Word for Windows: Adjusting Merged Cell Widths in a Table

ID: Q80599

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

When cells are merged in a table in Microsoft Word for Windows versions 1.x and 2.0, the resulting merged cell will be formatted in the same manner as the first column selected in the merge. For example, if columns 1, 2, and 3 of a row are merged into a single cell, the resulting cell will take on the characteristics of column 1 for all future formatting changes performed using the mouse.

When the mouse is used to adjust column widths, the entire column will be affected unless only one cell is specifically selected. When the menus are used to adjust column widths, the change will be made only to the cell that the cursor is in or to the cell(s) that are selected.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Word for Windows versions 1.x and 2.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Problem

1. In Word for Windows 2.0 and 6.0, choose Insert Table from the Table 

   menu. Enter 3 for the number of columns and 3 for the number of rows.
   Leave the column width set to auto. Choose the OK button. In Word
   for Windows 1.x, choose Table from the Insert menu.
2. Select the cells in row 2 column 1 and row 2 column 2.

3. In Word for Windows 2.0 and 6.0, choose Merge Cells from the Table 

   menu. In Word for Windows 1.x, choose Table from the Edit menu, then
   choose the Merge Cells button.
4. Place the cursor in row 1 column 1. In Word for Windows 2.0, choose 
   Column Width from the Table menu. In Word for Windows 1.x, choose
   Table from the Format menu. Type ".5" for the width of column 1.
   Choose the OK button.

   Note that only the one cell's width is affected. Rows two and three
   have not changed at all.

   In Word for Windows 6.0, choose Table/Cell Height and Width/Column.
   Change the width of column 1 to ".5".  Press the OK button.  The
   result will change the entire first column's width changes.  By
   selecting the cell first and performing the same steps as indicated
   above, the other cells and row widths will not be affected.
5. In Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0 and 6.0, choose Undo Column Width 
   from the Edit menu. In Word for Windows 1.x, choose Undo Edit Table
   from the Edit menu.
6. With the cursor still in row 1 column 1, position the mouse pointer 
   on the column separator of row 1 column 1 and row 1 column 2. Note
   that the pointer changes to a gridline cursor in Word for Windows
   2.0. With this cursor, click and drag the column separator to the
   left about half an inch. In Word for Windows 1.x, click the column
   marker (or "T") on the ruler and drag it to the left about half an
   inch.
In Word 1.x and 2.0, the entire first column's width changes. This was fixed in Word for Windows 6.0 so that the merged cells are not affected at all.If you first select just the row 1 column 1 cell before dragging the column separator, the other rows will not be affected in any version of Winword.

To prevent the entire first column's width from changing in Word 2.0, hold the shift key down while performing the same steps as above.

KBCategory: kbusage KBSubcategory: kbtable Additional query words: 1.x 2.0 1.0 1.1 1.1a winword word6 6.0 winword2 

Keywords          : kbtable 
Version           : 1.x 2.x 6.0 6.0a 6.0c
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: February 6, 1998