how to find tab in text

[johanakratochvila]

hi community, 

i have some text where sometimes short tables occur (f.e. alerts) ... the tables have the same character - two columns, black framing 0.5 pt ...
is it possible to find these tables using find / change and assign them an object style? however, I need the tables to stay in place because of flowing with text

thank you in advance...

johana

ps: i hope, you will understand, sorry for my poor english, i am trying the best...

[jmlevy · Accepted solution]

Tables are not objects but act as paragraph in text frames, so you cannot assign object styles to tables, but you can create table styles and cell styles.

[Scott Falkner · Accepted solution]

Look into Cell Styles and Table styles. They are quite limited. For example you cannot assign column widths to cells or columns in a table using styles. I taught a lesson on table styles and regredded it. In all my years of using InDesign I have never used Table Styles, although Cell Styles are more useful.

If you can post an image of one of your tables we can offer more specific advice. I often find that tables are not necessary. Tabs, paragraph rules, paragraph shading, and nested styles can often do the work of a table. In such cases global changes are easier to make since all the formatting can be controlled within a Pragraph Style.