moving table rows in word 2007

[Andy Fish]

Hi all,

This is one of those "it's so broken i must be getting the wrong idea"
things...

in word 2007 whenever i try to move some rows within a table, it splits the
table into 3 tables - the rows before the ones I moved; the rows i moved; and
the rows after. the 3 tables abut each other and I can't see any way to join
them back together into 1 table.

This happens every time in every document - it's not just a one-off
corrupted table problem. it happens whether i use cut and paste or drag and
drop.

the only way I can move or copy is to make space in the table by inserting
new rows and then copy the contents by making sure I only select the cells,
not the entire row (i.e. not selecting the end-of-row marker)

any clues please - am i missing a patch or something? this makes word tables
unusable for me with office 20087

Andy

 

[Lene Fredborg]

What happens if you click in a row in the middle of a table (you do not need
to select the entire row) and press Alt+Shift+Up Arrow or Down Arrow – does
this also split the table?

Note that If the topmost row(s) are in the selection and if the table is not
in the start of the document, this method will split the row(s) from the
original table.

--
Regards
Lene Fredborg
DocTools - Denmark
www.thedoctools.com
Document automation - add-ins, macros and templates for Microsoft Word

 

[Andy Fish]

hmm, thanks for the tip - those keystrokes work without splitting the table

incidentally it seems that I was wrong about it happening every time - I
just created a new blank document and it didn't happen.

it has happened several times on different documents from different sources.
the only link i can find is that they were all large tables in landscape
mode which ran across several pages

Andy

 

[Lene Fredborg]

I am wondering/guessing: Did you press Ctrl+Return to insert page breaks in
the original tables in order to push rows to the next page page?

If that is the case, it could explain what happens. A page break splits a
table into two. If you move rows around, the page break may no longer fall at
the bottom of the page and this may make it obvious that you have more than
one table.

You can see the page breaks if you turn on non-printing characters
(Ctrl+Shift+8). If you click in a table and select Table > Select > Table,
you can also check how much is selected – the command selects an entire table.

If you need page breaks in a table, select all of or part of the row you
want to start on a new page. Then select Format > Paragraph > Line and Page
Breaks tab and turn on “Page break beforeâ€. This will not split the table.

--
Regards
Lene Fredborg
DocTools - Denmark
www.thedoctools.com
Document automation - add-ins, macros and templates for Microsoft Word

 

[eknebel]

I, too have the same problem. I paste a row and then it break apart the table
into three pieces that cannot be joined. Please help!

 

[Stefan Blom]

This usually happens if you are pasting from one table to another, and the
tables have different settings for "Text wrapping" (on the Table tab of the
Table Properties dialog box). Make sure both tables have "Text wrapping" set
to "None," and then try again.

If you are copying/pasting within a single table--did you try the other
suggestions in this thread?

 

[Nick Ryberg]

This is just within the same table. In 2003, you could select a row with
your mouse and drag that row up and down the table to reorder them. Now when
you do that, it creates multiple separate tables out of the original single
table.

FYI, I tried setting Text Wrapping for the table to "None" and it didn't
have an effect on this problem.

Using the keystrokes (SHIFT+ALT+ [up/down]) works the way this should behave.

 

[Stefan Blom]

See if the rows have "Keep with next" and/or "Page break before" enabled
(Format | Paragraph, Line and Page Breaks tab).

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

This is just within the same table. In 2003, you could select a row with
your mouse and drag that row up and down the table to reorder them. Now
when
you do that, it creates multiple separate tables out of the original
single
table.

FYI, I tried setting Text Wrapping for the table to "None" and it didn't
have an effect on this problem.

Using the keystrokes (SHIFT+ALT+ [up/down]) works the way this should
behave.

This usually happens if you are pasting from one table to another, and
the
tables have different settings for "Text wrapping" (on the Table tab of
the
Table Properties dialog box). Make sure both tables have "Text wrapping"
set
to "None," and then try again.

If you are copying/pasting within a single table--did you try the other
suggestions in this thread?

 

[BagelC]

It would be nice if when you do a search in the help on moving rows in a
table this key combination actual came up. In stead the recommendation is to
use the drag and drop technique.

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

At the bottom of the help topic use the feedback buttons to suggest that to Microsoft. They do make changes help more quickly than
in the program

============

It would be nice if when you do a search in the help on moving rows in a
table this key combination actual came up. In stead the recommendation is to
use the drag and drop technique. <<
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[pridmorej]

Hi. It is happened to me as well. Cut and Paste or Drag and Drop splits the
table into 3. However, Shift+Alt+Up/Down moves the rows up/down as expected.

I didn't notice this behaviour when I first had word 2007 installed.
Perhaps it has been broken in an Office Update?

Please fix this Microsoft!

Jeremy