column width in tables gets squished in epub

[carlangel]

Upon epub export, the columns from some of my Indesign tables get squished, hyphenating some of the category heds. Is there a way to set the columns to maintain a decent width so that the heds don't hyphenate, whether it be in ID or an epub editor?

[Derek Cross · Accepted solution]

Sometimes, with a reflowable ePub, it's best to make a JPG of the table and use that (a graphic) instead.

Actually now that I've viewed your screen shots, I think it would be better if you didn't use tables for this text but you redesigned it as a single column.

[Frans v.d. Geest]

And how would that table be read out loud with Accessibility software Derek? 😉

[BobLevine]

There are CSS tricks you can use to format a table to become responsive but it depends on the table. Do some googling.

[Creamer Training]

I agree with Derek--this can be designed in a single column with the Do/Don't on top of one another in the text flow.

[Creamer Training · Accepted solution]

Long, wide, or complex tables and flowable EPUBs usually don't work well together. However, if you really want to use the tables, I would make a PNG graphic (not JPEG) and add copy the content in alt text area.

[carlangel]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

So, coming along a while later: the short answer is that there is no way to make a table full-width?

I have a master timeline table that is repeated in 1-3 line lengths at the head of the chapters. The main table is full width, just fine; absolutely nothing in ID or CSS setup will make the tables more than half-width in the inserts, no matter how much text is in the columns.

Short of the (kludge) of making 50+ PNG graphics of the table lines, I'm stuck with half-width tables in the chapters?

[ArjenBroeze]

There is a way to make define the exact width of tables and columns when exporting to ePub but it involves adding custom CSS to the export. Here's how:

Tables:

1. Select the table

2. Open the Table Styles window (Window-Styles-Table styles)

3. Click the plus to create a new table style

4. Give the table style a name (for example MyTable) and click OK

Now create a new CSS file in your favorite text-editor. Create a CSS entry for the table and set the options. For example:

table.MyTable {
	width: 100%;
	border-style:none;
	border-width:0px;
}

Save the CSS and include it in the HTML/CSS section when exporting to ePUB. 

Sizing columns is a similar process:

1. Create a column style in InDesign

2. Assign to all the cells in a column

3. Add a td.<YourColumnStyleName> entry to the CSS

[ArjenBroeze]

Step 1 in columns should be: Create a cell style

[ArjenBroeze]

If your cell styles don't work, it can help to add "table-layout:fixed" to your table CSS