<tblW> (Preferred Table Width)

This element specifies the preferred width for this table. This preferred width is used as part of the table layout algorithm specified by the <tblLayout> element (§2.4.49; §2.4.50) - full description of the algorithm in the <ST_TblLayout> simple type (§2.18.94).

All widths in a table are considered preferred because:

  • The table must satisfy the shared columns as specified by the <tblGrid> element (§2.4.44)

  • Two or more widths may have conflicting values for the width of the same grid column

  • The table layout algorithm (§2.18.94) may require a preference to be overridden

This value is specified in the units applied via its @type attribute. Any width value of @type pct for this element shall be calculated relative to the text extents of the page (page width excluding margins).

If this element is omitted, then the cell width shall be of type auto.

example: 
<w:tbl>
  <w:tblPr>
    <w:tblW w:type="fixed" w:w="1440"/>
  </w:tblPr>
  …
</w:tbl>

This table specifies that it has a preferred table width of 1440 twentieths of a point (one inch). The resulting table would therefore be sized such that the table maintains that preferred width, as follows:

Hello world

The text Hello world makes the middle cell larger, and the other two cells are size to maintain the preferred widths of one inch for the overall table width:

Hello world this is a longer string.

However, when the middle table cell requires a larger width to accommodate non-breaking text, that preference may be overridden as needed:

Hello worldddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

In this case, the middle cell's long non breaking string caused the table to be expanded to prevent breaking the string, and therefore to override the preferred width on the table. ]

Parent Elements

<tblPr> (§2.7.5.3); <tblPr> (§2.7.5.4); <tblPr> (§2.4.55); <tblPr> (§2.4.56)

Attributes

Description

<type> (Table Width Type)

Specifies the units of the width property being defined by the parent element’s @w attribute. This property is used to define various properties of a table, including: cell spacing, preferred width, and table margins.

If this attribute is omitted, then its value shall be assumed to be dxa (twentieths of a point).

<w:bottom ... w:type="dxa" />

This @type shall therefore be used to interpret the width specified in the @w attribute as a value in twentieths of a point. ]

The possible values for this attribute are defined by the ST_TblWidth simple type (§2.18.97).

<w> (Table Width Value)

Specifies the value of the width property being defined by the parent element. This property is used to define various properties of a table, including: cell spacing, preferred widths, and table margins.

If this attribute is omitted, then its value shall be assumed to be 0.

<w:bottom w:w="302" w:type="dxa" />

The value in the @w attribute shall therefore be used to determine the width being specified in the context of the units specified in the @type attribute. In this case, the @type is twentieths of a point (dxa), so the width is 302 twentieths of a point (.2097 inches). ]

The possible values for this attribute are defined by the ST_DecimalNumber simple type (§2.18.16).

The following XML Schema fragment defines the contents of this element:

<complexType name="CT_TblWidth">
	<attribute name="w" type="ST_DecimalNumber"/>
	<attribute name="type" type="ST_TblWidth"/>
</complexType>