How Convert Table to Plain Text?

[ln899 13]

I'm using the latest update of version 10 on a Windows 10 PC.  I have some old notes from version 6 that appear in version 10 in tables with a single column containing plain text. I'm having difficulty getting the plain text out of the table, or in other words, converting the table to plain text.  I can do it by carefully selecting the text, copying, then pasting outside the table, then deleting the table. But it's tricky selecting just the text in the table without selecting the entire table.

Is there an easy way to do this?

Thanks!

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,971]

Good question. You might actually try (if you haven't yet) selecting the whole table, copying, then "Paste and match style," which might strip out the code that creates the table structure and just leave the text.

Further thought: Is it definitely a table? This also sounds a little like the typical HTML-content box that occurs in v. 10, especially since some types of formatted content in v. 6 might get converted to such a box in v. 10. The way out of that (if it is that) would be to click on the thick gray bar at the top of the "table" and see if some icons appear, including a magic wand. Clicking the wand will simplify the formatting and make it editable as regular text. Some types of formatting might be lost this way, though. If you don't like the result, a standard undo will put it back in the box.

[HeBoIz 246]

Just select the entire column, copy (strg+c), then paste as plaint text (strg+shift+v) - should insert plain text in paragraphs…

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Addition : <strg> is the equivalent on German keyboards to the control-key, so I should have written <ctrl>+<shift>+<v> 😉

Edited December 13, 2023 by HeBoIz

[ln899 13]

3 hours ago, Dave-in-Decatur said:

Good question. You might actually try (if you haven't yet) selecting the whole table, copying, then "Paste and match style," which might strip out the code that creates the table structure and just leave the text.

@Dave-in-Decatur, yes, this does it.

The box around the content is kind of a baby blue, with a boxed arrow in the upper right corner that opens a drop down menu. One of the options is "Delete Table."  There is no option for simplifying format and no magic wand. So I think it is a table.

In sum, here's what works:

(1) Select the whole table (not just the text)
(2) Copy the whole thing
(3) Move the cursor out of the box, and then use Paste and match style (ctrl+shift+v), which seems to be the same as paste plain text.
(4) Delete the table by selecting the whole table and using the drop down menu in the upper right corner.

[ln899 13]

3 hours ago, HeBoIz said:

Just select the entire column, copy (strg+c), then paste as plaint text (strg+shift+v) - should insert plain text in paragraphs…

Yes, @HeBolz. That works. Not sure what "strg" stands for on my PC, but ctrl+ works. Then, after pasting plain text (past and match style), one of course can delete the unwanted table. Thanks!

[Dave-in-Decatur 3,971]

Glad it's sorted! It is a little mysterious why plain text in v. 6 would get stuck in a table in v. 10; perhaps it could have something to do with some underlying formatting brought over from the original source of the text.