[BoniM]

While clicking that button does indeed have the effect of selecting the
entire table, it is actually the Move Table handle. Dragging that button,
even a little accidently while trying to use it to select the table, will
automatically convert your table to a floating object. Since normal view is
about editing text, not positioning objects, the move table handle does not
appear in that view.
You can also select the entire table by choosing: table, select, table from
the menu bar.


" wrote:

When I'm in Print Layout View, my tables have handles on their upper
left corners, resembling a cross with arrowheads point toward the 4
compass points. I suspect that if I click on that to select the whole
table, actions and parameter changes will apply to the table as a
whole. This contrasts simply highlighting a subset of cells (possibly
all cells) and performing the same action. I expect that this is
important because some table formating parameters exist at the table,
row/column, an cell levels. Presumably, if it works like other
things, the more local parameters take precedence over the more global
parameters.

First, is this view of parameter precedence correct?

Second, the compass-shaped table handle is not available in Normal
View. Is there a way to make it available in Normal View?

Thanks.