Can table format set table to fixed width?

[TWDaveWalker]

What I need is for an inserted table to fit onto the page, regardless of how many columns you specify.  To demonstrate with a default FM doc, in the Insert Table dialog box, select Format A, change the # of cols from 5 to 15, and insert the table.  See how the table is wider than the page.  Is there a way to set the table format to automagically shrink the col widths so the table stays on the page or to a pre-specified point size?

(Note: I know I can do it after the fact with Resize Columns, but it seems like what I want to happen would be a common need.)

Thanks,
Dave

[AxialInfo · Accepted solution]

No way to do this in FrameMaker out of the box, unfortunately.

I'm pretty sure it would be possible with an FDK API or with Framescript, though.

Sheila

[Russ Ward]

Hi Dave,

Actually, column widths are saved with a table format and get applied automatically when you insert a new table. There is no way to explicitly set them within the Table Designer, but when you click that "Update All" button, it captures the widths. It won't allow you to resize an existing table by applying the format, but all new tables should use whatever is stored in the format. Note that other things get "silently" stored as well, such as the paragraph formats in the cells.

To test this:

- Set up a table the way you want.

- Put the cursor in it and open the table designer

- Select the table format you want

- Click Update All

- Insert a new table with that format. It should look the same

You'll also note that when you pick a format in the Insert Table dialog, there are a bunch of defaults for the numbers of rows and columns. That comes from the format as well... whatever the last table had when you clicked Update All for that format.

Russ

[whlotus]

I also wanted to know this. Thanks, Russ. This is very useful!