Tables


Create a Table Creating tables is quick and easy. There are two ways to create tables: using the editor's "Insert/Edit Table" button (Table_button), or using a special kind of table that will be described here. In the editor, you can easily create a simple table as you would in a word processor. For most purposes, this is what you need. But if you want to collaborate with others, then try the Codex's Create a Table method. With this second kind of table, each row of the table is considered a separate entry, so that different users can contribute rows to the table. Here you'll find an explanation of how to create the Codex's special table type.

Go to the page on which you want the table to appear. Click on the item in the editing menu that says Create a Table.

You will be given a form in which to fill information about your new table. Just as with other entries, you must choose or create a category under which your table will be placed. For example, if your table will be used to present a timeline, then create a category called "Timeline" and put your table there.

Next, you can provide a title for your table. The title will appear at the top of the table as a heading. If you do not want a heading on your table, you can leave the title blank.

Choose how many columns the table will have. You can choose between one and five columns in tables. Be warned that tables are generously padded with white space to make them more readable and attractive. If you choose five columns for your table, each column will be roughly the same width.

After choosing how many columns your table will have, a number of fields will appear where you can give names to the columns. You can change how many columns you want and the number of input fields will change accordingly. As with the table heading, column headings are optional. You can give column headings to all columns, some columns, or none.

The Create Table Form

When you're done defining your table, hit the "Create Table" button. You will be brought back to the page where you wanted the table. The table will appear in the section and have no rows in it yet. Above the table you will find a Move button. You can grab that button to drag and drop your table within its category, just as you can do with other entries. You have a few hours to use this move button to position your table. After a while, it will be gone.

To add rows to a table, click on the Add Row link at the bottom of the table. You will see this link only if you are logged in. A row will open up in the table where you can fill in the values for your new row. Values in a row follow the same rules as other entries. You can use various text formatting such as bold, italics, and underline. You can also create links to other web pages (using the [URL][/URL] tags), and images (using the [IMG][/IMG] tags).

See the markup codes page for a quick reference.

Anyone can add a row to a table. Rows that you create will have a Move button that you can use to position them within the table. Just drag them up or down to where they should be. The move button will only be available for a few hours.

Adding a row


Additional Notes

Images in a table will be automatically shrunk to a width of around 80 pixels to be sure that the table layout is not broken. Images will automatically link to the full size image so that people viewing your table can easily click on images and see them in their intended sizes. For large images, it's recommended that you put them outside of tables in normal entries so that they are not shrunk as much.

Edit_entry You can also edit the table's name and column headings after the table is created by using the edit button. Note that you cannot change the number of columns in a table after it is created. To edit a row that you created, put your mouse cursor over the row and click on the edit button that appears to the left of the row.

Red_x To delete a table that you created, click on the red X. The same is true for rows that you created.

Also note that editing of tables and rows is not supported in Internet Explorer version 6 and earlier, and other old browsers. We recommend Firefox and Safari if you plan to create tables and rows. Any web browser will be able to view the tables without editing capabilities.