Adding table row to text style

Lizsaskia · #1 03-10-2015, 05:41 AM

Hi,

I am trying to put together a Word minutes template for my office, and people have complained that the 'Action' doesn't line up with the 'Action Owner' and 'Deadline' columns in the table, as the 'Item' above the 'Action' has different line heights depending on whether there has been a carriage return or the text has just run on to the next line. This means that when you press enter in the other columns to try and make the 'Owner' and 'Deadline' line up you have to do a soft return to make it work, which is then out of line again if anything is added to the item.

I suggested putting the 'Action' in a different row to the 'Item', but this is not popular as it looks messy and separates the different parts of the section. I have managed to make it look neater and still be functional by making the row border above the 'Action' row white, but this is too complicated and long-winded for most people to add themselves, so I was wondering if there was a way of adding formatting to the text style for the 'Action' heading that automatically inserts it in a new row with a white top border.

Currently the only solution anyone has come up with is to add the 'Item' and 'Action' rows together to be inserted as a Quick Part, but I think this would also be too complicated for people to use.

Any ideas?

gmayor · #2 03-10-2015, 05:51 AM

Can you post a sample of what you envisage as it is difficult to understand what you are trying to do (and post a sample of the original which illustrates the alignment problem there) . It should be possible to fix with a macro.

Lizsaskia · #3 03-10-2015, 07:22 AM

Thanks - here are two documents showing the problem and the solution that I want to automate

gmayor · #4 03-10-2015, 08:24 AM

Hmmm. Going with your suggestion of using autotext, save your document as a macro enabled template, then select the bottom two rows of your second table, press ALT+F3 and save as an autotext entry called ItemAction in the template.

The following macro will then add the autotext entry to the bottom of the table when you tab out of the last cell (the first table should still tab normally) as should tabbing between other cells.

There is some anomaly related to bullets, when you add text to the cells just added, but the basic issue of ease of use for your users is resolved.

Code:

Option Explicit

Sub NextCell()
Dim iWidth As Long
Dim iCol As Long
Dim iRow As Long
Dim oRow As Row
Dim oRng As Range
Dim oCell As Cell
Dim oTable As Table

    If Selection.InRange(ActiveDocument.Tables(2).Range) Then
        Set oTable = ActiveDocument.Tables(2)
        Set oRow = Selection.Rows(1)
        iRow = oRow.Index
        iCol = oRow.Cells.Count
        Set oCell = oTable.Cell(iRow, iCol)
        'If the cursor is not in the last cell of the table, move to the next cell
        On Error GoTo lbl_Exit
        If Not Selection.InRange(oCell.Range) Or _
           Not Selection.InRange(oTable.Rows.Last.Range) Then
            Selection.Cells(1).Next.Select
            Selection.Collapse 1
            GoTo lbl_Exit
        End If
        Set oRng = oTable.Range
        oRng.Collapse 0
        Application.Templates(ThisDocument.FullName). _
                BuildingBlockEntries("ItemAction").Insert _
                Where:=oRng, _
                RichText:=True
        Set oRow = oTable.Rows.Last.Previous
        oRow.Cells(2).Range.ListFormat.RemoveNumbers NumberType:=wdNumberParagraph
        oRow.Cells(3).Range.ListFormat.RemoveNumbers NumberType:=wdNumberParagraph
        'select the first cell of the new row
        oRow.Cells(1).Select
        'move the selection to the start of the cell
        Selection.Collapse 1
        Set oRow = oTable.Rows.Last
        oRow.Cells(1).Range.Paragraphs(1).Range.ListFormat.RemoveNumbers NumberType:=wdNumberParagraph
        oRow.Cells(2).Range.ListFormat.RemoveNumbers NumberType:=wdNumberParagraph
        oRow.Cells(3).Range.ListFormat.RemoveNumbers NumberType:=wdNumberParagraph
    Else
        Set oRow = Selection.Rows(1)
        iRow = oRow.Index
        iCol = oRow.Cells.Count
        Set oCell = Selection.Tables(1).Cell(iRow, iCol)
        If Not Selection.InRange(oCell.Range) Or _
           Not Selection.InRange(Selection.Tables(1).Rows.Last.Range) Then
            Selection.Cells(1).Next.Select
            Selection.Collapse 1
            GoTo lbl_Exit
        Else
            Set oRow = Selection.Tables(1).Rows.Add
            'select the first cell of the new row
            oRow.Cells(1).Select
            'move the selection to the start of the cell
            Selection.Collapse 1
        End If
    End If

lbl_Exit:
    Set oTable = Nothing
    Set oRow = Nothing
    Set oCell = Nothing
    Set oRng = Nothing
    Exit Sub
End Sub

Lizsaskia · #5 03-10-2015, 10:35 AM

Thanks Graham - that was almost perfect! The right border doesn't quite line up with the row above when you add the new row. I have attached what I mean. The bullets seem to be fine tho!

gmayor · #6 03-10-2015, 10:52 PM

OK no problem. Locate the two lines

Code:

oRow.Cells(3).Range.ListFormat.RemoveNumbers NumberType:=wdNumberParagraph

and immediately after each add

Code:

        oRow.Cells(1).Width = oTable.Rows(2).Cells(1).Width
        oRow.Cells(2).Width = oTable.Rows(2).Cells(2).Width
        oRow.Cells(3).Width = oTable.Rows(2).Cells(3).Width

This will force the cell widths to match the first section.

Lizsaskia · #7 03-11-2015, 04:23 AM

Thank you Graham you are amazing!!

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