# Table

The **RadRichTextEditor** is capable of displaying tables. To add a table to the document you can use one of the following approaches:

* [Programmatically via RadRichTextEditor's API](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/richtexteditor/document-elements/table#creating-a-table-programmatically-via-radrichtexteditors-api)

* [Via the built-in UI](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/richtexteditor/document-elements/table#creating-a-table-via-the-built-in-ui)

The same approaches can be adopted when formatting the table:

* [Runtime via RadRichTextEditor's API](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/richtexteditor/document-elements/table#formatting-a-table-at-runtime-via-radrichtexteditors-api)

* [Via the built-in UI](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/richtexteditor/document-elements/table#formatting-a-table-via-the-built-in-ui)

## Creating a Table Programmatically via RadRichTextEditor's API

> tip To learn more about the **Formatting API** of the **RadRichTextEditor** , read [this topic](https://docs.telerik.com/devtools/winforms/controls/richtexteditor/getting-started/formatting-api).

**RadRichTextEditor** exposes a rich API, which allows you to use various methods to add, modify or delete elements from the **RadDocument**. The methods exposed by the API can be wired to a UI and get executed upon user interaction with this UI.

Here is an example done in the code-behind.

```C#
RadDocument document = new RadDocument();
Section section = new Section();

Table table = new Table();
table.StyleName = RadDocumentDefaultStyles.DefaultTableGridStyleName;

TableRow row1 = new TableRow();

TableCell cell1 = new TableCell();
Paragraph p1 = new Paragraph();
Span s1 = new Span();
s1.Text = "Cell 1";
p1.Inlines.Add(s1);
cell1.Blocks.Add(p1);
row1.Cells.Add(cell1);

TableCell cell2 = new TableCell();
Paragraph p2 = new Paragraph();
Span s2 = new Span();
s2.Text = "Cell 2";
p2.Inlines.Add(s2);
cell2.Blocks.Add(p2);
row1.Cells.Add(cell2);
table.Rows.Add(row1);

TableRow row2 = new TableRow();

TableCell cell3 = new TableCell();
cell3.ColumnSpan = 2;
Paragraph p3 = new Paragraph();
Span s3 = new Span();
s3.Text = "Cell 3";
p3.Inlines.Add(s3);
cell3.Blocks.Add(p3);
row2.Cells.Add(cell3);
table.Rows.Add(row2);

section.Blocks.Add(new Paragraph());
section.Blocks.Add(table);
section.Blocks.Add(new Paragraph());
document.Sections.Add(section);

this.radRichTextEditor1.Document = document;
    
```

```VB.NET
Dim document As New RadDocument()
Dim section As New Section()

Dim table As New Table()
table.StyleName = RadDocumentDefaultStyles.DefaultTableGridStyleName

Dim row1 As New TableRow()

Dim cell1 As New TableCell()
Dim p1 As New Paragraph()
Dim s1 As New Span()
s1.Text = "Cell 1"
p1.Inlines.Add(s1)
cell1.Blocks.Add(p1)
row1.Cells.Add(cell1)

Dim cell2 As New TableCell()
Dim p2 As New Paragraph()
Dim s2 As New Span()
s2.Text = "Cell 2"
p2.Inlines.Add(s2)
cell2.Blocks.Add(p2)
row1.Cells.Add(cell2)
table.Rows.Add(row1)

Dim row2 As New TableRow()

Dim cell3 As New TableCell()
cell3.ColumnSpan = 2
Dim p3 As New Paragraph()
Dim s3 As New Span()
s3.Text = "Cell 3"
p3.Inlines.Add(s3)
cell3.Blocks.Add(p3)
row2.Cells.Add(cell3)
table.Rows.Add(row2)

section.Blocks.Add(New Paragraph())
section.Blocks.Add(table)
section.Blocks.Add(New Paragraph())
document.Sections.Add(section)

Me.radRichTextEditor1.Document = document

```

Here is a snapshot of the result.

![WinForms RadRichTextEditor Table](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/a77e0a4f01a02f5a0c232f3c70c12c8d/richtexteditor-document-elements-table001.png)

The **RadRichTextEditor** exposes the following methods that regard the creation or deletion of a table:

* **DeleteTable** - deletes the currently selected table.

* **DeleteTableColumn** - deletes the currently selected column.

* **DeleteTableRow** - deletes the currently selected row.

* **InsertTable** - inserts a table. Allows you to specify the number of rows and columns.

* **InsertTableColumn**- inserts a column at the end.

* **InsertTableColumnToTheLeft** - inserts a column to the left of the selected one.

* **InsertTableColumnToTheRight** - inserts a column to the right of the selected one.

* **InsertTableRow** - inserts a row at the end.

* **InsertTableRowAbove** - inserts a row above the selected one.

* **InsertTableRowBelow** - inserts a row below the selected one.

## Creating a Table via the Built-in UI

You can enable the user to create a table via the built-in UI of **RadRichTextEditor**. This is done by using the **RadRichTextEditorRibbonUI**, which exposes two different ways of creating a table by selection in the UI or on button click.

![WinForms RadRichTextEditor Table From Build-in UI](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/98747f72453e88376a3b8c61ea96788b/richtexteditor-document-elements-table002.png)

You can also use the **InsertTableDialog**, which comes out of the box. To show it upon a user action just call the **ShowInsertTableDialog()** method of the **RadRichTextEditor**. Here is a snapshot of it.

> note **RichTextEditorRibbonBar** also uses this dialog.

![WinForms RadRichTextEditor InsertTableDialog](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/2faf8d23e93c0c81f82f037aa229913a/richtexteditor-document-elements-table003.png)

> caution Inserting a table through the UI applies to it a **TableGrid** style, which has a predefined set of borders. However, a table created in code-behind is applied the **TableNormal** style and does not have predefined borders.

A table could be deleted or modified via the *Table tools'* contextual tab **Layout**. There are UI buttons for each of the API methods used for deleting and modifying a table.

![WinForms RadRichTextEditor Table tools Contextual Tab](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/cc9d583331fe5b313ffbe58175d4593a/richtexteditor-document-elements-table004.png)

## Formatting a Table at Runtime via RadRichTextEditor's API

> tip To learn more about the **Formatting API** of the **RadRichTextEditor** , read [this topic](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/richtexteditor/getting-started/formatting-api).

**RadRichTextEditor** exposes a rich API, which allows you to use various methods to add, modify or delete elements  from the **RadDocument**. The methods exposed by the API can be wired to a UI and get executed upon user interaction with this UI. The **RadRichTextEditor** exposes the following methods that regard the modifying of a table:

* **ChangeTableBorders** - modifies the borders of the currently selected table via a **TableBorders** object.

* **ChangeTableCellBackground** - sets the color of the currently selected cell's borders.

* **ChangeTableCellBorders** - modifies the borders of the currently selected table via a **TableCellBorders** object.

* **ChangeTableCellContentAlignment** - modifies the content alignment of the currently selected cell.

* **ChangeTableCellPadding** - modifies the padding of the currently selected cell.

* **ChangeTableColumnsLayoutMode** - modifies the layout mode of the table's columns.

* **ChangeTableGridColumnWidth** - modifies the width of the column.

* **MergeTableCells** - merges the currently selected cells.

## Formatting a Table via the Built-in UI

You can enable the user to modify a table via the built-in UI of the **RadRichTextEditor**. This is done by using the **RadRichTextEditorRibbonUI**, which exposes a **Table Tools** contextual menu with two tabs –  **Design** and **Layout**. They expose UI buttons for all API methods used for formatting and modifying a table. To learn more about how to use the **RadRichTextEditorRibbonUI** read  [this topic](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/richtexteditor/ui-for-applying-rich-text-formatting/ribbon-ui).

![WinForms RadRichTextEditor Formatting Table](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/0b6705702b1a7ceca70a762252357609/richtexteditor-document-elements-table005.png)

The **Design** contextual tab allows you to use a predefined set of formatting options called *Table Styles*. The **TableStylesGallery** offers a way to easily create, delete, modify and apply table styles in a document. To  learn more about how to use the **TableStylesGallery** read [this topic](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/controls/richtexteditor/ui-for-applying-rich-text-formatting/table-styles-gallery).

![WinForms RadRichTextEditor TableStylesGallery](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/02bc8b642d662402a4e7f367230f26d5/richtexteditor-document-elements-table006.png)

Additionally, the built-in context menu of the **RadRichTextEditor** gives the user the possibility to open the   **Table Properties** and **Table Borders** dialogs.

![WinForms RadRichTextEditor Table Borders/Properties](https://www.telerik.com/products/winforms/documentation/assets/aa489b61089319d80d914add173c0752/richtexteditor-document-elements-table007.png)

> tip To wire these dialogs to your own UI you can use the **ShowTablePropertiesDialog()** method of **RadRichTextEditor** or the **ShowTablePropertiesCommand** method.