Prevent Word from Automatically Joining Adjacent Tables

[Randy Pearson via OfficeKB.com]

We're constructing documents with tables that we want very close to one
another, preferably abutting but remaining distinct tables in the
document's object model.

If 2 tables are separated by an empty paragraph, and then we delete the
paragraph, the tables automatically join into one. This is what we are
trying to avoid. For now, we're leaving the empty paragraph in and setting
its font size to 1 PT, but that's the closest we've figured out.

If anyone knows how to kill the auto-join behavior, we would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Klaus Linke]

Hi Randy,

You can format the separating ¶ as hidden (John McGhie will roast me for that:
He says it may well cause corruption), or you can apply different table styles.

What's the reason? If you want to influence how the table(s) break(s) across
pages, there are other options.

Greetings,
Klaus

 

[Randy Pearson via OfficeKB.com]

Thanks. I didn't realize you could set things as hidden.

The reason is we're automating the extraction of information from Word DOC
files into a database. We're using tables to provide clearly-defined
locations where the user's input goes, and similarly we're using the
document's tables collection as a fundamental aspect in locating and
extracting the different parts. When two tables get joined into one, this
disrupts this process. Our extraction code would need to be more complex if
we had to allow that.

 

[Klaus Linke]

Thanks for the explanation! I would never have thought of that...

I'd hide the paragraph mark, too. John McGhie's main objection was to make the
last paragraph mark in the doc invisible.

(Alternating) table styles can also create problems/corruption, and would be
much more difficult to implement.

Klaus

 

[Randy Pearson via OfficeKB.com]

I should also add that every 5th table is a "real" table in that it
contains repeating rows where the user enters references. By keeping the
tables separate, it's easier for them to add rows to that table by hitting
TAB from the last cell. If the tables were merged, that would not be
possible.

But thinking about it further, without a little visual space, it may not be
obvious that the tables are separate so that this is available. So in fact,
we're no leaning toward not minding a couple of points of a gap.

[This seems like a cool forum. Glad I found it. Are there preferences, such
as getting emails when someone replies?]

 

[Klaus Linke]

[This seems like a cool forum. Glad I found it. Are there preferences,

such as getting emails when someone replies?]

Man, you are on Usenet...
Even if the web site you're on looks like a forum, it only fishes for newsgroup
postings and then sends what you wrote back to the newsgroups.

Microsoft has a web interface on their servers, too:
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/default.mspx

And for searching the archives, you best use Google:
http://www.google.com/groups?as_ugroup=microsoft.public.word

You can use Outlook Express or another newsreader to access the newsgroups
directly.
For the MS newsgroups, pasting news://news.microsoft.com into your browser URL
bar should hopefully get you started.
A newsreader has many advantages. You can read posts offline, sort posts
different ways, search them, mark threads as "read", highlight threads where
you've got replies, ...

http://www.word.mvps.org/FindHelp/index.htm has a few tips specific to the Word
newsgroups.


Greetings,
Klaus

 

[Doug Robbins]

If you access the newsgroups via the web interface on microsoft.com and you
go through the process of signing in with Passport, you can elect to receive
notification when there has been a response to your post.

--
Please respond to the Newsgroup for the benefit of others who may be
interested. Questions sent directly to me will only be answered on a paid
consulting basis.

Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Randy Pearson via OfficeKB.com]

OIC, thanks. There was nothing on the web interface I encountered that
mentioned the fact that this was a newsgorup. Found this "site" via a
ask.com search.