# Posting an Excel Table **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 24, 2018, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-an-excel-table/821829 "2018-09-24T13:23:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-an-excel-table/821829/1 "2018-09-24T13:23:56Z")
Is there a way to copy/paste an Excel table, retaining the column spacing, in a post? I tried the BB code tags “code” and “pre”, but neither maintained the correct spacing. Thanks in advance, I will likely promptly forget the how to, but at least by creating a thread I can always go back and search! ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-an-excel-table/821829/2 "2018-09-24T17:21:03Z")
Let’s see copy/paste: time nuts bolts oranges 1985 1 8 2 1986 8 10 1 1987 8 5 7 1988 10 0 6 1989 4 8 6 1990 9 6 0 1991 2 6 9 Code tags: ```auto time nuts bolts oranges 1985 1 8 2 1986 8 10 1 1987 8 5 7 1988 10 0 6 1989 4 8 6 1990 9 6 0 1991 2 6 9 ``` When a spreadsheet is copied in, tabs are assumed to separate columns. They appear to be maintained. The problem is that if a large number misaligns the fixed tabs. For example: ```auto time nuts bolts oranges 1985 1 8 2 1986 8 10 1 1987 8 5 7 1988 545554686 44 6 1989 4 8 6 1990 9 6 0 1991 2 6 9 ``` To address such as situation, paste into a text editor. Then monkey around with fixed spacing. Tack on another tab as appropriate. Paste into box. Preview. Rinse and repeat: ```auto time nuts bolts oranges 1985 1 8 2 1986 8 10 1 1987 8 5 7 1988 5454686 44 6 1989 4 8 6 1990 9 6 0 1991 2 6 9 ``` ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-an-excel-table/821829/3 "2018-09-24T19:33:03Z")
Code tags work properly on the desktop theme, but not on the mobile theme. PHP tags work correctly on both, but have odd color-coding that only makes sense for PHP code, and may occasionally have odd side-effects with non-PHP. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-an-excel-table/821829/4 "2018-09-24T19:49:10Z")
I note that I have already fixed that problem in my tweaking addon, and will gladly hand write the entire fix out (along with ones for a couple other things, like spoiler boxes in quotes and the highlighting issue) so that anyone with access to the skin or putting a style tag on the site can fix it. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-an-excel-table/821829/5 "2018-09-24T23:10:54Z")
I’ll redo my post, substituting php for code tags: copy/paste: time nuts bolts oranges 1985 1 8 2 1986 8 10 1 1987 8 5 7 1988 10 0 6 1989 4 8 6 1990 9 6 0 1991 2 6 9 Code tags: ```php time nuts bolts oranges 1985 1 8 2 1986 8 10 1 1987 8 5 7 1988 10 0 6 1989 4 8 6 1990 9 6 0 1991 2 6 9 ``` When a spreadsheet is copied in, tabs are assumed to separate columns. They appear to be maintained. The problem is that if a large number misaligns the fixed tabs. For example: ```php time nuts bolts oranges 1985 1 8 2 1986 8 10 1 1987 8 5 7 1988 545554686 44 6 1989 4 8 6 1990 9 6 0 1991 2 6 9 ``` To address such as situation, paste into a text editor. Then monkey around with fixed spacing. Tack on another tab as appropriate. Paste into box. Preview. Rinse and repeat: ```php time nuts bolts oranges 1985 1 8 2 1986 8 10 1 1987 8 5 7 1988 5454686 44 6 1989 4 8 6 1990 9 6 0 1991 2 6 9 ``` Woops, looks like I need more editing in php: ```php time nuts bolts oranges 1985 1 8 2 1986 8 10 1 1987 8 5 7 1988 5454686 44 6 1989 4 8 6 1990 9 6 0 1991 2 6 9 ``` ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-an-excel-table/821829/6 "2018-09-25T12:30:07Z")
Thanks, all. Looks like, **BigT** ’s fix notwithstanding, it’s going to always be a pain. I’ll try PHP: ```php Stays Drive time Days Place LA 0 5 6 1 Phoenix, AZ 6 1 Las Cruces, NM 6 1 Lubbock, TX 6 1 Austin, TX 6 1 Baton Rouge, LA 8.5 1 Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville 0 5 7.5 1 Rocky Mount, NC 9 1 New York, NY NY 0 5 6 1 Pittsburgh, PA 6 1 Indianapolis, IN 8 1 Eau Claire, WS 7.5 1 Bismark, ND 6 1 Billings, MN 8 1 Spokane, WA 4 1 Seattle, WA Seattle 0 5 7 1 Medford, OR 6 1 Modesto, CA 6 1 LA, CA 119.5 38 ``` Ugh, way too time consuming to tweak the spacing over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-an-excel-table/821829/7 "2018-09-26T22:31:34Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Ugh, way too time consuming to tweak the spacing over and over. Ugh is correct. But you get better after a while. I recommend working with a text editor as well the vBulletin window. Don’t have a decent text editor? Get one (MS’s Notepad won’t display invisible characters). Don’t wanna? Then I’d recommend not posting tables; the process is indeed a PIA, though I do it from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2018, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posting-an-excel-table/821829/8 "2018-10-01T09:05:08Z")
In order to avoid the problems the new theme has with code tags, and also the general ugliness of code boxes, I go with [post=21230323]courier and hidden dots[/post]. That’s my new and improved format, which I’m quite happy with. The [post=21202105]previous version[/post] left a lot to be desired. If you want to go with the hidden dots approach, I recommend keeping your lines 60 characters wide or less so phones have a reasonable chance to display them properly in landscape mde.