Combining Tables--Easy and Fast Way?

What program is the manuscript written in? Microsoft Word? Works? WordPerfect? Something else?

If you have Excel, you should be able to copy tables in there and then start working from there. If not, it's not impossible but it would be more difficult. But first let's start with the basics.

I have Microsoft Office Word 2003. Hope this isn't too complicated. Remember who you're dealing with, Jes.

Thanks for responding, brave soul that you are.

Heh, I saw the thread title and was about to post a SQL line to combine tables. Piece of cake in Oracle!

What's an SQL? Or doesn't it matter since I don't have Oracle?

SQL is a scripting language used in databases. (And "Tables" has a different meaning there too!). Not useful to you here... :wink:

You can remove the table formatting by copying the table, then posting it into a text-only editor, like notepad.

It would definitely be easier to do in Excel, which has nice sorting features.

It may take a couple of tries to paste it in successfully in the format you want; don't be afraid to just open a new Excel file and try again.

dadpad, Thanks for the advice about Notepad. I'll try it. As for Excel, I don't have it and never used it, so that's out.

No need for Excel or notepad. This is quite easy in Microsoft Word.

All you have to do is select all of the cells from one table... and then drag them to the top row of the second table.

In my playing... it seemed to have better results if the two tables you are combining have the same number of rows. You can do this easily by clicking on the table menu... and then "insert"ing blank rows into the smaller table.

You can experiment with no risk. First save... then try something. If it doesn't work-- click CTRL-Z to go back. It doesn't matter since you just saved anyway.

The click and drag works pretty well and is fairly intuitive.

ebrown, I think I understand almost everything you said (maybe). I don't understand why the tables have to have the same number of rows, but I'll give it a try.

Never did dragging in this context. Do both tables have to be on the same page? I assume so.

What does control-Z do?

The key to being good at computers is being able to play around without fear. Save early and save often is the way to deal with any danger.

The CTRL-Z (holding down the 'Ctrl' key while typing Z) is the undo key. It will undo the last thing you did. This is a very handy key when you are goofing around.

I am not sure the equal number of rows thing is important or not. I just said that because after I read your question I brought up Word to goof off a bit and my first attempt it did something a little expected... but you might do something a little different that works.

I am sure you can do this... and a reasonable first step is selecting all the contents of one table and dragging.

The tables you are combining don't have to be on the same page... but if they are not dragging is a problem. This just means you need to use copy and paste instead.

Select the contents you want to insert and type CTRL-C (to copy). Then put the cursor at the beginning of a cell on the top row of the table you want to insert into and type CTRL-V (paste).

Have fun (this really is the most important advice I can give).

Thanks, ebrown. I'm generally not afraid to try stuff, especially since the tables will be saved intact elsewhere. I just know very little (obvious), and when I try things, they tend to take "unexpected" turns. (Don't ask.)

I'll play with this later. Right now I have to finish writing the Glossary. (Another "don't ask.")

I appreciate the suggestions.

Good luck.

Let me know how it turns out.

After many attempts to combine the tables, I entered them on Notepad. The formatting was gone. I then combined them in Word, deleted the repeats, and submitted a two-column list rather than a two-column table. This should be okay.

Thanks to you and dadpad for your help. I'm hopeless--almost.

The project is done.

Thats ok dlowan. My pleasure.

You should ask drewdad about tables He often has good advice too.

I'll keep that in mind. And I really do appreciate the help. Your suggestion saved me from having to put in hours of tedious work

BTW, you've got your furry animal avatars mixed up. I'm not the bunny although I'm kinda flattered to be mistaken for her--on a human level. However, on a cheetah to wabbit level--not so much.

Try http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/results.aspx?qu=Merge+cells+into+one+cell+in+a+table+&av=ZWD110

and http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HP051892451033.aspx?pid=CH060831631033

I highly recommend http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/FX100485361033.aspx?pid=CL100605171033 . Select the Office 2003 tab and pick Word 2003.

Jes, Thanks for doing all that poking around for me. The thing is done and submitted. However, all your work is not in vain. In intend to investigate those sites. Maybe I'll learn something. Stranger things have been known to happen.

Thanks again.

Oh did I? Thats kinda funny cause some people get me and drewdad mixed up sometimes. Its an easy enough mistake to make and I'm sure drewdad doent mind too much when I get thanked for something he posted.


http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=2789319#2789319

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