AbiWord Tutorial #5 - How to Create a Table
AbiWord is a free word processor which is unique in the word processors market due to its fully cross-platform support. AbiWord is able to run on almost any operating system due to its carefully developed source code and if we also bear in mind AbiWord's ability to run in a long list of languages we can undoubtedly state that AbiWord has all it takes to be massively popular word processor. In today's tutorial I'm going to guide you through table creation.
The only prerequisite to follow this tutorial is to have this great free word processor installed in your PC. To get your free copy of AbiWord all you have to do is to click on the “Download” button on top of this page. The InstallIQTM manager guides you through the setup process.
This amazing free word processor features advanced tools for creating astonishing tables for your documents. AbiWord enables you to generate tables of different sizes, you can also include tables into another table (embedded), and create headings by merging cells. SO, let's get to it, first of all I recommend to turn AbiWord's Table toolbar into visible because that's the easiest way to create tables, to do so go to View → Toolbars → 3 Table and check it. Anyway, you can also go to Table → Insert → Table... You'll also find commands in this menu.
To create a new table click the left-most button and select table size (number of colums and rows) and the AutoFit behaviour or Fixed column size.
Once you finished click OK an the selected table will appear in the document having as an insertion point the place where you left the cursor prior to the table insertion.
To move between cells you can use the arrow keys on your keyboard. If you input some text in a cell, it'll be wrapped to fit in the cell, and row's height will be adjusted in an automatic way.
If you want to finish the table edition, just move out of it with the arrow keys. Adding another row, is simple as well, press the button on the Table toolbar that depicts a horizontal block being pushed between a column, as a result a new table row will be inserted under the row that has the insertion point.
Cells merging can be done by opening the Merge Cells dialog (rightmost button on the table toolbar), or going to Table → Merge cells... in the menu.
The Format Table dialog (Format → Table...) gives you with the ability to alter the appearance of the table lines, and to set cells background color.
Finally rows or columns can be deletes by using the Delete Rows and Delete Columns commands from the Table menu, alternatively you can use the delete buttons on the Table toolbar. The whole table can be removed from the document by going Table → Delete → Table in the same menu.
Final Words
Table creation and edition is dead simple with AbiWord. Waste no more of your precious time trying to learn and use complex and difficult to understand menus procedures and adjustment in other word processor options (even those which are quite expensive) give this fantastic free word processor a try, you'll never forget. Download AbiWord right now by clicking on the “Download Now” link below and start creating tables in no time!!
