How to do tables

Couple of other points:


Normally if you type a formula in Excel, and then change another cell on which it depends, the cell with the formula updates automatically. I found this did not happen with the cell containing the =bbcode() formula. I don't know if it's possible to fix that, but in the meantime you have to delete the =bbcode cell and retype it, if you make a change to the table that you are generating code for.

Brendan Burgess said:
How about I do a table in Excel.
Copy the image into the body of the post in Askaboutmoney
and attach the Excel spreadsheet to the post.

Then anyone who wants to extract data from the post can do so.

Brendan
Click to expand...

Yes, definitely another possibility, although arguably more complicated and no use to anyone who doesn't have Excel but uses, say, Google Spreadsheets. I'd vote for documenting all of these as options, and noting the pros and cons of the different approaches.
 

I understand this, but there are still limitations on the image -- doesn't change resolution when you resize, different text formats from the rest of the post etc. And arguably the user has to go through more steps to get your data, instead of just copying and pasting into a spreadsheet. Not a big deal though, in case I'm sounding fussy. If it's dramatically easier for you to post, I'd say go with it.

Brendan Burgess said:
I have enabled xlsm extensions to be attached to files.
Does this remove a few steps from your system?

Brendan
Click to expand...

Perhaps, but I'm not sure. xlsm is for spreadsheets with embedded macros. But maybe if you have it enabled by default in the Trust Centre settings, all your add-ins are enabled by default, instead of disabled by default. I don't know.

EDIT: I made one more change to the xlam downloadable from the previous page. Preserving right/left justification in a table can cause some formatting problems in posts if you don't know what you're doing so I made that an optional feature.

If all are agreeable, I am ready to rejig the top post to mention the various table and image options available. We will need an additional "how-to" post on images, which I've mentioned .
 
Last edited:
Hi dub

I have to do a few tables for another thread, and I thought it better to take your advice and stop using the images.

On reflection, I found this the easiest

http://theenemy.dk/table/

So, I have written



What do you think? It seems to me to be by far the simplest?

I might continue to use Jing for one off replies to case studies.

Brendan
 
That looks good. I completely rehashed the top post to simplify it and include your approach on the other page for both "manual" and copy/pasted tables. See what you think.
 
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