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Resizing Rows and Columns in a Text Table

You can resize the width of table cells and columns, as well as change the height of table rows.

You can also distribute rows and columns evenly using the icons on the Optimise Size toolbar on the Table Bar.

Changing the Width of Columns and Cells

To Change the Width of a Column

Do one of the following:

  • Rest the mouse pointer over the column dividing line until the pointer becomes a separator icon, and then drag the line to a new location.
  • Rest the mouse pointer over the column dividing line on the ruler until the pointer becomes a separator icon, and then drag the line to a new location.
  • Hold down Ctrl and then click and drag a line to scale all cells right or above the line proportionally.
  • Place the cursor in a cell in the column, hold down the Alt key, and then press the left or the right arrow key.
  • To increase the distance from the left edge of the page to the edge of the table, hold down Alt+Shift, and then press the right arrow key.

You can specify the behaviour for the arrow keys by choosing Tools - Options - Office Writer - Table, and selecting the options that you want in the Keyboard handling area.

To Change the Width of a Cell

Hold down Alt+Ctrl, and then press the left or the right arrow key

Changing the Height of a Row

To change the height of a row, place the cursor in a cell in the row, hold down the Alt key, and then press the up or the down arrow key.

Resizing a Whole Table

To change the width and height of a table, do one of the following:

  • Click inside the table. In the rulers, drag the border between the white and the grey area to resize the table.
  • Click inside the table. Choose Table - Properties to open a dialogue box and set the properties to the numbers.

To wrap text to the sides of a table, and to arrange two tables next to another, you must insert the tables into a frame. Click inside the table, press Ctrl+A twice to select the whole table, then choose Insert - Frame.

Tables within HTML pages do not offer the full range of properties and commands as tables in OpenDocument format.