HTML Document Conversion: Conversion of Tables and Columns

Current HTML does NOT support Tables or Columns!!

HTML Level-3 Supports BOTH!! For more information on HTML-3 click HERE.

This Table Cannot be Done using HTML

Tables like the one above, as well as columns and graphs, are not supported under current versions of HTML. The table above was inserted using a cut-and-paste technique in which:

  1. A screen capture was performed on Microsoft Excel
  2. The image was converted to GIF format
  3. The GIF was interlaced and made transparent
  4. The resulting image was inserted into the document.
There are many disadvantages to this, and, in the over-whelming majority of cases, this is an undesirable technique. For more information on graphics in general, please click HERE.

Reasons why NOT to use graphics to represent tables and columns include:

You cannot search for text

You cannot copy text

You cannot export as text

A GIF is much larger than its text equivalent

It is a tedious procedure.

In most cases, you will want to convert Columns and Tables into formatted text that maintains the functionality of a table. The following is an example of a plain text table representation:


                       JPL STD00009 Rev.B
                          Section 5.1.1
                      Alphabetical Listing
                                
                                

                                               Approved Suppliers
                         Controlling               Code and             Controlling
Description              Part Number            CAGE* Number            Documents

Blind Nut Assembly,      BB414-(632,832,       HSH-73197                DWG NO
Blind Expander,          1032,12)                                       BN537
Nonlocking, Cres

Blind Nut Assembly,      BN330-(1032,428)      HSH-73197                DWG NO
Expander, Locking        -(1 Thru 26)                                   BN525
And Nonlocking

Blind Nut Assembly,      BN330-(440,632,)      HSH-73197                DWG NO
Expander, Locking        -(1 Thru 12)                                   BN525
And Nonlocking

Blind Nut Assembly,      BN330-832             HSH-73 197               DWG NO
Expander, Locking        -(1 Thru 17)                                   BN525
And Nonlocking

Blind Nut Assembly,      BB415(NL)-(5,632,     HSH-73197                DWG NO
Expander,                1032,8,12)                                     BN525
Nonlocking, Cres

Blind Nut,Rivnut         ST10225-(l,2,3,8,9,   GOE-03481                ST10225
Countersunk Head,        14,15,21,22)
Closed End, Keyed,
Aluminum Alloy

Blind Nut,Rivnut Flat    STI 0224-( 1,2,3,8,9, GOE-0348 1               ST 10224
Head, Closed End,        14,15,21,22)
Keyed, Aluminum
Alloy
Using the < PRE > tags, or the < LISTING > tags, you can format text easily and maintain columns and tables. The Horizontal Ruler bar, < HR > , is another tool for creating breaks or simulating lines in a table.

You can even format tables using HTML3 tags and use them now! How?

Last updated on: Thu Jun 15 14:44:28 PDT 1995