Tables-Basic HTML

Tables serve as the foundation for complex layouts. Through different attributes the designers are able to manipulate the code to create multiple columns, merging of columns and rows, colors and borders. However the problem is tables tend to be complex layouts which are time consuming to create and up date. With the teaching and learn of CSS (taught later this year) designers can create layouts without using tables in their code.

Tags taught:
Syntax of a table (what is the difference between td and th)
Table border
Setting the width of tables using pixels and percents. (student should understand the differences)
Centering a table
Wrapping text around a table
Nested tables
Inserting images in table.
align
valign
Changing the background
Cellpadding
Cellspacing
Row spanning
column spanning

Things to remember:

• The key to a liquid design when using tables is to use percentages instead of pixel based widths.
• If a table's width is in percentages the table will adjust to the size of the browser window.
• The more complex your table layout is the longer the download time. The designer should simplify the design by using a master table with multiple tables inside.
• use &nbsp to create an empty cell
• bgcolor can be placing in the table, tr, td, tag.

If you need any more information please look at chapter 14 in the HTML For The World Wide Web by Elizabeth Castro.