell. To select a graphic cell with the Type tool, drag across the graphic cell.

7. If necessary, choose Window > Type & Tables > Table to display the Table panel.

8. Choose Convert Cell To Graphic Cell from the Table panel menu.

   

Placing images in graphic cells

Now, you will place images in the two cells converted to graphic cells. You will then automatically convert two text cells to graphic cells as you place images.

1. Using the Selection tool (), click inside the new graphic cell in the Art 102: Street Photography row.

2. Choose File > Place. In the Place dialog box, select the StreetArt.jpg file in the Lesson11 folder.

3. Select Replace Selected Item, and then click Open.

   Tip: Use options in the Control panel, such as Fit Content Proportionally, to adjust the image size and placement within the cell.

4. To fit the cell to the image, choose Object > Fitting > Fit Frame To Content.

   

5. Click inside the new graphic cell in the Baking 101: Pies and Cakes row.

6. Choose File > Place. In the Place dialog box, select the Bake.jpg file in the Lesson11 folder, and click Open.

7. To fit the cell to the image, use the keyboard shortcut for Fit Frame To Content: Ctrl+Alt+C (Windows) or Command+Option+C (macOS).

8. Double-click the far-right cell in the Fashion 101: Design and Sewing row.

9. Choose File > Place. In the Place dialog box, select the Fashion.jpg file. Then, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (macOS) the Kite.jpg file to load the pointer with both the Fashion.jpg and Kite.jpg files. Click Open.

10. Click the loaded graphics icon () in the last cell of the Fashion 101: Design and Sewing row.

11. Click the loaded graphics icon in the last cell of the Recreation 101: Planning Summer Camp row.

12. Using the Selection tool, click the image of scarves and fit the cell to the image using the keyboard shortcut or the Object > Fitting > Fit Frame To Content command.

13. Using the Selection tool, click the kite image. Click the Fit Content Proportionately icon () on the Control panel.

    

14. Choose File > Save.

Adjusting the row heights

The images are 1" in height, so you will now make all the table body rows 1" high.

1. If necessary, choose Window > Type & Tables > Table to open the Table panel.

2. Using the Type tool (), move the pointer over the left edge of the first body row until it appears as a horizontal arrow ().

   

3. Drag from the first table body row, starting with “Art,” to the last table row, ending with “Recreation.”

4. With the table body rows selected, choose Exactly from the Row Height menu. Then, type 1 in in the Row Height field to the right of the menu. Press Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS).

5. Choose Edit > Deselect All to see the results.

6. Choose File > Save.

   

Anchoring graphics in table cells

You can have both text and graphics in a cell by anchoring images in the text. In this exercise, you will place a leaf icon next to the classes that are held off-campus.

1. Choose View > Fit Page In Window to center page 1 in the document window.

2. Using the Selection tool (), select the leaf icon immediately to the left of the header row.

3. Choose Edit > Cut.

4. Select the Type tool (), or double-click inside the table to automatically switch to the Type tool.

5. In the first body row of the table, click immediately after “Art.”

6. Choose Edit > Paste.

   

7. Click the Type tool after “Baking” and choose Edit > Paste.

8. Choose File > Save.

Creating a header row

A table’s name and the column headings are often formatted to stand out from the rest of the table. To do this, you can select and format the cells that contain the header information. This header information needs to repeat if the table flows across multiple pages. With InDesign, you can specify header and footer rows that repeat when a table continues to the next column, frame, or page. Here, you will format the first two rows of the table—which often contain the table name and the column headings—and specify them as header rows that repeat.

1. Using the Type tool (), move the pointer over the left edge of the first row until it appears as a horizontal arrow ().

2. Click to select the entire first row, and then drag to include the second row. You will have selected “ENRICHMENT” through “Credits.”

   

3. With the two rows still selected, choose Table > Convert Rows > To Header.

4. Click the Type tool in the last row of the table.

5. Choose Table > Insert > Row.

6. In the Insert Row(s) dialog box, type 4 in the Number box, and click Below. Click OK to add the rows.

7. Choose Layout > Next Page to view the table on page 2. Notice that the continuation of the table has the same header rows.

   

8. Choose Layout > Previous Page to return to page 1, and then choose File > Save.

Creating and applying table and cell styles

To quickly and consistently apply formatting to tables, you can create table styles and cell styles. A table style applies to the entire table, whereas cell styles can be applied to selected cells, rows, and columns. Here, you will create a table style and a cell style so the formatting can be quickly applied in other tables.

Creating table and cell styles

In this exercise, you will create a table style for the basic table formatting and a cell style for the header rows. Rather than specify formatting in the styles, you will simply create styles based on the formatting of the table.

1. Using the Type tool (), click anywhere in the table.

2. Choose Window > Styles > Table Styles, and then choose New Table Style from the panel menu.

   

3. Name the style Catalog Table in the Style Name box.

   

4. Click OK. The new style appears in the Table Styles panel.

5. Using the Type tool, click in the first row of the table, which says “ENRICHMENT COURSES.”

6. Choose Window > Styles > Cell Styles, and then click Create New Style at the bottom of the panel. Double-click the new Cell Style 1 to open the Cell Style Options dialog box.

   

7. Name the style Table Header in the Style Name box.

   You will now specify a different paragraph style for the text in cells with the Header Rows style applied.

8. From the Paragraph Style menu, select Table Head. This is the paragraph style already applied to the text in the header rows.

   

9. Click OK.

10. Choose File > Save.

Applying table and cell styles

Now, you will apply the styles to the table. To make global changes to table formatting later, you can simply edit the table or cell styles.

1. Using the Type tool (), click anywhere in the table.

2. Click the Catalog Table style in the Table Styles panel.

3. Using the Type tool, click in the first header row of the table. Choose Table > Select > Row to select the row.

4. Click the Table Header style in the Cell Styles panel. To see the difference, click [None] in the Cell Styles panel. Then click Table Header again.

   

5. Deselect all, choose View > Fit Page In Window, and choose File > Save.

   As a final step, you’ll preview the flyer in its current state. If you were going to complete this flyer, you might enter data into the table cells in the blank rows on page 2 and add more rows as necessary.

6. On the Application bar, select Preview from the Screen Mode menu to view the final table.

   

Congratulations! You have now completed this lesson.

Exploring on your own

Now that you’re skilled in the basics of working with tables in InDesign, you can experiment with other techniques for building tables.

1. First, create a new document. The page size and other specifications do not matter.

2. Choose Table > Create Table, and enter the number of rows and columns you want. Click OK. Click and drag to create a table of any size.

3. Using the Type tool (), click the insertion point in the first cell and then type. Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to navigate among the cells.

4. To add a new column by dragging, position the Type tool over the right edge of one of the columns in your table so that the pointer becomes a double-arrow icon () and begin dragging to the right. Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) and drag a short distance to the right, perhaps half an inch or so. When you release the mouse button, a new column appears. (The column has the same width as the distance you dragged.)

5. To rotate text within a cell, click with the Type tool to place an insertion point in a cell. Choose Window > Type & Tables > Table. In the Table panel, select the Rotate Text 270° () option. Then type the text you want in this cell. Increase the height of the cell as necessary to see the text.

6. To convert the table to text, choose Table > Convert Table To Text. Tabs can separate what were previously columns, and paragraph breaks can separate rows. You can also modify these options. Similarly, you can convert tabbed text to a table by selecting the text and choosing Table > Convert Text To Table.