User Defined Borders in Cells

You can apply a variety of different lines to selected cells.

  1. Select the cell or a block of cells.

  2. Choose Format - Cells.

  3. In the dialog, click the Borders tab.

  4. 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

borders with one cell selected

Cells in a column

borders with a column selected

Cells in a row

borders with a row selected

Cells in a block of 2x2 or more

borders with a block selected


Note Icon

You cannot apply borders to multiple selections.


Default Settings

Click one of the Default icons to set or reset multiple borders.

Examples

Select a block of about 8x8 cells, then choose Format - Cells - Borders.

default icon row of Borders tab page

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 user defined 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 user defined 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 user defined border

A white line is shown when the corresponding line of the selected cells will be removed.


Examples

Select a single cell, then choose Format - Cells - Borders.

Click the lower edge to set a very thin line as a lower border. All other lines will be removed from the cell.

setting a thin lower border

Choose a thicker line style and click the lower edge. This sets a thicker line as a lower border.

setting a thick line as a border

Click the second Default icon from the left to set all four borders. Then repeatedly click the lower edge until a white line is shown. This removes the lower border.

removing lower border

You can combine several line types and styles. The last image shows how to set thick outer borders (the thick black lines), while any diagonal lines inside the cell will not be touched (gray lines).

advanced example for cell borders