WordPad is a free and integrated text editor in all versions of the Windows operating system. It is an advanced program that offers much more functionality than the other editor included with Windows, Notepad. However, not even WordPad provides all the formatting and text handling options that a professional and comprehensive program like Microsoft Word can offer. Know that if you need to insert a table into a text document using WordPad, your options are limited. You can use the "+" and "-" keys to automatically create a base table. Alternatively, you can create a more sophisticated table using a spreadsheet. Microsoft Excel is the best known and most used program, but there are also other free and open-source options, such as OpenOffice or LibreOffice.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Create a Table in HTML
Step 1. Open a new text document using WordPad
You can use WordPad to create a table using HTML code. The resulting document will then be viewed in an internet browser.
Step 2. Create the table structure using the appropriate HTML tags
All data relating to the columns and rows of the table must be included within the following two tags:
Step 3. Add the first line
The latter represents the point where the headings of the individual columns of the table will be inserted. Refer to the following example code:
Step 4. Enter the column names within the first row of the table
There are no limits, so you can create as many columns as you want.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|
Step 5. Add a second row after the column header row
Now that you have created the structure of the table, you can move on to insert the first row of the actual data.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Given 1 | Given 2 | Given 3 | Given 4 |
Step 6. Add as many rows of data as you need
Continue using the HTML tag to create the additional table rows. Remember that each tag needs its own closing tag.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Given 1 | Given 2 | Given 3 | Given 4 |
| Given 5 | Given 6 | Given 7 | Given 8 |
Step 7. Access the "File" menu and choose the "Save As" option
In this way the newly created text document can be saved in HTML format. This step is necessary to ensure that the table can be viewed in any internet browser.
Step 8. Select the "Text Document" option from the "Save As" drop-down menu
This way you will have the possibility to change the extension of the file.
Step 9. Change the current filename extension to the.html value
The file format will change from plain text to HTML.
Step 10. Save the file
At this point you can save the document by giving it a name and choosing the destination folder you prefer. Make sure it has the.html extension, otherwise it cannot be viewed in an internet browser.
Step 11. Launch your preferred browser and use it to open the newly created file
Double-click the HTML file icon to automatically open it within the system default internet browser. The table you have created and its data will be displayed in the program window.
Method 2 of 3: Using a Spreadsheet
Step 1. Make sure Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice is installed on your computer
If you need to create a more sophisticated table, you can use a spreadsheet. Basically, you're going to insert a small spreadsheet inside the WordPad document. In this case it is essential to use a program that is compatible with WordPad. The latter supports the use of Excel and OpenDocument file formats.
OpenOffice and LibreOffice are both free and open-source programs that support the OpenDocument file format. See this article for more information on how to install OpenOffice for free
Step 2. Press the WordPad "Insert Object" button
On new versions of the program, the indicated button is located in the "Insert" group of the "Home" tab. In older versions, access the "Insert" menu and choose the "Object" option.
Step 3. Choose the object to insert
A list of items that can be inserted into the current text document will be displayed. If Microsoft Excel is installed on your computer, you will be able to select the "Excel - Worksheet" option. If you have installed OpenOffice or LibreOffice, you will need to select the "OpenDocument - Spreadsheet" item. By choosing one of the options indicated, a spreadsheet will be inserted into the blank WordPad document and its program will be started in a separate window.
Step 4. Use the spreadsheet to fill in the table
After selecting the object to insert, a Microsoft Excel or open-source program window will be displayed on the computer with which you normally manage spreadsheets (for example OpenOffice or LibreOffice). All the data that you insert in the Excel or OpenOffice spreadsheet will automatically be displayed in the table in the WordPad document. Enter all the data you need into the spreadsheet to complete the table structure.
Even if a limited set of spreadsheet cells appear in your WordPad document at first, the spreadsheet will increment as you add new data. If the dataset is smaller than the initial size of the table, the table will automatically resize to fit the information it will contain
Step 5. Format the text
To change the appearance of the data you have entered in the table cells, you can use the tools that the spreadsheet provides for text formatting. You will have the option to change the font, size, color and style. The text formatting that is done within Excel, OpenOffice or LibreOffice is very similar to that of any text editor. Any changes that will be made to the text within the spreadsheet will automatically appear within WordPad as well.
You can emphasize column headings by applying bold style to the first row of the spreadsheet where you entered data
Step 6. Resize the cells
Changing the size of the rows and columns of the spreadsheet will automatically resize the table visible within the WordPad document. This step is very useful for improving the readability of the information in the table.
Step 7. Close the spreadsheet
In this way the final data will be displayed inside the table present in the WordPad document.
Step 8. Move and resize the table
Select and drag visible anchor points along the edges of the table to resize it. The displayed data will increase or decrease to automatically adjust to the new size. If you wish, you can move the table to another place in the document by dragging it with the mouse.
Step 9. Select the table with a double click of the mouse to make changes to the data
This will display the program with which the spreadsheet was created (for example Excel) with which you can make the required changes to the data. If you have resized the table within WordPad, doing this will automatically reset it to its original size. This means that after updating the data, you will have to resize the table again.
Method 3 of 3: Use the Keyboard (Windows 8 or Later)
Step 1. Not all versions of WordPad support this method, so find out when you can use it
Creating a table using the keyboard only is supported by the version of WordPad present in Windows 8 and later versions of the operating system. If you are using Windows 7 or an older version of Windows, you will need to use one of the previous methods in the article.
Step 2. Place the text cursor where you want to insert the table
When created using keyboard characters, it appears where the relevant characters have been entered. You can start drawing the table anywhere in the document.
Step 3. Create the first row
Use the + and - characters to draw the outline that the first row of cells will have. Each cell must be delimited with the symbol +, while the character - must be used to indicate the number of characters that can be inserted in each cell. For now, use approximate dimensions as you can later make any changes you need. Here is an example of what the structure of the first row of a table looks like:
+----------+-----+---------------+
Step 4. Press the button
Enter to generate the first row of the table.
The "+" and "-" symbols will automatically be converted into a table. Specifically, the + character will be transformed into the border that delimits each cell of the row. At this point you will have the possibility to start typing the data to be inserted in the individual cells. These will be automatically resized according to the content.
Step 5. Add the other lines
Move the text cursor to the end of the first row of the table so that it appears positioned to the right of the outer border of the last cell, then outside the row itself. Press the Enter key to create a second row with a structure identical to the first. Repeat this step to add as many rows as you need to the existing table.
If you press the Tab key ↹ while the text cursor is positioned in the last cell of the row, a new row will be created automatically. Pressing the Tab key ↹ allows you to move the text cursor within the next available cell and to automatically create a new row when there is no longer a cell to move it to
Step 6. Resize the rows and columns
After entering the necessary number of rows according to your needs you can use the mouse to resize the cells. Select the edge you want to move, then drag the mouse pointer to the new position it should take.
Step 7. Enter the data
Now that the table structure is ready, you can start entering the information it will contain. Move the text cursor within the desired cell to insert its content. Select the text entered with the mouse and format it according to your needs using the tools provided by WordPad.
Step 8. Save the file in RTF format (.rtf)
This way the formatting of the newly created table will be preserved. If you were to save the file in TXT (.txt) format, the formatting information would be lost. RTF format files are compatible with most text editors.
