DrawingML Tables - Rows, Cells and Cell Content
A table is comprised of one or more rows, and a row contains one or more cells.
A table row is defined with the <a:tr> element. The row element can contain a height attribute (h), as either EMUs or as a number followed by a unit identifier. The row element contains one or more cell elements (<a:tc>).
All content within a table is defined within the cell element. A cell can contain only text. A cell may also have properties. (Note that a table may also have properties, but a row does not have properties other than a height.) The permitted child elements of <a:tc> include <a:txBody> for text and <a:tcPr> for cell properties.
A cell may also have the following attributes, which are discussed more fully at DrawingML - Tables - Structure.
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| gridSpan | Specifies the number of columns that a merged cell spans. Used in combination with the hMerge attribute on other cells in order to specify the beginning cell of a horizontal merge |
| hMerge | Values are booleans. When set to 1 or true, the cell is to be merged with the previous horizontal table cell. |
| id | Specifies a unique identifier for the cell. The identifier must be unique within the table, and is used to identify the cell as a header cell for other cells within the table, using the headers child element. |
| rowSpan | Specifies the number of rows that a merged cell spans. Used in combination with the vMerge attribute on other cells in order to specify the beginning cell of a horizontal merge. |
| vMerge | Values are booleans. When set to 1 or true, the cell is to be merged with the previous vertical table cell. |
Text Content within a Cell
Text within a presentation table cell is specified like text is specified within a drawingML shape -- that is, within a <a:txBody> element. For details, see DrawingML - Shapes - Text. Note one difference. The namespace for the <a:txBody> element is the main drawingML namespace (prefix 'a') rather than the presentation ('p') or other namespace.
Below is a sample presentation table with three rows. The middle row has text. Below the table is the xml for the row that contains the text.
