Add tables to word processing documents

Tables are inserted as <w:tbl/> elements in the main document body. A table contains rows, cells, and usually paragraphs inside each cell.

The caller typically supplies a rectangular collection of strings. A writer turns each outer item into a table row and each value into a table cell containing at least one paragraph and run.

Table markup

<w:tbl>
  <w:tblPr>
    <w:tblBorders>
      <w:top w:val="single" w:sz="12"/>
      <w:bottom w:val="single" w:sz="12"/>
      <w:left w:val="single" w:sz="12"/>
      <w:right w:val="single" w:sz="12"/>
      <w:insideH w:val="single" w:sz="12"/>
      <w:insideV w:val="single" w:sz="12"/>
    </w:tblBorders>
  </w:tblPr>
  <w:tr>
    <w:tc>
      <w:tcPr><w:tcW w:type="auto"/></w:tcPr>
      <w:p><w:r><w:t>Cell text</w:t></w:r></w:p>
    </w:tc>
  </w:tr>
</w:tbl>

In ooxmlsdk, generated schema types include Table, TableProperties, TableBorders, TableRow, TableCell, TableCellProperties, TableCellWidth, Paragraph, Run, and Text.

Rust workflow

#![allow(unused)]
fn main() {
pub fn insert_table(path: &Path, rows: &[&[&str]]) -> Result<Vec<u8>, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
  let mut document = WordprocessingDocument::new_from_file_with_settings(path, lazy_settings())?;
  let main_part = document.main_document_part()?;
  let xml = main_part.data_as_str(&document)?.unwrap_or_default();
  let table = table_xml(rows);
  let updated_xml = insert_before_section_properties(xml, &table)?;

  main_part.set_data(&mut document, updated_xml.into_bytes())?;

  let mut buffer = Cursor::new(Vec::new());
  document.save(&mut buffer)?;
  Ok(buffer.into_inner())
}
}

The listing creates a simple table from string rows and cells, then inserts it before the body section properties (<w:sectPr/>) if that element is present at the end of the body.

A production table writer can extend this with table properties, borders, widths, grid columns, and style ids. Appending after section properties can produce invalid or surprising document structure.