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Known Participant
February 6, 2023
Answered

Format Text in Tables

  • February 6, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 991 views

Hello,

This is a super basic question that I can't seem to find the answer to so forgive me if this is obvious. When working with tables containing text in InDesign, I'd like to be able to select all of the text and bold it all, change its color, etc all at once because I'm figuring out which styule I want so I'll be doing this a lot,

 

Currenty I am only seeing it possible to change these text characteristice by selecting each individual cell. When I try to drag and select it all, it selects the whole table and not the text (for example it will show the table fill color, not the text color so I can't select all this way and change text color). In Table>cell options>text, I can change text elements such as alignment all at once, but not font style, text color or other things.

 

Is there a way to do this to all text at once? Am I missing something obvious? Thanks so much in advance.

Correct answer Scott Falkner

Click the T button in the Swatches or Color panel. This will make formatting apply to text rather than cells.

2 replies

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Community Expert
February 7, 2023

Hi @COAC:

 

Lots of good info here, perhaps a visual will also be helpful.

 

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
James Gifford—NitroPress
Legend
February 6, 2023

You should be able to select any rectangular block of table cells and apply most formatting — although you really should be using this method only to apply defined styles.

 

The one barrier to this selection is header rows. You can select within one or more header rows, or within one or more body rows, but not both at the same time.

 

But other than that, you should be able to select text cells to apply formatting. Can you describe more clearly what steps you're taking, and what limits you're seeing? (That is, does one cell respond? or none?)

 

Dave Creamer of IDEAS
Community Expert
Community Expert
February 7, 2023

Cmd-Opt-A or Cntl-Alt-A will select the entire table too. 

 

If you are making a lot of tables, either in this one document or for multiple documents, it might be worth spending some time on how Table styles work. 

My workflow is create the Paragraph styles; then create the Cell styles that link to the Paragraph styles; then link the Cell styles to the Table style. You may need some Cell styles that you apply manually. 

 

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)