Can I keep columns together in a table, but have the rows in each column be free-form?

Question

Can I keep columns together in a table, but have the rows in each column be free-form?

Basically, when you make a table, how ever much you type in one cell of one column, all the cells in that row become that same size (even if they have less text). Is there any way to get around this? I want the rows in each column to be independant of the rows next to eachother. Like two 1-column tables that share and edge. Does that make sense?

Header 1

Header 2

little text

If I put a lot of text here though, it makes the cell to the left use the same amount of space. Is there anyway to stop this and make the rows free

?

Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jun 9, 2013 9:49 PM

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Answer 1

Yellowbox

Level 7

20,383 points

Jun 9, 2013 10:01 PM in response to acousticguitar7

Hi AG,

Use the Columns button in the format bar:

Or use Inspector > Layout Tab > Layout Button > Columns

Insert a Column break after the short bit of text (here is View > Show Layout and Show Invisibles):

Regards,

Ian.

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Answer 2

Barry

Level 9

59,861 points

Jun 9, 2013 10:05 PM in response to acousticguitar7

Why not make two single column tables, then?

Or do as Iand suggests: Set your page up as a two column ocument, then make sure you don't go past the end of column 1.

Or use two text boxes placed side by side.

Regards,

Barry

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Answer 3

Jun 9, 2013 10:15 PM in response to Yellowbox

I tried inserting a coulmn break after the short bit of text, but the option is greyed out. Any idea why?

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Answer 4

Barry

Level 9

59,861 points

Jun 9, 2013 10:46 PM in response to acousticguitar7

Have you defined a two column layout?

Regards,

Barry

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Answer 5

Yellowbox

Level 7

20,383 points

Jun 9, 2013 10:48 PM in response to acousticguitar7

Hi AG,

Are you trying to insert a column break inside the table? Get rid of the table and create a two-column document (or Section).

Regards,

Ian.

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Answer 6

Jun 9, 2013 11:16 PM in response to acousticguitar7

You can't have multiple columns inside a cell in a Table.

A Column Break only applies to text in TextBoxes and the default text margins.

You can however get the effect you want by splitting the table cell into two:

Inspector > Table > Edit Rows and Columns > Split Rows/Columns

Peter

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Answer 7

Jun 11, 2013 4:02 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

No, Split Rows/Columns turns two columns into 4 columns. I'm just trying to separate a 2-column table into 2 1-column tabes that share an edge.

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Answer 8

Barry

Level 9

59,861 points

Jun 11, 2013 4:39 PM in response to acousticguitar7

Pages, as you have discovered, does not support splitting or merging individual cells.

Numbers does, though, so if you also have Numbers, you could construct the table there, then paste it into a Pages document.

The result is a single table. Cells in column B were merged in Numbers, but a similar result could be achieved by splitting cells in column A. Limited adjustments to individual cell boundaries are available in Pages, but I would suggest doing this, as far as possible in Numbers.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this solution, due to the limited flexibility of the resulting table in Pages. Your requirements may differ, though.

Regards,

Barry

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Answer 9

Jun 11, 2013 5:43 PM in response to acousticguitar7

Is this what you want?

You can also split sideways into rows and with some manipulation drag the relative position of cell borders.

Peter

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