Button to add rows to a table.

[Coleman_1211]

Is there a way to put a button into an Adobe InDesign that will add rows to a table and move all content below that table down?

[Mike Witherell]

How about some keyboard shortcuts?

From the Table Menu:
Cell Options: Text... --- Ctrl+Alt+B
Create Table... --- Shift+Ctrl+Alt+T
Delete: Column --- Shift+Backspace
Delete: Row --- Ctrl+Backspace
Insert: Column... --- Ctrl+Alt+9
Insert: Row... --- Ctrl+9
Select: Cell --- Ctrl+/
Select: Column --- Ctrl+Alt+3
Select: Row --- Ctrl+3
Select: Table --- Ctrl+Alt+A
Table Setup: --- Shift+Ctrl+Alt+B

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/default-keyboard-shortcuts.html

Keys for tables

This table isn’t a complete list of keyboard shortcuts. It lists only those shortcuts that aren’t displayed in menu commands or tool tips.

Result	Windows	Mac OS
Insert or delete rows or columns while dragging	Begin dragging row or column border, and then hold down Alt as you drag	Begin dragging row or column border, and then hold down Option as you drag
Resize rows or columns without changing the size of the table	Shift–drag interior row or column border	Shift–drag interior row or column border
Resize rows or columns proportionally	Shift–drag right or bottom table border	Shift–drag right or bottom table border
Move to next/previous cell	Tab/Shift+Tab	Tab/Shift+Tab
Move to first/last cell in column	Alt+Page Up/ Alt+Page Down	Option+Page Up/ Option+Page Down
Move to first/last cell in row	Alt+Home/ Alt+End	Option+Home/ Option+End
Move to first/last row in frame	Page Up/Page Down	Page Up/Page Down
Move up/down one cell	Up Arrow/Down Arrow	Up Arrow/Down Arrow
Move left/right one cell	Left Arrow/Right Arrow	Left Arrow/Right Arrow
Select cell above/below the current cell	Shift+Up Arrow/ Shift+Down Arrow	Shift+Up Arrow/ Shift+Down Arrow
Select cell to the right/left of the current cell	Shift+Right Arrow/ Shift+Left Arrow	Shift+Right Arrow/ Shift+Left Arrow
Start row on next column	Enter (numeric keypad)	Enter (numeric keypad)
Start row on next frame	Shift+Enter (numeric keypad)	Shift+Enter (numeric keypad)
Toggle between text selection and cell selection	Esc	Esc

[Mike Witherell]

If you build your table inline with the flow of the text in a textframe, then when you add rows, the content will all reflow downstream.

[Coleman_1211]

Thank you for your reply. I might have been unclear in my post. I am looking to have an interactive PDF with a button that will add rows to a table, and move all the content below that table down as the table gets more rows added. Do you know if there is a way to accomplish this, or should I be using another Adobe app? I am still getting a grasp on all the different features all the applications from Adobe have to offer. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

PDFs are essentially static documents, some interactive elements aside. What you're asking for is essentially live editing capability, which the format and structure don't have.

Other than a genuine editing app (such as Word or Google Docs), an app/doc that let users actually move content around would need to be built on an advanced interactive platform, or be an app itself. Just maybe something could be done on a platform like WordPress, but I don't have any specifics in mind.

—

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

AEM Designer, formally LiveCycle Designer, is the only Adobe program I know of that can add table rows and expand a PDF.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

...a PDF form editor/builder, nothing an end user would have or have access to.

—

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

The end user CAN have the ability to add rows to a table. Granted, it would probably need Acrobat Reader--I've never used the PDF forms with any third-party programs.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I wasn't aware forms could be modifed at the Reader level, even if built using LiveCycle. I guess there may be a solution, then. 😛

—

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS · Accepted solution]

Here is an example of some things Designer can do, including adding and deleting rows. (This is as a user in Acrobat.)

Added: Designer has real tables in it unlike Acrobat; and it can perform Excel-like calculations.

[Coleman_1211]

What you have here is essentiall what I would be looking to do. Adding the rows, and having the content below move down with everything. How would I get the + and - buttons to work like that in Designer?

Thank you in advance. 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

First you have to recreate the table in an expandable subform. 

The easiest way to control the rows is with the Tools>Action Builder menu, but I prefer to code the buttons directly.

Table1.Row1.instanceManager.addInstance(1);

and

_Row1.removeInstance(this.parent.index);

[Coleman_1211]

I guess my question would be, is something link that available in InDesign, or is this only available in AEM Designer?

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Only AEM. InDesign makes what is referred to as "AcroForms" which are very limited in comparison. The closest thing AcroForms can use is Page Templates.