Use DocumentBuilder to Inserting a Table within C# and .NET

  1. Add SautinSoft.Document from Nuget.
  2. Create a new document.
  3. Create a Builder based on the document.
  4. Use StartTable, InsertCell, EndRow to add table data.

The basic algorithm for create a table using DocumentBuilder is simple:


                    DocumentCore dc = new DocumentCore();
                    DocumentBuilder db = new DocumentBuilder(dc);
  1. Start the table using db.StartTable.
    Table table = db.StartTable();
  2. Insert a cell using db.InsertCell. This automatically starts a new row. If needed, use the db.CellFormat property to specify cell formatting.
  3. Insert cell contents using the DocumentBuilder methods
  4. Repeat steps until the row is complete.
  5. Call db.EndRow to end the current row. If needed, use db.RowFormat property to specify row formatting.
  6. Repeat steps until the table is complete.
  7. Call db.EndTable to finish the table building. The appropriate DocumentBuilder table creation methods are described below.

Starting a Table

Calling db.StartTable is the first step in building a table. It can be also called inside a cell, in this case, it starts a nested table. The next method to call is db.InsertCell.

Inserting a Cell

After you call db.InsertCell, a new cell is created and any content you add using other methods of the DocumentBuilder class will be added to the current cell. To start a new cell in the same row, call db.InsertCell again. Use the db.CellFormat property to specify cell formatting.

Ending a Row

Call db.EndRow to finish the current row. If you call db.InsertCell immediately after that, then the table continues on a new row. Use the db.RowFormat property to specify row formatting.

Ending a Table

Call db.EndTable to finish the current table. This method should be called only once after db.EndRow was called. When called, db.EndTable moves the cursor out of the current cell to a position just after the table. The following example demonstrates how to build a formatted table that contains 3 rows and 3 columns.


Complete code

using System;
using SautinSoft.Document;
using SautinSoft.Document.Tables;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace Example
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Get your free 100-day key here:   
            // https://sautinsoft.com/start-for-free/

            InsertingTable();
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Creates a table using DocumentBuilder and saves it in a desired format.
        /// </summary>
        /// <remarks>
        /// Details: https://www.sautinsoft.com/products/document/help/net/developer-guide/documentbuilder-inserting-table.php
        /// </remarks>

        static void InsertingTable()
        {
            DocumentCore dc = new DocumentCore();
            DocumentBuilder db = new DocumentBuilder(dc);

            // Create a new table with preferred width.
            Table table = db.StartTable();
            db.TableFormat.PreferredWidth = new TableWidth(LengthUnitConverter.Convert(5, LengthUnit.Inch, LengthUnit.Point), TableWidthUnit.Point);

            // Specify formatting of cells and alignment.
            db.CellFormat.Borders.SetBorders(MultipleBorderTypes.Outside, BorderStyle.Single, Color.Green, 1);
            db.CellFormat.VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top;
            db.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center;

            // Specify height of rows and write text.
            db.RowFormat.Height = new TableRowHeight(105f, HeightRule.Exact);
            db.InsertCell();
            db.Write("This is Row 1 Cell 1");
            db.InsertCell();
            db.Write("This is Row 1 Cell 2");
            db.InsertCell();
            db.Write("This is Row 1 Cell 3");
            db.EndRow();

            // Specify formatting of cells and alignment.
            db.CellFormat.Borders.SetBorders(MultipleBorderTypes.Outside, BorderStyle.Single, Color.Black, 1);
            db.CellFormat.VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Center;
            db.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = HorizontalAlignment.Left;

            // Specify height of rows and write text.
            db.RowFormat.Height = new TableRowHeight(150f, HeightRule.Exact);
            db.InsertCell();
            db.Write("This is Row 2 Cell 1");
            db.InsertCell();
            db.Write("This is Row 2 Cell 2");
            db.InsertCell();
            db.Write("This is Row 2 Cell 3");
            db.EndRow();

            // Specify formatting of cells and alignment.
            db.CellFormat.Borders.SetBorders(MultipleBorderTypes.Outside, BorderStyle.Single, Color.Orange, 1);
            db.CellFormat.VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Bottom;
            db.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = HorizontalAlignment.Right;

            // Specify height of rows and write text
            db.RowFormat.Height = new TableRowHeight(125f, HeightRule.Exact);
            db.InsertCell();
            db.Write("This is Row 3 Cell 1");
            db.InsertCell();
            db.Write("This is Row 3 Cell 2");
            db.InsertCell();
            db.Write("This is Row 3 Cell 3");
            db.EndRow();
            db.EndTable();

            // Save our document into DOCX format.
            string filePath = "Result.docx";
            dc.Save(filePath);
			
			// Important for Linux: Install MS Fonts
			// sudo apt install ttf-mscorefonts-installer -y

            // Open the result for demonstration purposes.
            System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo(filePath) { UseShellExecute = true });
        }
    }
}

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Imports System
Imports SautinSoft.Document
Imports SautinSoft.Document.Tables
Imports System.Collections.Generic

Namespace Example
	Friend Class Program
		Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
			InsertingTable()
		End Sub
                ''' Get your free 100-day key here:   
                ''' https://sautinsoft.com/start-for-free/
		''' <summary>
		''' Creates a table using DocumentBuilder and saves it in a desired format.
		''' </summary>
		''' <remarks>
		''' Details: https://www.sautinsoft.com/products/document/help/net/developer-guide/documentbuilder-inserting-table.php
		''' </remarks>

		Private Shared Sub InsertingTable()
			Dim dc As New DocumentCore()
			Dim db As New DocumentBuilder(dc)

			' Create a new table with preferred width.
			Dim table As Table = db.StartTable()
			db.TableFormat.PreferredWidth = New TableWidth(LengthUnitConverter.Convert(5, LengthUnit.Inch, LengthUnit.Point), TableWidthUnit.Point)

			' Specify formatting of cells and alignment.
			db.CellFormat.Borders.SetBorders(MultipleBorderTypes.Outside, BorderStyle.Single, Color.Green, 1)
			db.CellFormat.VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top
			db.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center

			' Specify height of rows and write text.
			db.RowFormat.Height = New TableRowHeight(105.0F, HeightRule.Exact)
			db.InsertCell()
			db.Write("This is Row 1 Cell 1")
			db.InsertCell()
			db.Write("This is Row 1 Cell 2")
			db.InsertCell()
			db.Write("This is Row 1 Cell 3")
			db.EndRow()

			' Specify formatting of cells and alignment.
			db.CellFormat.Borders.SetBorders(MultipleBorderTypes.Outside, BorderStyle.Single, Color.Black, 1)
			db.CellFormat.VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Center
			db.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = HorizontalAlignment.Left

			' Specify height of rows and write text.
			db.RowFormat.Height = New TableRowHeight(150.0F, HeightRule.Exact)
			db.InsertCell()
			db.Write("This is Row 2 Cell 1")
			db.InsertCell()
			db.Write("This is Row 2 Cell 2")
			db.InsertCell()
			db.Write("This is Row 2 Cell 3")
			db.EndRow()

			' Specify formatting of cells and alignment.
			db.CellFormat.Borders.SetBorders(MultipleBorderTypes.Outside, BorderStyle.Single, Color.Orange, 1)
			db.CellFormat.VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Bottom
			db.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = HorizontalAlignment.Right

			' Specify height of rows and write text
			db.RowFormat.Height = New TableRowHeight(125.0F, HeightRule.Exact)
			db.InsertCell()
			db.Write("This is Row 3 Cell 1")
			db.InsertCell()
			db.Write("This is Row 3 Cell 2")
			db.InsertCell()
			db.Write("This is Row 3 Cell 3")
			db.EndRow()
			db.EndTable()

			' Save our document into DOCX format.
			Dim filePath As String = "Result.docx"
			dc.Save(filePath)
			
			' Important for Linux: Install MS Fonts
			' sudo apt install ttf-mscorefonts-installer -y

			' Open the result for demonstration purposes.
			System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(New System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo(filePath) With {.UseShellExecute = True})
		End Sub
	End Class
End Namespace

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