How to stop FP from converting

% to absolute width

[eWhisper]

I like most tables (forget the CSS debate - I'm still in tables) to be in % widths, just makes it easier no matter what size a browser is.

FP has a tendancy to keep switching % widths to absolute pixel widths, which is annoying, expecially when you've designated multiple cells in various %.

Is there a way to stop FP from doing this?

[pageoneresults]

Hmmm, have never run into that issue with FP. When inserting tables into a page in FP, the default behavior is to give the outer table a width of 100%. Then, depending on the number of cells, FP will assign relative widths. For example, if you have three columns, FP will make columns 1 and 2 33% and column 3 34%.

The only way I know of to force absolute widths is to right click the table and assign absolute from the table properties.

Make a test page and insert a 3 column table. View the HTML and tell me what you have, is it in percentages? This is what I get on a test page...

<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<tr>
<td width="33%">&nbsp;</td>
<td width="33%">&nbsp;</td>
<td width="34%">&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="33%">&nbsp;</td>
<td width="33%">&nbsp;</td>
<td width="34%">&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
</table>

[eWhisper]

Pageoneresults,

Now goto your normal view, click on a table line, and move it (especially if you move the 'bottom' table line to make the table higher while creating content). This is when FP changes everything on me. Using FP 2003.

[pageoneresults]

Ah-ha, that is the default behavior. As soon as you click on the border and drag it, FP now thinks you want to assign an absolute width and therefore changes the code to reflect that (but only if your outer table has an absolute width). The only way to keep relative widths (within an absolute environment) is to highlight the cells and right click and go to cell properties.

Here is how it works...

If you insert a table that has a relative width and you drag the borders while in normal view, FP will assign relative widths to the cells.

If you insert a table that has an absolute width and you drag the borders while in normal view, FP will assign absolute widths to the cells.

P.S. You do not want to do any vertical dragging. Once you do this, FP now assigns heights to everything and the height attribute is not well supported.

[eWhisper]

Exactly. I've used FP for quite a few years, and this issue has always bugged me. I was just wondering if there was a way, that if you dragged a cell, it would change the % shown on the screen instead of assigning an absolute width to it.

[pageoneresults]

Unfortunately I don't believe it can be done. In WYSIWYG view, FP has two modes; Absolute or Relative. The only way to override those defaults is to right click the element and assign values through the properties dialog.

I know, it would be nice if you could do an advanced configuration based on the web where outer tables are absolute and inner cells are relative. But that would be a little too much to ask of it I think. I also don't believe you can do this in other WYSIWYG editors.

[eWhisper]

Thanks for the help pageonresults. Helpful as always.