WD97: "Merge Cells Before Split" Setting Causes Unexpected Results (166951)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q166951

SYMPTOMS

When you split cells with the "Merge cells before split" setting turned on (default setting), Word merges any information within the selected cells into one cell, and that information is distributed equally within the split cells of only the first row you select.

WORKAROUND

To keep the information in the existing cells while splitting the cells, do the following:
  1. Select the cells to split.
  2. On the Table menu, click Split Cells.
  3. Clear the "Merge cells before split" check box.
  4. Click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

For example, if you have the following table in a document: 
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   |                   |                   |                  |
   | Item 1            | Item 2            | Item 3           |
   |                   |                   |                  |
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   |                   |                   |                  |
   | Item 4            | Item 5            | Item 6           |
   |                   |                   |                  |
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   |                   |                   |                  |
   | Item 7            | Item 8            | Item 9           |
   |                   |                   |                  |
   ------------------------------------------------------------
and the "Merge cells before split" check box is clear, you get the following results when you select rows 1 and 2 and click Split cells on the Table menu: 
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   |         |         |         |         |         |        |
   | Item 1  |         | Item 2  |         | Item 3  |        |
   |         |         |         |         |         |        |
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   |         |         |         |         |         |        |
   | Item 4  |         | Item 5  |         | Item 6  |        |
   |         |         |         |         |         |        |
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   |                   |                   |                  |
   | Item 7            | Item 8            | Item 9           |
   |                   |                   |                  |
   ------------------------------------------------------------
However, if the "Merge cells before split" check box selected, Items 1 through 6 are first merged into 1 cell, and then they are split into cells, making them all appear in the first row, as in the following example: 
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   |         |         |         |         |         |        |
   | Item 1  | Item 2  | Item 3  | Item 4  | Item 5  | Item 6 |
   |         |         |         |         |         |        |
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   |         |         |         |         |         |        |
   |         |         |         |         |         |        |
   |         |         |         |         |         |        |
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   |                   |                   |                  |
   | Item 7            | Item 8            | Item 9           |
   |                   |                   |                  |
   ------------------------------------------------------------
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/14/2000
Keywords:kbprb kbtable kbusage KB166951
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