Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

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SteveNixon
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Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by SteveNixon »

I just created a new table style and the header row doesn't appear when I insert it. Am I missing a check box somewhere?

Steve
LTinker68
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Re: Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by LTinker68 »

Doesn't appear when you insert what? The table, the header row, the table stylesheet?

To add a header to a table, you open the Table Properties screen and specify how many header or footer rows you want that particular table to have. It will then display those header or footer rows using the styles you defined in the table stylesheet (and assuming you selected that table stylesheet in the Table Properties screen as well).
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Lisa
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SteveNixon
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Re: Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by SteveNixon »

I created a style, defined the header style in the header tab in the dialog, After I create the table I select it from the Apply table style drop down menu. I get no header. The header has a quantity of 1 beside it so I know it should appear. Any thoughts?

Steve
SteveNixon
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Re: Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by SteveNixon »

Ok I got this, it doesn't automatically include a header row when you create the table even though it has been defined in the style. (odd) You have to click inside the table and then select Table properties from the ribbon and then enter the number of header rows you want. Shouldn't this be an automatic part of what you define in the style?

Best, Steve
LTinker68
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Re: Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by LTinker68 »

Not necessarily. The styles are there if you need them, but aren't used until you indicate that you want them.

Besides, a lot of people don't use tables as tables. That is, they don't use them to display content in a tabular format. Tables, in Flare and other web designing programs, are often used to control content placement and those tables often wouldn't have headers, footers, borders, etc., so it would be annoying to have to turn them off when you insert a table. And you can't just leave them in, because browsers have default styles for certain tags, and table headers are often bold text and centered, so that could screw up tables that are used to control placement.

In this case, it's more just a habit you have to get into. When you insert a table, you have to go to the Table Properties screen anyway to specify which table style (if any) to use, so at the same time, click the up arrow next to the header field to add a header row. I don't have Flare open at the moment, but I think they're even in the same screen when you open the Table Properties screen, so you don't have far to go to add the header row.
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Lisa
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SteveNixon
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Re: Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by SteveNixon »

Good points, but I think the problem here is that the properites dialog should pop up when I select the rows and columns to provide me with the options rather than just assume I want the cells without the headers. It behaves this way when you create a table from the Insert menu but not the table menu. It should be consistent in the UI. Maybe a considersation for the next release?

Best, Steve
LTinker68
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Re: Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by LTinker68 »

You can certainly submit a feature request at https://www.madcapsoftware.com/feedback ... quest.aspx.

Although just to clarify, when you say "...when I select the rows and columns" in the Insert menu, are you referring to "drawing" the table by selecting cells across and down? If so, then that's kind of standard industry behavior. That is, the table properties screen doesn't normally appear automatically when you draw a table. Although in Word, at least Word 2010, it will automatically turn on the header row, first column, and row banding, so that gives you a bit more than you get by default in Flare, but it's not as common to bring up the table properties screen. So perhaps your request should either be to bring up the table properties screen after drawing a table, or give table design options in the ribbon like you do in Word, where you can select a table style (if desired), and put checkmarks if you want a header row, footer row, first column, banded rows, etc.
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Lisa
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SteveNixon
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Re: Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by SteveNixon »

Thanks Lisa, I will put that recommendation in. Thanks for your input here. Greatly appreciated.

Best, Steve
bluebird5
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Re: Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by bluebird5 »

I create the table I select it from the Apply table style drop down menu. I get no header. The header has a quantity of 1 beside it so I know it should appear.
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Lsawyer
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Re: Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by Lsawyer »

I believe this is WAD but should really work better. I want created a specific table style that included a header row. I should be able to apply that style to a table and the first row should be a header row automatically. It is a major pain to have to go through and apply a header row through properties for every table (I have a reasonably long API doc with lots of tables).

This seems to have been an issue for quite a while now...
Nita Beck
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Re: Creating a new table style - Header row doesn't appear

Post by Nita Beck »

Lsawyer wrote:I believe this is WAD but should really work better. I want created a specific table style that included a header row. I should be able to apply that style to a table and the first row should be a header row automatically. It is a major pain to have to go through and apply a header row through properties for every table (I have a reasonably long API doc with lots of tables).

This seems to have been an issue for quite a while now...
I feel your pain, truly. :cry: But the forums are moderated by fellow Flare users, not by Madcap employees (although they sometimes do post). MadCap are the ones to complain to. And be sure to put in a feature request at https://www.madcapsoftware.com/feedback ... quest.aspx.

But I can suggest a workaround. Create a snippet that holds an empty table set up just the way you want it, with a header row and with your favorite table style already applied. Then you can drop that snippet into a topic where you want to insert a table and immediate convert it to live text (by right-clicking on the snippet and selecting Convert to Text). Then you're all set to start putting content in it. Of course, I'm assuming that you're creating your tables from scratch...
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