This month's Tech Tip explores Microsoft Word's capacity for creating tables. The following instructions work only with Word, although other word processing programs -- e.g., AppleWorks -- will have similar functions.

Step 1: First, make sure you have the set of menus that corresponds to this exercise. Pull down View and make sure Word 5.1 menus is NOT checked.

Step 2: Choose Table, Insert Table. A dialog box will appear asking you for the number of columns and rows. Fill in the numbers desired (you can always change this later), leave the Column Width on auto for this exercise, and click OK.

Step 3: You can type in any location in the table by placing your cursor within a desired cell. To move from cell to cell, use the TAB key. (TAB will also add a row at the end of the table, if your cursor is in the rightmost cell of the last row.)

Step 4: If you need to modify the format of your table, try the following:

To Add a column:

Adding a column is accomplished by splitting an existing column. Place your cursor in the column that will be to the left of the column you are adding. Choose [Table], Select [Column]. Choose [Table], [Splits Cells]. A dialog box will appear. Leave the default entries and click [OK].

To Add a row other than the end of the table:

Place your cursor in the row below which you want to add the row. Choose [Table], [Insert Rows].

To Adjust the width of the columns:

Slowly move the cursor over the vertical line to the right of the column you wish to adjust. When the cursor becomes a small vertical line with arrows pointing to the left and the right, hold the mouse button down and drag the vertical line left or right to the desired width.

To Delete a row, column or table:

To delete any row, column, or table, it first must be selected. Place your cursor within the desired row/column/table and choose [Table], Select [Row] or Select [Column] or Select [Table]. Choose [Table], [Delete Rows], or [Delete Columns], or [Delete Rows]. (There is no Delete Table).

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