Macro for multiple Table --> Text conversion

[David Gareau via OfficeKB.com]

I have some files that are filled with tables and cause me to have to print
2-3x as much, I want to convert the tables to text, but there's 100+
sometimes and I don't want to do each individually, I have read here that
the ONLY option is a macro, is this true? If so, any links to such a
macro, or ideas on how to make it? Thanks
david

 

[Pat Garard]

G'Day David,

The following Macro will go through a document and
convert all tables to text using tab separators.

Sub TablesToText()
Dim intX As Integer
For intX = 1 To ActiveDocument.Tables.Count
ActiveDocument.Tables(intX).Select
Selection.Rows.ConvertToText _
Separator:=wdSeparateByTabs, _
NestedTables:=True
Next
End Sub

Cut and Paste as is.

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi Pat,

That's almost correct. As is, though, it will convert every second
table in the document and then stop with an error. The problem is that
after the first table is converted, the formerly second table becomes
..Tables(1). But by then intX has become 2, and the next conversion
affects what used to be the third table but is now .Tables(2). This
will continue until all the originally odd-numbered tables have been
converted, and then intX will reach a value greater than the number of
tables remaining in the document and an error will stop the macro.

The easiest fix is to change ActiveDocument.Tables(intX).Select to
ActiveDocument.Tables(1).Select, so each conversion affects the
current first table of the document. Since the loop condition
ActiveDocument.Tables.Count is evaluated only during the first pass,
it'll give you the correct number of passes.

Besides that, there's no need to select the table before converting
it. Your code will run faster (because there won't be any screen
redrawing) if you write the macro like this:

Sub TablesToText()
Dim intX As Integer
For intX = 1 To ActiveDocument.Tables.Count
ActiveDocument.Tables(1).ConvertToText _
Separator:=wdSeparateByTabs, _
NestedTables:=True
Next
End Sub

 

[Pat Garard]

Good One Jay!

Of course I never TESTED it did I? {:-{

How about....

Sub TablesToText()
While ActiveDocument.Tables.Count
ActiveDocument.Tables(1).ConvertToText _
Separator:=wdSeparateByTabs, _
NestedTables:=True
Wend
End Sub

......? [:-}

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi Pat,

Yes, that would work. At least it would execute the same loop body the same
number of times.

When you have two constructions that both get the same results, then it's
reasonable to ask which one is "better", either noticeably faster or easier
to understand/maintain. In this case it could be a draw, but we'd have to
run both of them against the same file with a large number of tables to be
sure. I think the For..Next might run a bit faster than the While..Wend,
because the loop-ending condition of the For loop is evaluated only once.
But it very much depends on how the VBA developers implemented the two kinds
of loops in machine language.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP

Good One Jay!

Of course I never TESTED it did I? {:-{

How about....

Sub TablesToText()
While ActiveDocument.Tables.Count
ActiveDocument.Tables(1).ConvertToText _
Separator:=wdSeparateByTabs, _
NestedTables:=True
Wend
End Sub

.....? [:-}

Hi Pat,

That's almost correct. As is, though, it will convert every second
table in the document and then stop with an error. The problem is
that after the first table is converted, the formerly second table
becomes .Tables(1). But by then intX has become 2, and the next
conversion affects what used to be the third table but is now
.Tables(2). This will continue until all the originally odd-numbered
tables have been converted, and then intX will reach a value greater
than the number of tables remaining in the document and an error
will stop the macro.

The easiest fix is to change ActiveDocument.Tables(intX).Select to
ActiveDocument.Tables(1).Select, so each conversion affects the
current first table of the document. Since the loop condition
ActiveDocument.Tables.Count is evaluated only during the first pass,
it'll give you the correct number of passes.

Besides that, there's no need to select the table before converting
it. Your code will run faster (because there won't be any screen
redrawing) if you write the macro like this:

Sub TablesToText()
Dim intX As Integer
For intX = 1 To ActiveDocument.Tables.Count
ActiveDocument.Tables(1).ConvertToText _
Separator:=wdSeparateByTabs, _
NestedTables:=True
Next
End Sub

 

[David Gareau via OfficeKB.com]

Hey thanks for the quick replies:
I have never used macros.

How would I use this one, how do I input it and where, or if that's lengthy
and has been addressed elsewhere could you direct me to such a resource.

Thanks
David

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

See http://www.gmayor.com/installing_macro.htm

 

[Doug]

I am having a similar problem!
The macro TablesToText() almost does the trick but....

The result using a 3x2 table is similar to this:
(Cell1,Cell2,Cell3, etc are just prior to the end-of-cell marker in each
cell)

This is line one

Line two

Line three

Cell1 This is line one

Line two

Line three

Cell2 This is line one

Line two

Line three

Cell3

This is line one

Line two

Line three

Cell4 This is line one

Line two

Line three

Cell5 This is line one

Line two

Line three

Cell6



Note: Cell 1 and Cell2 are separated by a Tab but Cell 3 is NOT. Cell 3
runs together with Cell4.



What modification is needed to the macro to get a Tab to separate the last
cell in a row from the first cell in the next row?


Sub TablesToText()
While ActiveDocument.Tables.Count
ActiveDocument.Tables(1).ConvertToText _
Separator:=wdSeparateByTabs, _
NestedTables:=True
Wend
End Sub

Thanks
Doug