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Barry MacDonnell's
Toolbox for WordPerfect

Macros, tips, and templates for Corel® WordPerfect® for Windows®
© Copyright 1996-2023 by Barry MacDonnell. All Rights Reserved.

Page updated Feb 25, 2017

ROWLINES - Format tables by underlining and/or filling (shading) every "Nth" row

Download ROWLINES.ZIP (Version 1.04; 02/24/2017; 10,799 bytes)

Revised in WordPerfect X8 but should be compatible with WordPerfect 8 and later versions

WordPerfect 11 users: See important information about using macros in the first release of WP11 (11.0.0.233) at the top of this page.

Downloading, Documentation, Modifications, and Support

Some related items -

ColSrchr (2 macros) - Find text in just the current column (and optionally replace the items); or find items in just the current column and color the rows with a specified color "fill".

DeleteRC - Deletes empty rows and/or columns

TableSrchr - Finds user-specified text anywhere in the current WordPerfect table, then colors any row that contains the item specified in a pop-up dialog with a specified color "fill".

Using WordPerfect tables (some tips)

Purpose

RowLines.wcm adds underlining and/or fill to every Nth row in a table, either starting at the top of the table or at the top of each table page.

RowLines is useful for tables used for directories, lists, etc., where horizontal "dividers" are desired for improved readability or appearance.

It works on tables -- even those that span many pages -- by starting from the top of the table and processing each selected (Nth) row to the end of the table. The macro sets the bottom cell line(s) in these rows to a user-chosen line style (single, dashed, etc.), creates an optional fill (e.g., 10%), and optionally clears all other table cell lines, fills, and borders so they won't display or print (clearing is the default).

Optionally you can select "No Line" for the line style and then choose a fill, so that the rows are shaded but without underlines.


Instructions, operation, and tips

1. Extract the macro from the download archive (.ZIP), and place it in your default (or supplemental) macros folder as explained here.

2. Place the insertion cursor anywhere inside the table and then play the macro.
A menu will appear [screen shot].

3. Then, on that menu -

•  choose the frequency of rows to process (e.g., every 5th row);

•  choose whether to start the row count at the top of each page (this is the default; un-tick this option to just start at the top of the document);

•  select the line style and/or fill;

•  choose to turn off existing cell lines first (this is the default); and

•  click OK.
If you select "No Line" for the line style and then choose a fill, the rows are shaded -- i.e., filled -- without underlines.

When a line style is chosen -- with or without a fill -- the bottom cell borders in those rows are turned on.

In either case all other cell lines, fills, and table borders are optionally turned off (the default). (Table guidelines, however, will remain visible on screen if they were visible before.)

You can revise the new lines and/or fills by playing the macro again with new choices.

You can remove the new lines and/or fills with Edit, Undo (or Ctrl+z), generally only during the same session. Alternatively you can play the macro in the same table and select No Line and No Fill to "clear" all lines, fills, and borders.