Dreamweaver - How To Insert a Table
Tables are a powerful tool for presenting tabular data and for laying out text and graphics on an HTML page. A table consists of one or more rows; each row consists of one or more cells. Although columns aren't usually explicitly specified in HTML code, Dreamweaver enables you to manipulate columns as well as rows and cells.
Inserting a Table:
- With the document open in Dreamweaver, place the cursor where you want the table to appear.
- Then, do one of the following:
* Select Insert > Table.
* In the Common category of the Insert bar, click the Table button
- The Insert Table dialog box will appear. Complete the dialog box. (see Insert Table Dialog Box Options below)
- Click OK. The table appears in the document.
Insert Table Dialog Box Options:
This dialog box allows you to specify the attributes of a table before inserting it.
To complete the Insert Table dialog box you need an understanding of the following options:
The Table Size options:
- Rows determines the number of rows the table has.
- Columns determines the number of columns the table has.
- Table Width specifies the width of the table in pixels, or as a percentage of the browser window's width.
- Border Thickness specifies the width, in pixels, of the table's borders.
NOTE: Without an explicitly assigned value for border thickness, most browsers display tables as if border thickness were set to 1. To be certain that browsers display a table with no border, set the border thickness to 0. To view cell and table boundaries when the border thickness is set to 0, select View > Visual Aids > Table Borders.
- Cell Padding determines the number of pixels between a cell's border and its contents.
- Cell Spacing determines the number of pixels between adjacent table cells.
NOTE: Without explicitly assigned values for cell spacing and cell padding, most browsers display tables with a cell padding of 1 and cell spacing of 2. To ensure that browsers display the table with no padding or spacing, set Cell Padding and Cell Spacing to 0.
The Header options:
- None does not enable column or row headings for the table.
- Left makes the first column of the table a column for headings, so that you can enter a heading for each row of the table.
- Top makes the first row of the table a row for headings, so that you can enter a heading for each column of the table.
- Both enables you to enter column and row headings in the table.
NOTE: Use headers for accessability and usability. Screen readers read table headings and help screen-reader users keep track of table information,
The Accessibility options:
- Caption provides a table title which displays outside of the table.
- Align Caption specifies where the table caption appears in relation to the table.
- Summary provides a table description. Screen readers read the summary text, but the text does not appear in the user's browser.

