Table Layout and Operations

You are able to manage table width and column width specifications from the source document. These specifications are supported both in fixed and proportional dimensions. The predefined frameworks (DITA, DocBook, and XHTML) also support this feature. The layout of the tables for these document types takes into account the table width and the column width specifications particular to them. To adjust the width of a column or table, drag the border of the column. The changes you make to a table are committed into the source document.

To select a row or a column of a table, place the mouse cursor above the column or in front of the row you want to select, then click. When hovering the mouse cursor in front of rows or above column headers, the cursor changes to for row selection and to for column selection and that specific row or column is highlighted.

To select a cell in a table, press and hold the Ctrl key and click anywhere inside the cell. You can use this action to select one or more cells, and also to deselect cells from a selection. Alternatively, you can click one of the left corners of a cell (right corners in case you are editing a RTL document). The cursor changes to when it hovers over the corners of the cell.

You can use the drag and drop action to edit the content of a table. You are able to select a column and drag it to another location in the table you are editing. When you drag a column and hover the cursor over a valid drop position, Oxygen XML Author decorates the target location with bold rectangles. The same drag and drop action is also available for rows.

In Oxygen XML Author, you are able to copy entire rows or columns of the table you are editing. You can paste a copied column or row both inside the source table and inside other tables. The cut operation is also available for rows and columns. You can use the cut and the copy-paste actions for tables located in different documents as well.

When you paste a column in a non-table content, Oxygen XML Author introduces a new table which contains the fragments of the source column. The fragments are introduced starting with the header of the column. When you copy a column of a CALS table, Oxygen XML Author preserves the width information of the column. This information is then used when you paste the column in another CALS table.