Table¶

One of the shapes available for placing on a PowerPoint slide is the table. As shapes go, it is one of the more complex. In addition to having standard shape properties such as position and size, it contains what amount to sub-shapes that each have properties of their own. Prominent among these sub-element types are row, column, and cell.

Table Properties¶

first_row: read/write boolean property which, when true, indicates the first row should be formatted differently, as for a heading row at the top of the table.
first_col: read/write boolean property which, when true, indicates the first column should be formatted differently, as for a side-heading column at the far left of the table.
last_row: read/write boolean property which, when true, indicates the last row should be formatted differently, as for a totals row at the bottom of the table.
last_col: read/write boolean property which, when true, indicates the last column should be formatted differently, as for a side totals column at the far right of the table.
horz_banding: read/write boolean property indicating whether alternate color “banding” should be applied to the body rows.
vert_banding: read/write boolean property indicating whether alternate color “banding” should be applied to the table columns.

PowerPoint UI behavior¶

The MS PowerPoint® client exhibits the following behavior related to table properties:

Upon insertion of a default, empty table: <a:tblPr firstRow=”1” bandRow=”1”> A tblPr element is present with a firstRow and bandRow attribute, each set to True.
After setting firstRow property off: <a:tblPr bandRow=”1”> The firstRow attribute is removed, not set to 0 or false.

The <a:tblPr> element is always present, even when it contains no attributes, because it contains an <a:tableStyleId> element, even when the table style is set to none using the UI.

API requirements¶

`Table` class¶

Properties and methods required for a Table shape.

apply_style(style_id) – change the style of the table. Not sure what the domain of style_id is.
cell(row, col) – method to access an individual _Cell object.
columns – collection of _Column objects, each corresponding to a column in the table, in left-to-right order.
first_col – read/write boolean property which, when true, indicates the first column should be formatted differently, as for a side-heading column at the far left of the table.
first_row – read/write boolean property which, when true, indicates the first row should be formatted differently, as for a heading row at the top of the table.
horz_banding – read/write boolean property indicating whether alternate color “banding” should be applied to the body rows.
last_col – read/write boolean property which, when true, indicates the last column should be formatted differently, as for a side totals column at the far right of the table.
last_row – read/write boolean property which, when true, indicates the last row should be formatted differently, as for a totals row at the bottom of the table.
rows – collection of _Row objects, each corresponding to a row in the table, in top-to-bottom order.
vert_banding – read/write boolean property indicating whether alternate color “banding” should be applied to the table columns.

`_Cell` class¶

text_frame – container for text in the cell.
borders, something like LineProperties on each side
inset (margins)
anchor and anchor_center
horzOverflow, not sure what this is exactly, maybe wrap or auto-resize to fit.

`_Column` class¶

Provide the properties and methods appropriate to a table column.

width – read/write integer width of the column in English Metric Units
perhaps delete() method

`_ColumnCollection` class¶

add(before) – add a new column to the left of the column having index before, returning a reference to the new column. before defaults to -1, which adds the column as the last column in the table.

`_Row` class¶

height – read/write integer height of the row in English Metric Units (EMU).

`_RowCollection` class¶

add(before) – add a new row before the row having index before, returning a reference to the new row. before defaults to -1, which adds the row as the last row in the table.

Behavior¶

Table width and column widths¶

A table is created by specifying a row and column count, a position, and an overall size. Initial column widths are set by dividing the overall width by the number of columns, resolving any rounding errors in the last column. Conversely, when a column’s width is specified, the table width is adjusted to the sum of the widths of all columns. Initial row heights are set similarly and overall table height adjusted to the sum of row heights when a row’s height is specified.

MS API Analysis¶

MS API method to add a table is:

Shapes.AddTable(NumRows, NumColumns, Left, Top, Width, Height)

There is a Shape.HasTable property which is true when a (GraphicFrame) shape contains a table.

Most interesting Table members:

Cell(row, col) method to access individual cells.
Columns collection reference, with Add method (Delete method is on Column object)
Rows collection reference
FirstCol and FirstRow boolean properties that indicate whether to apply special formatting from theme or whatever to first column/row.
LastCol, LastRow, and HorizBanding, all also boolean with similar behaviors.
TableStyle read-only to table style in theme. Table.ApplyStyle() method is used to set table style.
Columns.Add()
Rows.Add()

Column Members page on MSDN.

Delete()
Width property

Cell Members page on MSDN.

Merge() and Split() methods
Borders reference to Borders collection of LineFormat objects
Shape reference to shape object that cell is or has.

LineFormat Members page on MSDN.

ForeColor
Weight

XML Semantics¶

A tableStyles.xml part is present in default document, containing the single (default) style “Medium Style 2 - Accent 1”. Colors are specified indirectly by reference to theme-specified values.

Specimen XML¶

Default table produced by PowerPoint:

<p:graphicFrame>
  <p:nvGraphicFramePr>
    <p:cNvPr id="2" name="Table 1"/>
    <p:cNvGraphicFramePr>
      <a:graphicFrameLocks noGrp="1"/>
    </p:cNvGraphicFramePr>
    <p:nvPr/>
  </p:nvGraphicFramePr>
  <p:xfrm>
    <a:off x="1524000" y="1397000"/>
    <a:ext cx="6096000" cy="741680"/>
  </p:xfrm>
  <a:graphic>
    <a:graphicData uri="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/table">
      <a:tbl>
        <a:tblPr firstRow="1" bandRow="1">
          <a:tableStyleId>{5C22544A-7EE6-4342-B048-85BDC9FD1C3A}</a:tableStyleId>
        </a:tblPr>
        <a:tblGrid>
          <a:gridCol w="3048000"/>
          <a:gridCol w="3048000"/>
        </a:tblGrid>
        <a:tr h="370840">
          <a:tc>
            <a:txBody>
              <a:bodyPr/>
              <a:lstStyle/>
              <a:p>
                <a:endParaRPr lang="en-US"/>
              </a:p>
            </a:txBody>
            <a:tcPr/>
          </a:tc>
          <a:tc>
            <a:txBody>
              <a:bodyPr/>
              <a:lstStyle/>
              <a:p>
                <a:endParaRPr lang="en-US"/>
              </a:p>
            </a:txBody>
            <a:tcPr/>
          </a:tc>
        </a:tr>
        <a:tr h="370840">
          <a:tc>
            <a:txBody>
              <a:bodyPr/>
              <a:lstStyle/>
              <a:p>
                <a:endParaRPr lang="en-US"/>
              </a:p>
            </a:txBody>
            <a:tcPr/>
          </a:tc>
          <a:tc>
            <a:txBody>
              <a:bodyPr/>
              <a:lstStyle/>
              <a:p>
                <a:endParaRPr lang="en-US"/>
              </a:p>
            </a:txBody>
            <a:tcPr/>
          </a:tc>
        </a:tr>
      </a:tbl>
    </a:graphicData>
  </a:graphic>
</p:graphicFrame>

Schema excerpt¶

<xsd:element name="tbl" type="CT_Table"/>

<xsd:complexType name="CT_Table">
  <xsd:sequence>
    <xsd:element name="tblPr"   type="CT_TableProperties" minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="tblGrid" type="CT_TableGrid"/>
    <xsd:element name="tr"      type="CT_TableRow"        minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
  </xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>

<xsd:complexType name="CT_TableProperties">
  <xsd:sequence>
    <xsd:group   ref="EG_FillProperties"   minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:group   ref="EG_EffectProperties" minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:choice minOccurs="0">
      <xsd:element name="tableStyle"   type="CT_TableStyle"/>
      <xsd:element name="tableStyleId" type="s:ST_Guid"/>
    </xsd:choice>
    <xsd:element name="extLst" type="CT_OfficeArtExtensionList" minOccurs="0"/>
  </xsd:sequence>
  <xsd:attribute name="rtl"      type="xsd:boolean" default="false"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="firstRow" type="xsd:boolean" default="false"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="firstCol" type="xsd:boolean" default="false"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="lastRow"  type="xsd:boolean" default="false"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="lastCol"  type="xsd:boolean" default="false"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="bandRow"  type="xsd:boolean" default="false"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="bandCol"  type="xsd:boolean" default="false"/>
</xsd:complexType>

<xsd:complexType name="CT_TableGrid">
  <xsd:sequence>
    <xsd:element name="gridCol" type="CT_TableCol" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
  </xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>

<xsd:complexType name="CT_TableCol">
  <xsd:sequence>
    <xsd:element name="extLst" type="CT_OfficeArtExtensionList" minOccurs="0"/>
  </xsd:sequence>
  <xsd:attribute name="w" type="ST_Coordinate" use="required"/>
</xsd:complexType>

<xsd:complexType name="CT_TableRow">
  <xsd:sequence>
    <xsd:element name="tc"     type="CT_TableCell"              minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
    <xsd:element name="extLst" type="CT_OfficeArtExtensionList" minOccurs="0"/>
  </xsd:sequence>
  <xsd:attribute name="h" type="ST_Coordinate" use="required"/>
</xsd:complexType>

<xsd:complexType name="CT_TableCell">
  <xsd:sequence>
    <xsd:element name="txBody" type="CT_TextBody"               minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="tcPr"   type="CT_TableCellProperties"    minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="extLst" type="CT_OfficeArtExtensionList" minOccurs="0"/>
  </xsd:sequence>
  <xsd:attribute name="rowSpan"  type="xsd:int"     default="1"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="gridSpan" type="xsd:int"     default="1"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="hMerge"   type="xsd:boolean" default="false"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="vMerge"   type="xsd:boolean" default="false"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="id"       type="xsd:string"/>
</xsd:complexType>

<xsd:complexType name="CT_TextBody">
  <xsd:sequence>
    <xsd:element name="bodyPr"   type="CT_TextBodyProperties"/>
    <xsd:element name="lstStyle" type="CT_TextListStyle" minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="p"        type="CT_TextParagraph" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
  </xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>

<xsd:complexType name="CT_TableCellProperties">
  <xsd:sequence>
    <xsd:element name="lnL"      type="CT_LineProperties"         minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="lnR"      type="CT_LineProperties"         minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="lnT"      type="CT_LineProperties"         minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="lnB"      type="CT_LineProperties"         minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="lnTlToBr" type="CT_LineProperties"         minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="lnBlToTr" type="CT_LineProperties"         minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="cell3D"   type="CT_Cell3D"                 minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:group   ref="EG_FillProperties"                          minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="headers"  type="CT_Headers"                minOccurs="0"/>
    <xsd:element name="extLst"   type="CT_OfficeArtExtensionList" minOccurs="0"/>
  </xsd:sequence>
  <xsd:attribute name="marL"         type="ST_Coordinate32"         default="91440"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="marR"         type="ST_Coordinate32"         default="91440"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="marT"         type="ST_Coordinate32"         default="45720"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="marB"         type="ST_Coordinate32"         default="45720"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="vert"         type="ST_TextVerticalType"     default="horz"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="anchor"       type="ST_TextAnchoringType"    default="t"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="anchorCtr"    type="xsd:boolean"             default="false"/>
  <xsd:attribute name="horzOverflow" type="ST_TextHorzOverflowType" default="clip"/>
</xsd:complexType>

<xsd:simpleType name="ST_Coordinate">
  <xsd:union memberTypes="ST_CoordinateUnqualified s:ST_UniversalMeasure"/>
</xsd:simpleType>

<xsd:simpleType name="ST_CoordinateUnqualified">
  <xsd:restriction base="xsd:long">
    <xsd:minInclusive value="-27273042329600"/>
    <xsd:maxInclusive value="27273042316900"/>
  </xsd:restriction>
</xsd:simpleType>

<xsd:simpleType name="ST_UniversalMeasure">
  <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
    <xsd:pattern value="-?[0-9]+(\.[0-9]+)?(mm|cm|in|pt|pc|pi)"/>
  </xsd:restriction>
</xsd:simpleType>

Resources¶

Table.FirstCol Property page on MSDN

ISO-IEC-29500-1, Section 21.1.3 (DrawingML) Tables, pp3331
ISO-IEC-29500-1, Section 21.1.3.13 tbl (Table), pp3344

Table¶

Table Properties¶

PowerPoint UI behavior¶

API requirements¶

`Table` class¶

`_Cell` class¶

`_Column` class¶

`_ColumnCollection` class¶

`_Row` class¶

`_RowCollection` class¶

Behavior¶

Table width and column widths¶

MS API Analysis¶

XML Semantics¶

Specimen XML¶

Schema excerpt¶

Resources¶

Table of Contents

Previous topic

Next topic

Useful Links

Table¶

Table Properties¶

PowerPoint UI behavior¶

API requirements¶

Table class¶

_Cell class¶

_Column class¶

_ColumnCollection class¶

_Row class¶

_RowCollection class¶

Behavior¶

Table width and column widths¶

MS API Analysis¶

XML Semantics¶

Specimen XML¶

Schema excerpt¶

Resources¶

`Table` class¶

`_Cell` class¶

`_Column` class¶

`_ColumnCollection` class¶

`_Row` class¶

`_RowCollection` class¶