StartTable

DocumentBuilder.StartTable method

Starts a table in the document.

public Table StartTable()

Return Value

The table node that was just created.

Remarks

The next method to call is InsertCell.

This method starts a nested table when called inside a cell.

Examples

Shows how to format cells with a document builder.

Document doc = new Document();
DocumentBuilder builder = new DocumentBuilder(doc);

Table table = builder.StartTable();
builder.InsertCell();
builder.Write("Row 1, cell 1.");

// Insert a second cell, and then configure cell text padding options.
// The builder will apply these settings at its current cell, and any new cells creates afterwards.
builder.InsertCell();

CellFormat cellFormat = builder.CellFormat;
cellFormat.Width = 250;
cellFormat.LeftPadding = 30;
cellFormat.RightPadding = 30;
cellFormat.TopPadding = 30;
cellFormat.BottomPadding = 30;

builder.Write("Row 1, cell 2.");
builder.EndRow();
builder.EndTable();

// The first cell was unaffected by the padding reconfiguration, and still holds the default values.
Assert.AreEqual(0.0d, table.FirstRow.Cells[0].CellFormat.Width);
Assert.AreEqual(5.4d, table.FirstRow.Cells[0].CellFormat.LeftPadding);
Assert.AreEqual(5.4d, table.FirstRow.Cells[0].CellFormat.RightPadding);
Assert.AreEqual(0.0d, table.FirstRow.Cells[0].CellFormat.TopPadding);
Assert.AreEqual(0.0d, table.FirstRow.Cells[0].CellFormat.BottomPadding);

Assert.AreEqual(250.0d, table.FirstRow.Cells[1].CellFormat.Width);
Assert.AreEqual(30.0d, table.FirstRow.Cells[1].CellFormat.LeftPadding);
Assert.AreEqual(30.0d, table.FirstRow.Cells[1].CellFormat.RightPadding);
Assert.AreEqual(30.0d, table.FirstRow.Cells[1].CellFormat.TopPadding);
Assert.AreEqual(30.0d, table.FirstRow.Cells[1].CellFormat.BottomPadding);

// The first cell will still grow in the output document to match the size of its neighboring cell.
doc.Save(ArtifactsDir + "DocumentBuilder.SetCellFormatting.docx");

Shows how to build a formatted 2x2 table.

Document doc = new Document();
DocumentBuilder builder = new DocumentBuilder(doc);

Table table = builder.StartTable();
builder.InsertCell();
builder.CellFormat.VerticalAlignment = CellVerticalAlignment.Center;
builder.Write("Row 1, cell 1.");
builder.InsertCell();
builder.Write("Row 1, cell 2.");
builder.EndRow();

// While building the table, the document builder will apply its current RowFormat/CellFormat property values
// to the current row/cell that its cursor is in and any new rows/cells as it creates them.
Assert.AreEqual(CellVerticalAlignment.Center, table.Rows[0].Cells[0].CellFormat.VerticalAlignment);
Assert.AreEqual(CellVerticalAlignment.Center, table.Rows[0].Cells[1].CellFormat.VerticalAlignment);

builder.InsertCell();
builder.RowFormat.Height = 100;
builder.RowFormat.HeightRule = HeightRule.Exactly;
builder.CellFormat.Orientation = TextOrientation.Upward;
builder.Write("Row 2, cell 1.");
builder.InsertCell();
builder.CellFormat.Orientation = TextOrientation.Downward;
builder.Write("Row 2, cell 2.");
builder.EndRow();
builder.EndTable();

// Previously added rows and cells are not retroactively affected by changes to the builder's formatting.
Assert.AreEqual(0, table.Rows[0].RowFormat.Height);
Assert.AreEqual(HeightRule.Auto, table.Rows[0].RowFormat.HeightRule);
Assert.AreEqual(100, table.Rows[1].RowFormat.Height);
Assert.AreEqual(HeightRule.Exactly, table.Rows[1].RowFormat.HeightRule);
Assert.AreEqual(TextOrientation.Upward, table.Rows[1].Cells[0].CellFormat.Orientation);
Assert.AreEqual(TextOrientation.Downward, table.Rows[1].Cells[1].CellFormat.Orientation);

doc.Save(ArtifactsDir + "DocumentBuilder.BuildTable.docx");

Shows how to build a table with custom borders.

Document doc = new Document();
DocumentBuilder builder = new DocumentBuilder(doc);

builder.StartTable();

// Setting table formatting options for a document builder
// will apply them to every row and cell that we add with it.
builder.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = ParagraphAlignment.Center;

builder.CellFormat.ClearFormatting();
builder.CellFormat.Width = 150;
builder.CellFormat.VerticalAlignment = CellVerticalAlignment.Center;
builder.CellFormat.Shading.BackgroundPatternColor = Color.GreenYellow;
builder.CellFormat.WrapText = false;
builder.CellFormat.FitText = true;

builder.RowFormat.ClearFormatting();
builder.RowFormat.HeightRule = HeightRule.Exactly;
builder.RowFormat.Height = 50;
builder.RowFormat.Borders.LineStyle = LineStyle.Engrave3D;
builder.RowFormat.Borders.Color = Color.Orange;

builder.InsertCell();
builder.Write("Row 1, Col 1");

builder.InsertCell();
builder.Write("Row 1, Col 2");
builder.EndRow();

// Changing the formatting will apply it to the current cell,
// and any new cells that we create with the builder afterward.
// This will not affect the cells that we have added previously.
builder.CellFormat.Shading.ClearFormatting();

builder.InsertCell();
builder.Write("Row 2, Col 1");

builder.InsertCell();
builder.Write("Row 2, Col 2");

builder.EndRow();

// Increase row height to fit the vertical text.
builder.InsertCell();
builder.RowFormat.Height = 150;
builder.CellFormat.Orientation = TextOrientation.Upward;
builder.Write("Row 3, Col 1");

builder.InsertCell();
builder.CellFormat.Orientation = TextOrientation.Downward;
builder.Write("Row 3, Col 2");

builder.EndRow();
builder.EndTable();

doc.Save(ArtifactsDir + "DocumentBuilder.InsertTable.docx");

See Also

DocumentBuilder.StartEditableRange DocumentBuilder.Write