Table operations

The Google Slides API lets you create and edit tables on pages. The examples on this page show some common table operations using the presentations.batchUpdate method.

These examples use the following variables:

PRESENTATION_ID—Indicates where you provide the presentation ID. You can discover the value for this ID from the presentation URL.
PAGE_ID—Indicates where you provide the page object IDs. You can retrieve the value for this from the URL or by using an API read request.
TABLE_ID—Indicates where you provide the page element object ID for a table you're working with. You can specify this ID for elements you create (with some restrictions) or allow the Slides API to automatically create one. Element IDs can be retrieved through an API read request.

These examples are presented as HTTP requests to be language neutral. To learn how to implement a batch update in different languages using the Google API client libraries, see Add shapes and text.

Create a table

The following presentations.batchUpdate code sample shows how to use the CreateTableRequest method to add a table to a slide specified by the PAGE_ID.

This table has eight rows and five columns. Note that the Slides API ignores any size or transform fields provided as part of the elementProperties. Instead, the API creates a table that's roughly centered on the slide and is sized to accommodate the specified number of rows and columns, if possible.

The following is the request protocol to create a table:

POST https://slides.googleapis.com/v1/presentations/PRESENTATION_ID:batchUpdate

{
  "requests": [
    {
      "createTable": {
        "objectId": TABLE_ID,
        "elementProperties": {
          "pageObjectId": PAGE_ID,
        },
        "rows": 8,
        "columns": 5
      }
    }
  ]
}

Delete table rows or columns

The following presentations.batchUpdate code sample shows how to use the DeleteTableRowRequest method to remove the sixth row. It then uses the DeleteTableColumnRequest method to remove the fourth column. The table is specified by the TABLE_ID. Both the rowIndex and the columnIndex within the cellLocation are zero based.

The following is the request protocol to delete table rows or columns:

POST https://slides.googleapis.com/v1/presentations/PRESENTATION_ID:batchUpdate

{
  "requests": [
    {
      "deleteTableRow": {
        "tableObjectId": TABLE_ID,
        "cellLocation": {
          "rowIndex": 5
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "deleteTableColumn": {
        "tableObjectId": TABLE_ID,
        "cellLocation": {
          "columnIndex": 3
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

Edit table data

The following presentations.batchUpdate code sample shows how to use the DeleteTextRequest method to remove all the text in a cell within the textRange. It then uses the InsertTextRequest method to replace it with the new text of "Kangaroo".

The table is specified by the TABLE_ID. The affected cell is in the fifth row and third column. Both the rowIndex and the columnIndex within the cellLocation are zero based.

The following is the request protocol to edit table data:

POST https://slides.googleapis.com/v1/presentations/PRESENTATION_ID:batchUpdate

{
  "requests": [
    {
      "deleteText": {
        "objectId": TABLE_ID,
        "cellLocation": {
          "rowIndex": 4,
          "columnIndex": 2
        },
        "textRange": {
          "type": "ALL",
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "insertText": {
        "objectId": TABLE_ID,
        "cellLocation": {
          "rowIndex": 4,
          "columnIndex": 2
        },
        "text": "Kangaroo",
        "insertionIndex": 0
      }
    }
  ]
}

Format a table header row

The following presentations.batchUpdate code sample shows how to use the UpdateTableCellPropertiesRequest method to format the header row of a table element, within the tableRange, specified by the TABLE_ID. It then uses the TableCellProperties method to set the background color of the header row to black.

Each following request uses the UpdateTextStyleRequest method to set the text format in one cell of the header row to bold, white 18-pt Cambria font within the textRange. You then need to repeat this request for each additional cell in the header.

Both the rowIndex and the columnIndex within the location and cellLocation are zero based.

The following is the request protocol to format a table header row:

POST https://slides.googleapis.com/v1/presentations/PRESENTATION_ID:batchUpdate

{
  "requests": [
    {
      "updateTableCellProperties": {
        "objectId": TABLE_ID,
        "tableRange": {
          "location": {
            "rowIndex": 0,
            "columnIndex": 0
          },
          "rowSpan": 1,
          "columnSpan": 3
        },
        "tableCellProperties": {
          "tableCellBackgroundFill": {
            "solidFill": {
              "color": {
                "rgbColor": {
                  "red": 0.0,
                  "green": 0.0,
                  "blue": 0.0
                }
              }
            }
          }
        },
        "fields": "tableCellBackgroundFill.solidFill.color"
      }
    },
    {
      "updateTextStyle": {
        "objectId": TABLE_ID,
        "cellLocation": {
          "rowIndex": 0,
          "columnIndex": 0
        },
        "style": {
          "foregroundColor": {
            "opaqueColor": {
              "rgbColor": {
                "red": 1.0,
                "green": 1.0,
                "blue": 1.0
              }
            }
          },
          "bold": true,
          "fontFamily": "Cambria",
          "fontSize": {
            "magnitude": 18,
            "unit": "PT"
          }
        },
        "textRange": {
          "type": "ALL"
        },
        "fields": "foregroundColor,bold,fontFamily,fontSize"
      }
    },
    // Repeat the above request for each additional cell in the header row....
  ]
}

Here's what the formatted header row looks like after these updates:

Format header row recipe result.

Insert table rows or columns

The following presentations.batchUpdate code sample shows how to use the InsertTableRowsRequest method to add three rows below the sixth row. It then uses the InsertTableColumnsRequest method to add two columns to the left of the fourth column in the same table.

The table is specified by the TABLE_ID. Both the rowIndex and the columnIndex within the cellLocation are zero based.

The following is the request protocol to insert table rows or columns:

POST https://slides.googleapis.com/v1/presentations/PRESENTATION_ID:batchUpdate

{
  "requests": [
    {
      "insertTableRows": {
        "tableObjectId": TABLE_ID,
        "cellLocation": {
          "rowIndex": 5
        },
        "insertBelow": true,
        "number": 3
      }
    },
    {
      "insertTableColumns": {
        "tableObjectId": TABLE_ID,
        "cellLocation": {
          "columnIndex": 3
        },
        "insertRight": false,
        "number": 2
      }
    }
  ]
}