Table style in Numbers overrides random cell text color

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Level 1

4 points

Table style in Numbers overrides random cell text color

iMac w/Ventura OS 13.5.2

Numbers 13.1

I have recently updated a large Numbers 09 table to the current version. I have added, moved, and deleted many rows over the years so the alternating row colors (white/gray) are quite erratic. When I try to apply the basic Numbers style to the table so that I can choose to alternate row colors, it changes the text color to black for any cells which I have manually entered a different text color. The table is large enough that going back to re-enter the different text color is not practical. The use of color is also random so that no condition I can think of would apply in order to select these cells. Any suggestions? Thank you for any help you can give.

deeter

iMac 24″, macOS 13.5

Posted on Sep 10, 2023 4:56 PM

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Answer 1

diedrefromks Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 11, 2023 1:14 PM in response to Badunit

Yes, I had tried that. Checking and unchecking the alternating rows box did absolutely nothing. However, I have now decided that it is a text style rather than a table style problem. I had just been changing the text color of my body style manually, which I considered an override. Now I have tried setting up a new text style only differing in color and applying it to the offending text. Once that is done and I apply a table style, all is good. I have a table style of my choice with alternating rows and colored text in designated cells. The only problem, of course, is that I have to go through the lengthy table to find the all the color cells and apply the new style. This also works if I use a character style for the colored text, by the way. Thank you for helping me find a solution.

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Answer 2

Badunit

Level 7

31,299 points

Sep 10, 2023 9:20 PM in response to diedrefromks

Well that is confusing. The option to "clear overrides and apply style" is the one that resets text color. Simply applying the table style doesn't, or shouldn't. I don't know why it is doing that.

Did you try skipping the "apply table style" step altogether and just click on "alternating row colors" or did that, too, set your text color to black? The steps that set the background colors to "no fill" was to get rid of any fill colors that would override the alternating row color.

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Answer 3

Badunit

Level 7

31,299 points

Sep 10, 2023 5:37 PM in response to diedrefromks

I don't recall how alternating row color worked in Numbers 09 but, in the newer versions, if you add/delete rows it recolors the rows so they remain alternating. It will never be erratic. It sounds like the cell colors you have now are regular background colors. I don't know what you are doing that is resetting the text color, though. Maybe it is something to do with how you are applying "the basic Numbers style".

Try this, maybe it will work:

Set the background color of all the data cells to "no fill"
Set the background color of the header cells to "no fill"
Click on the table style that has no color (bottom right one in the first set of 6)
Click on the table style in the top left corner (the "default" table style)
Now check the box for alternating row colors

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Answer 4

diedrefromks Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 10, 2023 6:43 PM in response to Badunit

Steps 1 and 2 worked fine. As soon as I applied Step 3 (blank style), my text color in random cells changed to black. I also tried applying the default style (Step 4) both with and without using the blank style first with no difference. I also tried holding the control key when choosing the style, which gave me several options. I found the first two confusing:

1. Apply Table Style (this applied the style but also changed the text color to black)
2. Clear Overrides and Apply Style (this did the same thing)

There is no option listed to maintain overrides (which I assume my random text color is) and apply the style. Thank you for your suggestions, though.

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Table style in Numbers overrides random cell text color

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