hide table columns

[Robie]

Hi

I know Microsoft don't provide a way to hide columns as we can with rows in a table.

I need to hide columns where *all* cell in a column are hidden or blank. Is there a way to do this please?

So, basically if 1st column is 'hidden' then the top, left and bottom border are should be hidden.
If middle column then either top, bottom and left/right column to be hidden.
If last column then top, bottom and right border to be hidden.

Let me know if this is possible or not (otherwise I get back to the management saying the users will have to live with empty columns). I have lots of document where this is required.

Thanks.
Robie

[HansV]

The requirements aren't clear to me - making borders transparent (I assume that's what you mean by hiding borders) is not the same as hiding a column or row.

You could paste an Excel table as an Excel Worksheet object. It's easy to hide rows or columns in Excel

[Robie]

The requirements aren't clear to me - making borders transparent (I assume that's what you mean by hiding borders) is not the same as hiding a column or row.

You could paste an Excel table as an Excel Worksheet object. It's easy to hide rows or columns in Excel

Thanks Hans.

Yes, wrong phrase. Doh.
I mean make borders transparent. Excel is not an option I am afraid. The documents already contain tables with hidden cells in columns.

[HansV]

Making the borders transparent won't remove the space taken up by the empty column. But what's stopping you from making the borders transparent?

[Robie]

Making the borders transparent won't remove the space taken up by the empty column. But what's stopping you from making the borders transparent?

I guess nothing except that there are lots of tables and lots of documents.
I can of course do them by hand - it will just take time.

Thanks for looking into Hans - no worries. I will do it by hand.

[HansV]

This is a beginning for a macro. It's not perfect.

Code: Select all

Sub HideEmptyCol()
    Dim tbl As Table
    Dim col As Column
    Dim cel As Cell
    Dim f As Boolean
    For Each tbl In ActiveDocument.Tables
        For Each col In tbl.Columns
            f = True
            For Each cel In col.Cells
                If Len(cel.Range.Text) > 2 Then
                    f = False
                    Exit For
                End If
            Next cel
            If f Then
                For Each cel In col.Cells
                    cel.Borders(wdBorderTop).Visible = False
                    cel.Borders(wdBorderBottom).Visible = False
                    Select Case col.Index
                        Case 1
                            cel.Borders(wdBorderLeft).Visible = False
                        Case tbl.Columns.Count
                            cel.Borders(wdBorderRight).Visible = False
                    End Select
                Next cel
            End If
        Next col
    Next tbl
End Sub

[Robie]

This is a beginning for a macro. It's not perfect.

Code: Select all

Sub HideEmptyCol()
    Dim tbl As Table
    Dim col As Column
    Dim cel As Cell
    Dim f As Boolean
    For Each tbl In ActiveDocument.Tables
        For Each col In tbl.Columns
            f = True
            For Each cel In col.Cells
                If Len(cel.Range.Text) > 2 Then
                    f = False
                    Exit For
                End If
            Next cel
            If f Then
                For Each cel In col.Cells
                    cel.Borders(wdBorderTop).Visible = False
                    cel.Borders(wdBorderBottom).Visible = False
                    Select Case col.Index
                        Case 1
                            cel.Borders(wdBorderLeft).Visible = False
                        Case tbl.Columns.Count
                            cel.Borders(wdBorderRight).Visible = False
                    End Select
                Next cel
            End If
        Next col
    Next tbl
End Sub

Thank you so much Hans.

It was just the start I needed. My mind just went blank when thinking about this issue.

Thank you once again.