Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Converting Tables to Text.
Tables are a great boon to users of Word. When you are working with documents that were created in a different Word processor, however, tables can be nuisances. For instance, one WordTips reader complained that his two-column text created in WordPerfect was converted in Word to tables. He asked for a way to automatically convert all the tables to text, without the need to process each table manually.
The following macro, AllTablesToText, will do the trick. It steps through each table in the current document and converts them all to text, with tabs between columns:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: 
Sub AllTablesToText()
Dim Tbls As Long
Dim J As Long
Tbls = ActiveDocument.Tables.Count
For J = Tbls To 1 Step –1
ActiveDocument.Tables(J).ConvertToText Separator:=wdSeparateByTabs
Next J
End Sub
If you don't want tabs between columns, all you need to do is change the value assigned to the Separator parameter. You can use wdSeparateByCommas, wdSeparateByDefaultListSeparator, or wdSeparateByParagraphs.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (866) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Converting Tables to Text.
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2016-11-03 12:30:35
Pelzel (Gerhard)
Hello - I have got a problem with Word-program: Setting an image on a page, there has left enough free space for another one. But Word doesn`t accept further pictures.
What have I to do, getting along?
Could you give me advice?
Kind regards
Gerhard
2016-11-03 12:25:08
Pelzel (Gerhard)
Hello - my problem with Word Office is: I put a picture on a page. There is enough space for a second one. But Word doesn`t accept it.
What have to do for getting along?
Could you give me advice?
Kind regards
Gerhard
2015-02-04 15:00:46
awyatt
Frank: Were there tables in the document? If not, then nothing happens.
-Allen
2015-02-04 14:51:37
Frank D
Using Word 2002 (XP) in Windows 7, 64-bit. This macro did not work at all. Nothing happened. I don't think it is my fault, because I did another macro yesterday, following instructions, that worked perfectly.
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
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