Saving Word and Excel Tables in FrontPage
Many genealogists use an Excel spreadsheet to enter census records, obituaries, vital records data, and other information they would like to include as a part of their website. In the process, they have discovered that copying and pasting the file into FrontPage will create bloated code and "heavy" pages.
Thanks to Alan Gresley for the instructions. I have modified them somewhat and added screenshots.
The first five steps are for a Word table. Skip them if your data is already
in Excel
Preparation:
Step 1 - Create backup copies.
Step 2 -Select & copy table to clipboard.
Step 3 - Paste to Notepad.
Step 4 - Select & copy data and tabs to clipboard.
Step 5 - Paste to Excel.
Note: The above procedure only removes the coding from Word. Both Word tables and Excel tables create tabs that only appear when pasted into Notepad. Once pasted into Notepad they look like spaces.
Insert HTML coding into Excel:
Step 6 - Insert a new sheet into Excel, and select & copy first sheet into second sheet (Select the whole sheet by clicking the blank square to the left of the A and above the 1) NOTE: This way you will still have your original sheet.
Step 7 - Insert a column to the left of the first Excel data
column.
Step 8 - Type <tr><td> (opens rows & cells) into
the top left cell of the new empty column.
Step 9 - Replicate <tr><td> by dragging down to the
last row containing the data. (Each data cell has a square box at the bottom right.
When you mouse over, the pointer changes from a + with space inside to just a +,
when this is seen, select and drag down.)
Step 10 - Type </td></tr> (closes cells & rows)
into the top cell to the right of the last data column.
Step 11 - Replicate </td></tr> by dragging down to
the last row containing the data. (Each data cell has a square box at the bottom
right. When you mouse over, the pointer changes from a + with space inside to just
a +, when this is seen, select and drag down.)
Step 12 - Insert a column between each remaining data column.
Step 13 - Type </td><td> (closes one cell, opens next
cell) into the top cell of each new column
Step 14 - Replicate </td><td> by dragging down to the
last row containing the data or Copy the first replicated </td><td>
column into the other inserted columns. (saves time)
Select in excel and bring to Notepad:
Step 15 - Select (Select the whole sheet by clicking the blank
square to the left of the A and above the 1 the whole data html field and copy to
clipboard.
Step 16 - Paste to Notepad.
Removing tabs in Notepad:
Step 17 - Copy a tab, paste into Find What field in replace
tool. The select replace all. NOTE: To get a tab, open a new Notepad, press the
tab key on your keyboard and a space (tab) will appear, copy the tab into the other
Notepad Find What field (it will appear as a black rectangle), leave the Replace
With section empty and click Replace All. All the tabs will now be gone.
Step 18 - Add <table> to beginning & </table> to
end (opens & closes table).
Bring into FrontPage:
Step 19 - Copy all from Notepad to clipboard.
Step 20 - Create one cell table in FrontPage
Step 21 - Select one-cell table in FrontPage code view
and replace one-cell table with table from Notepad.
Final Table after styling has been added.
Additional Resources for Data Tables
- WC3 Recommendations on Tables
- HTML Tables - w3schools
- W3.CSS Tables