Table Creation Code Examples

Basic Table Creation

Simple 2x2 Table

using DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Wordprocessing;

public static Table CreateSimpleTable()
{
    var table = new Table();
    
    // Table properties
    var tableProperties = new TableProperties(
        new TableWidth { Width = "5000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Pct },
        new TableBorders(
            new TopBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new BottomBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new LeftBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new RightBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new InsideHorizontalBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new InsideVerticalBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 }
        )
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableProperties);
    
    // Table grid (2 columns)
    var tableGrid = new TableGrid(
        new GridColumn { Width = "3000" },
        new GridColumn { Width = "3000" }
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableGrid);
    
    // Row 1
    var row1 = new TableRow();
    row1.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    row1.AppendChild(CreateCell("Header 1", 3000, bold: true));
    row1.AppendChild(CreateCell("Header 2", 3000, bold: true));
    table.AppendChild(row1);
    
    // Row 2
    var row2 = new TableRow();
    row2.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    row2.AppendChild(CreateCell("Data 1", 3000));
    row2.AppendChild(CreateCell("Data 2", 3000));
    table.AppendChild(row2);
    
    return table;
}

private static TableCell CreateCell(string text, int width, bool bold = false)
{
    var cell = new TableCell();
    
    // Cell properties
    cell.AppendChild(new TableCellProperties(
        new TableCellWidth { Width = width.ToString(), Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Dxa }
    ));
    
    // Paragraph with text
    var paragraph = new Paragraph();
    var run = new Run();
    
    if (bold)
    {
        run.AppendChild(new RunProperties(new Bold()));
    }
    
    run.AppendChild(new Text(text));
    paragraph.AppendChild(run);
    cell.AppendChild(paragraph);
    
    return cell;
}

---

AppraiSys Pattern: Executive Summary Table

From SubjectPropertyInformationSubstitutor.cs:

private Table CreateExecutiveSummaryTable(SubjectProperty property)
{
    var table = new Table();
    
    // Table properties
    var tableProperties = new TableProperties(
        // 90% width
        new TableWidth { Width = "4500", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Pct },
        
        // Lightning borders
        new TableBorders(
            new TopBorder { Val = BorderValues.Lightning2 },
            new LeftBorder { Val = BorderValues.Lightning2 },
            new BottomBorder { Val = BorderValues.Lightning2 },
            new RightBorder { Val = BorderValues.Lightning2 },
            new InsideHorizontalBorder { Val = BorderValues.Lightning2 },
            new InsideVerticalBorder { Val = BorderValues.None }  // No vertical borders
        ),
        
        // Row can't split across pages
        new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()),
        
        // Fixed layout
        new TableLayout { Type = TableLayoutValues.Fixed },
        
        // Center table
        new TableJustification { Val = TableRowAlignmentValues.Center }
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableProperties);
    
    // Grid: 2 equal columns
    var tableGrid = new TableGrid(
        new GridColumn { Width = "3000" },
        new GridColumn { Width = "3000" }
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableGrid);
    
    // Add rows
    AddTableRow(table, "Property Address:", property.Address);
    AddTableRow(table, "Property Type:", property.PropertyType);
    AddTableRow(table, "Year Built:", property.YearBuilt?.ToString());
    AddTableRow(table, "Square Footage:", property.GrossLivingArea?.ToString("N0"));
    AddTableRow(table, "Lot Size:", property.LotSize?.ToString("N0") + " sq ft");
    AddTableRow(table, "Appraised Value:", "$" + property.AppraisedValue?.ToString("N0"));
    
    return table;
}

private void AddTableRow(Table table, string label, string value)
{
    var row = new TableRow();
    row.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    
    // Label cell (bold)
    var labelCell = CreateCell(label, 3000, bold: true, alignment: JustificationValues.Right);
    row.AppendChild(labelCell);
    
    // Value cell
    var valueCell = CreateCell(value ?? "", 3000, alignment: JustificationValues.Left);
    row.AppendChild(valueCell);
    
    table.AppendChild(row);
}

---

Advanced Cell Creation

Cell with Alignment and Formatting

private static TableCell CreateCell(
    string text, 
    int width, 
    bool bold = false,
    JustificationValues alignment = JustificationValues.Left,
    string backgroundColor = null,
    VerticalTextAlignmentValues verticalAlign = VerticalTextAlignmentValues.Top)
{
    var cell = new TableCell();
    
    // Cell properties
    var cellProperties = new TableCellProperties(
        new TableCellWidth { Width = width.ToString(), Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Dxa },
        new TableCellVerticalAlignment { Val = verticalAlign }
    );
    
    // Background color
    if (backgroundColor != null)
    {
        cellProperties.AppendChild(new Shading 
        { 
            Fill = backgroundColor, 
            Val = ShadingPatternValues.Clear 
        });
    }
    
    cell.AppendChild(cellProperties);
    
    // Paragraph
    var paragraph = new Paragraph();
    
    // Paragraph properties
    var paragraphProperties = new ParagraphProperties(
        new Justification { Val = alignment }
    );
    paragraph.AppendChild(paragraphProperties);
    
    // Run
    var run = new Run();
    
    // Run properties
    if (bold)
    {
        var runProperties = new RunProperties(new Bold());
        run.AppendChild(runProperties);
    }
    
    run.AppendChild(new Text(text));
    paragraph.AppendChild(run);
    cell.AppendChild(paragraph);
    
    return cell;
}

---

Cell Merging

Horizontal Merge (Spanning Columns)

public static Table CreateTableWithMergedCells()
{
    var table = new Table();
    
    // Properties and grid
    var tableProperties = new TableProperties(
        new TableWidth { Width = "5000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Pct }
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableProperties);
    
    var tableGrid = new TableGrid(
        new GridColumn { Width = "2000" },
        new GridColumn { Width = "2000" },
        new GridColumn { Width = "2000" }
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableGrid);
    
    // Row 1: Merged header spanning all 3 columns
    var row1 = new TableRow();
    row1.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    
    var mergedCell = new TableCell();
    mergedCell.AppendChild(new TableCellProperties(
        new TableCellWidth { Width = "6000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Dxa },
        new GridSpan { Val = 3 },  // Span 3 columns
        new Shading { Fill = "CCCCCC" }
    ));
    mergedCell.AppendChild(CreateParagraph("Merged Header", bold: true, centered: true));
    row1.AppendChild(mergedCell);
    table.AppendChild(row1);
    
    // Row 2: Normal cells
    var row2 = new TableRow();
    row2.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    row2.AppendChild(CreateCell("Cell 1", 2000));
    row2.AppendChild(CreateCell("Cell 2", 2000));
    row2.AppendChild(CreateCell("Cell 3", 2000));
    table.AppendChild(row2);
    
    return table;
}

Vertical Merge (Spanning Rows)

public static Table CreateTableWithVerticalMerge()
{
    var table = new Table();
    
    // Properties and grid
    var tableProperties = new TableProperties(
        new TableWidth { Width = "5000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Pct }
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableProperties);
    
    var tableGrid = new TableGrid(
        new GridColumn { Width = "2000" },
        new GridColumn { Width = "4000" }
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableGrid);
    
    // Row 1: Start vertical merge
    var row1 = new TableRow();
    row1.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    
    var cell1 = new TableCell();
    cell1.AppendChild(new TableCellProperties(
        new TableCellWidth { Width = "2000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Dxa },
        new VerticalMerge { Val = MergedCellValues.Restart }  // Start merge
    ));
    cell1.AppendChild(CreateParagraph("Merged Cell", bold: true));
    row1.AppendChild(cell1);
    
    row1.AppendChild(CreateCell("Row 1 Data", 4000));
    table.AppendChild(row1);
    
    // Row 2: Continue vertical merge
    var row2 = new TableRow();
    row2.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    
    var cell2 = new TableCell();
    cell2.AppendChild(new TableCellProperties(
        new TableCellWidth { Width = "2000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Dxa },
        new VerticalMerge { Val = MergedCellValues.Continue }  // Continue merge
    ));
    cell2.AppendChild(CreateParagraph(""));  // Empty paragraph required
    row2.AppendChild(cell2);
    
    row2.AppendChild(CreateCell("Row 2 Data", 4000));
    table.AppendChild(row2);
    
    // Row 3: Continue vertical merge
    var row3 = new TableRow();
    row3.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    
    var cell3 = new TableCell();
    cell3.AppendChild(new TableCellProperties(
        new TableCellWidth { Width = "2000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Dxa },
        new VerticalMerge { Val = MergedCellValues.Continue }
    ));
    cell3.AppendChild(CreateParagraph(""));
    row3.AppendChild(cell3);
    
    row3.AppendChild(CreateCell("Row 3 Data", 4000));
    table.AppendChild(row3);
    
    return table;
}

---

Property Images Table (AppraiSys)

public static Table CreatePropertyImagesTable(List<ImageData> images, int columns = 3)
{
    var table = new Table();
    
    // Table properties
    var tableProperties = new TableProperties(
        new TableStyle { Val = "PropertyImagesTable" },
        new TableWidth { Width = "5000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Pct },
        new TableJustification { Val = TableRowAlignmentValues.Center },
        new TableCellSpacing { Width = "100", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Dxa },
        new TableBorders(
            new TopBorder { Val = BorderValues.None },
            new BottomBorder { Val = BorderValues.None },
            new LeftBorder { Val = BorderValues.None },
            new RightBorder { Val = BorderValues.None },
            new InsideHorizontalBorder { Val = BorderValues.None },
            new InsideVerticalBorder { Val = BorderValues.None }
        )
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableProperties);
    
    // Grid
    var columnWidth = 5000 / columns;
    var tableGrid = new TableGrid();
    for (int i = 0; i < columns; i++)
    {
        tableGrid.AppendChild(new GridColumn { Width = columnWidth.ToString() });
    }
    table.AppendChild(tableGrid);
    
    // Add rows
    int imageIndex = 0;
    while (imageIndex < images.Count)
    {
        var row = new TableRow();
        row.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
        
        for (int col = 0; col < columns; col++)
        {
            if (imageIndex < images.Count)
            {
                var imageCell = CreateImageCell(images[imageIndex], columnWidth);
                row.AppendChild(imageCell);
                imageIndex++;
            }
            else
            {
                // Empty cell
                row.AppendChild(CreateCell("", columnWidth));
            }
        }
        
        table.AppendChild(row);
    }
    
    return table;
}

private static TableCell CreateImageCell(ImageData imageData, int width)
{
    var cell = new TableCell();
    
    cell.AppendChild(new TableCellProperties(
        new TableCellWidth { Width = width.ToString(), Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Dxa },
        new TableCellVerticalAlignment { Val = TableVerticalAlignmentValues.Top }
    ));
    
    // Add image paragraph
    var paragraph = new Paragraph();
    paragraph.AppendChild(new ParagraphProperties(
        new Justification { Val = JustificationValues.Center }
    ));
    
    // TODO: Add actual image drawing element here
    // (See Image Handling section)
    
    cell.AppendChild(paragraph);
    
    // Caption paragraph
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(imageData.Caption))
    {
        var captionParagraph = new Paragraph();
        captionParagraph.AppendChild(new ParagraphProperties(
            new Justification { Val = JustificationValues.Center }
        ));
        
        var run = new Run();
        run.AppendChild(new RunProperties(
            new FontSize { Val = "18" },  // 9pt
            new Italic()
        ));
        run.AppendChild(new Text(imageData.Caption));
        
        captionParagraph.AppendChild(run);
        cell.AppendChild(captionParagraph);
    }
    
    return cell;
}

---

Table with Custom Borders

public static Table CreateCustomBorderTable()
{
    var table = new Table();
    
    var tableProperties = new TableProperties(
        new TableWidth { Width = "5000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Pct },
        new TableBorders(
            // Thick top border
            new TopBorder 
            { 
                Val = BorderValues.Single, 
                Size = 24,  // 3pt
                Color = "000000" 
            },
            // Thin side borders
            new LeftBorder 
            { 
                Val = BorderValues.Single, 
                Size = 4,  // 0.5pt
                Color = "CCCCCC" 
            },
            new RightBorder 
            { 
                Val = BorderValues.Single, 
                Size = 4, 
                Color = "CCCCCC" 
            },
            // Thick bottom border
            new BottomBorder 
            { 
                Val = BorderValues.Single, 
                Size = 24, 
                Color = "000000" 
            },
            // Dotted inside horizontal
            new InsideHorizontalBorder 
            { 
                Val = BorderValues.Dotted, 
                Size = 4, 
                Color = "CCCCCC" 
            },
            // No inside vertical
            new InsideVerticalBorder { Val = BorderValues.None }
        )
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableProperties);
    
    // Add grid and rows...
    
    return table;
}

---

Dynamic Table Generation

Create Table from Data

public static Table CreateTableFromData<T>(
    List<T> data, 
    Dictionary<string, Func<T, string>> columns,
    bool headerRow = true)
{
    var table = new Table();
    
    // Properties
    var tableProperties = new TableProperties(
        new TableWidth { Width = "5000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Pct },
        new TableBorders(
            new TopBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new BottomBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new LeftBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new RightBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new InsideHorizontalBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new InsideVerticalBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 }
        )
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableProperties);
    
    // Grid
    int columnCount = columns.Count;
    int columnWidth = 5000 / columnCount;
    
    var tableGrid = new TableGrid();
    for (int i = 0; i < columnCount; i++)
    {
        tableGrid.AppendChild(new GridColumn { Width = columnWidth.ToString() });
    }
    table.AppendChild(tableGrid);
    
    // Header row
    if (headerRow)
    {
        var headerRow = new TableRow();
        headerRow.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
        
        foreach (var column in columns.Keys)
        {
            var cell = CreateCell(
                column, 
                columnWidth, 
                bold: true, 
                backgroundColor: "CCCCCC",
                alignment: JustificationValues.Center
            );
            headerRow.AppendChild(cell);
        }
        
        table.AppendChild(headerRow);
    }
    
    // Data rows
    foreach (var item in data)
    {
        var dataRow = new TableRow();
        dataRow.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
        
        foreach (var columnFunc in columns.Values)
        {
            var value = columnFunc(item);
            var cell = CreateCell(value, columnWidth);
            dataRow.AppendChild(cell);
        }
        
        table.AppendChild(dataRow);
    }
    
    return table;
}

// Usage:
var comparables = GetComparableProperties();
var table = CreateTableFromData(
    comparables,
    new Dictionary<string, Func<Comparable, string>>
    {
        { "Address", c => c.Address },
        { "Price", c => "$" + c.Price.ToString("N0") },
        { "Sq Ft", c => c.SquareFeet.ToString("N0") },
        { "Beds", c => c.Bedrooms.ToString() },
        { "Baths", c => c.Bathrooms.ToString("F1") }
    }
);

---

Nested Tables

Table Inside Table Cell

public static Table CreateNestedTable()
{
    var outerTable = new Table();
    
    // Outer table properties
    var outerTableProps = new TableProperties(
        new TableWidth { Width = "5000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Pct }
    );
    outerTable.AppendChild(outerTableProps);
    
    var outerGrid = new TableGrid(
        new GridColumn { Width = "5000" }
    );
    outerTable.AppendChild(outerGrid);
    
    // Outer row
    var outerRow = new TableRow();
    outerRow.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    
    var outerCell = new TableCell();
    outerCell.AppendChild(new TableCellProperties(
        new TableCellWidth { Width = "5000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Dxa }
    ));
    
    // Header paragraph
    var headerPara = new Paragraph();
    var headerRun = new Run();
    headerRun.AppendChild(new RunProperties(new Bold()));
    headerRun.AppendChild(new Text("Container"));
    headerPara.AppendChild(headerRun);
    outerCell.AppendChild(headerPara);
    
    // *** NESTED TABLE ***
    var innerTable = new Table();
    var innerTableProps = new TableProperties(
        new TableWidth { Width = "4500", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Dxa }
    );
    innerTable.AppendChild(innerTableProps);
    
    var innerGrid = new TableGrid(
        new GridColumn { Width = "2250" },
        new GridColumn { Width = "2250" }
    );
    innerTable.AppendChild(innerGrid);
    
    // Inner row
    var innerRow = new TableRow();
    innerRow.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    innerRow.AppendChild(CreateCell("Nested 1", 2250));
    innerRow.AppendChild(CreateCell("Nested 2", 2250));
    innerTable.AppendChild(innerRow);
    
    // Add nested table to outer cell
    outerCell.AppendChild(innerTable);
    
    outerRow.AppendChild(outerCell);
    outerTable.AppendChild(outerRow);
    
    return outerTable;
}

---

Helper Methods

Create Paragraph

private static Paragraph CreateParagraph(
    string text, 
    bool bold = false, 
    bool centered = false)
{
    var paragraph = new Paragraph();
    
    if (centered)
    {
        paragraph.AppendChild(new ParagraphProperties(
            new Justification { Val = JustificationValues.Center }
        ));
    }
    
    var run = new Run();
    
    if (bold)
    {
        run.AppendChild(new RunProperties(new Bold()));
    }
    
    run.AppendChild(new Text(text));
    paragraph.AppendChild(run);
    
    return paragraph;
}

---

Complete Example: Comparables Table

public static Table CreateComparablesTable(
    SubjectProperty subject,
    List<Comparable> comparables)
{
    var table = new Table();
    
    // Properties
    var tableProperties = new TableProperties(
        new TableWidth { Width = "5000", Type = TableWidthUnitValues.Pct },
        new TableBorders(
            new TopBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new BottomBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new LeftBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new RightBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new InsideHorizontalBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 },
            new InsideVerticalBorder { Val = BorderValues.Single, Size = 4 }
        ),
        new TableLayout { Type = TableLayoutValues.Fixed }
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableProperties);
    
    // Grid: Subject + 3 comparables
    var tableGrid = new TableGrid(
        new GridColumn { Width = "2000" },  // Field name
        new GridColumn { Width = "1500" },  // Subject
        new GridColumn { Width = "1000" },  // Comp 1
        new GridColumn { Width = "1000" },  // Comp 2
        new GridColumn { Width = "1000" }   // Comp 3
    );
    table.AppendChild(tableGrid);
    
    // Header row
    AddHeaderRow(table, comparables.Count);
    
    // Data rows
    AddFieldRow(table, "Address", 
        subject.Address,
        comparables.Select(c => c.Address).ToArray());
    
    AddFieldRow(table, "Sale Price", 
        "$" + subject.AppraisedValue?.ToString("N0"),
        comparables.Select(c => "$" + c.SalePrice.ToString("N0")).ToArray());
    
    AddFieldRow(table, "Square Feet", 
        subject.GrossLivingArea?.ToString("N0"),
        comparables.Select(c => c.SquareFeet.ToString("N0")).ToArray());
    
    AddFieldRow(table, "Bedrooms", 
        subject.Bedrooms?.ToString(),
        comparables.Select(c => c.Bedrooms.ToString()).ToArray());
    
    AddFieldRow(table, "Bathrooms", 
        subject.Bathrooms?.ToString("F1"),
        comparables.Select(c => c.Bathrooms.ToString("F1")).ToArray());
    
    return table;
}

private static void AddHeaderRow(Table table, int comparableCount)
{
    var row = new TableRow();
    row.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    
    row.AppendChild(CreateCell("Item", 2000, bold: true, 
        backgroundColor: "CCCCCC", alignment: JustificationValues.Center));
    row.AppendChild(CreateCell("Subject", 1500, bold: true, 
        backgroundColor: "CCCCCC", alignment: JustificationValues.Center));
    
    for (int i = 0; i < comparableCount; i++)
    {
        row.AppendChild(CreateCell($"Comp {i + 1}", 1000, bold: true, 
            backgroundColor: "CCCCCC", alignment: JustificationValues.Center));
    }
    
    table.AppendChild(row);
}

private static void AddFieldRow(Table table, string fieldName, 
    string subjectValue, params string[] comparableValues)
{
    var row = new TableRow();
    row.AppendChild(new TableRowProperties(new CantSplit()));
    
    row.AppendChild(CreateCell(fieldName, 2000, bold: true, 
        alignment: JustificationValues.Right));
    row.AppendChild(CreateCell(subjectValue ?? "", 1500, 
        alignment: JustificationValues.Center));
    
    foreach (var value in comparableValues)
    {
        row.AppendChild(CreateCell(value ?? "", 1000, 
            alignment: JustificationValues.Center));
    }
    
    table.AppendChild(row);
}

---

Next Steps

➡️ Next: Image Handling

Related:

• Tables in OOXML - Comprehensive table guide
• AppraiSys Patterns - More examples
• Common Fatal Mistakes - Avoid table errors

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💡 Remember: Every table cell must contain at least one paragraph. Always use CantSplit() for professional-looking tables!