61. Center a Heading over Multiple ColumnsBEFORE YOU BEGIN 60 Format Cells SEE ALSO 62 Set Up Calc Page Formatting If you want to center a title over multiple columns, you might find that you have trouble adjusting the title just right. Your first instinct is probably to type the title into the most central column over the sheet below. When the title usually doesn't align properly, you go back and edit the column, inserting spaces, until the title is just right. 61. Center a Heading over Multiple Columns. This problem occurs because, when we think about centering text in a document, we usually think about centering in the entire width of the document. But Calc handles text cell by cell. If you center text in a cell, it's centered within that cell and not within the entire document. Another challenge in creating a heading is adjusting the data below the heading so that it doesn't look crowded. Those who learned about formatting with a word processing program might expect Calc to make room for the heading by adding some extra space. But Calc doesn't work that way. Formatting headings in Calc is just as easy as it is in Writer, but you have to take a couple extra steps to accomplish it. To create space above the data (to display the heading attractively), you must add one or more blank rows or modify the size and alignment of the heading row. To center a heading so that it spans multiple cells of data, you must merge the cells. Merging two or more cells lets you align text across those cells. If, for example, your spreadsheet contains eight columns, you can create a heading and merge it across eight cells so that the heading is centered over the entire sheet. NOTE The Align Center button does not accomplish what you want by itself when you attempt to center a title over multiple columns. The alignment (or justification) buttons only align text within single cells, not across multiple cells. KEY TERM Merge cells To combine two or more cells into one so that the contents of the cells can be centered or otherwise aligned across the width or length of all the cells.
NOTE Once you've centered a title over multiple columns correctly, if you adjust the width of the columns that fall below the title, the centered title will adjust to remain centered without your intervention. |