# User Defined Borders in Text Documents

/text/swriter/guide/borders.xhp
borders;for text tables
cells;borders in text tables
defining;table borders in Writer
frames;around text tables
tables;defining borders
MW changed "text tables;" to "tables;"
User Defined Borders in Text Documents
You can apply a variety of different cell borders to selected cells in a Writer table and to the whole table. Other objects in text documents can have user defined borders, too. For example, you can assign borders to page styles, to frames, and to inserted pictures or charts.
- Select the cell or a block of cells in a Writer table.
- Choose Table - Table properties.
- In the dialog, click the Borders tab.
- Choose the border options you want to apply and click OK.
The options in the Line arrangement area can be used to apply multiple border styles.
Selection of cells
Depending on the selection of cells, the area looks different.

Selection
Line arrangement area
One cell selected in a table of more that one cell size, or cursor inside a table with no cell selected
one cell border
A one cell table, the cell is selected
one selected cell border
Cells in a column selected
column selected border
Cells in a row selected
row selected border
A whole table of 2x2 or more cells selected
block selected border

Default settings
Click one of the Default icons to set or reset multiple borders.
- The thin gray lines inside an icon show the borders that will be reset or cleared.
- The dark lines inside an icon show the lines that will be set using the selected line style and color.
- The thick gray lines inside an icon show the lines that will not be changed.
Examples
Select a block of about 8x8 cells, then choose Format - Cells - Borders.
default icons for borders
- Click the left icon to clear all lines. This removes all outer borders and all inner lines.
- Click the second icon from the left to set an outer border and to remove all other lines.
- Click the rightmost icon to set an outer border. The inner lines are not changed.
Now you can continue to see which lines the other icons will set or remove.
User defined settings
In the User defined area, you can click to set or remove individual lines. The preview shows lines in three different states.
Repeatedly click an edge or a corner to switch through the three different states.

Line types
Image
Meaning
A black line
solid line for border
A black line sets the corresponding line of the selected cells. The line is shown as a dotted line when you choose the 0.05 pt line style. Double lines are shown when you select a double line style.
A gray line
gray line for border
A gray line is shown when the corresponding line of the selected cells will not be changed. No line will be set or removed at this position.
A white line
white line for border
A white line is shown when the corresponding line of the selected cells will be removed.

Examples
- Select a single cell in a Writer table, then choose Table - Table properties - Borders.
- Select a thick line style.
- To set a lower border, click the lower edge repeatedly until you see a thick line.
setting thick lower border
All cells in a Writer table have at least a left and a lower line by default. Most cells on the table perimeter have more lines applied by default.
All lines that are shown in white in the preview will be removed from the cell.