Design Strip Menu Bar – Table

The Table section of the strip designer menu bar helps you create organized, grid-based layouts for your production strips. Tables provide structure and consistency, making information easier to scan and comprehend quickly.

Table Features #

The Table menu offers several powerful options for organizing your strip content:

• Rows and Columns: Add, remove, or adjust the number of rows and columns
• Cell Management: Merge or split cells to create more complex layouts
• Table Margins: Adjust the top/bottom and left/right margins for the table
• Table Width: Set the width of the table

Creating an Effective Table Layout #

1. Start with a Basic Structure:
   • A new strip is pre-populated with some rows and columns
   • Decide if the existing rows and columns are suitable for your design idea
   • Add or remove rows and columns to fit your design
2. Customize Your Layout:
   • Adjust the column widths by dragging the borders
   • Merge cells that you want to span multiple columns
   • Split cells when you need more granular organization
3. Optimize for Readability:
   • Set appropriate table margins and width for your design

Table Margins #

Setting the table margins creates padding between the edge of the strip and where the content will appear. Most strip designs will require no margins, but banners or day breaks may look better with some margins applied, depending on your aesthetic ideals.

Table Width #

For strips, most designs can be set to full width. This will allow the strip to use the maximum width available to display your content.

Banners and day strips may benefit from “Auto Sizing” so that their (generally smaller) content is centered in the strip.

Table Design Best Practices #

• Maintain balance: Keep column widths proportional
• Use the top row for the most critical information
• Consider scanning patterns: Western readers scan from top-left to bottom-right
• Be consistent: Use similar table structures across different strip types

Remember that tables should enhance understanding, not complicate it. A well-designed table layout creates a consistent framework for your production information, making your schedule more accessible to your entire team.

For more information about each designer menu, see these articles:

• Designer – Categories Menu
• Designer – Field Menu
• Designer – Format Menu

Here is a video that covers designing a strip: