The table edit icon in the Discourse editor is not available by default. According to meglio, this is because the functionality is part of the Discourse core, but it needs to be enabled in the backend under the « allow html tables » option in the « Posting » tab. However, JammyDodger claims this setting no longer exists.
As an alternative, users can create tables using markdown syntax, as explained in Moin’s post, or use online tools like Tablesgenerator to generate markdown tables.
Some users, such as Jagster, find the markdown method unfriendly and are looking for a WYSIWYG solution. However, meglio notes that the official position on this has not changed, and the discussion has been had many times before.
A potential solution is a theme component for building and editing markdown tables, which was recently developed and shared by keegan.
Where can I find the table edit icon which enables excel like editing capabilities in the Discourse editor? I’m trying to find this functionality in https://try.discourse.org/. I cannot find the icon here as well.
Here it is mentioned a table plugin was discontinued because the functionality is part of Discourse core.
It also says:
Look for the « allow html tables » option in the Discourse’s backend on the « Posting » tab:
So it might have been not enabled here, but you can enable it in your own Discourse instance.
You can use markdown to create a table. See Adding a table to your post using markdown.
If you don’t want to learn the syntax, you can use an online tool like this or paste a table.
Sure, that is the markdown/Discourse way. But it is the most unfriendly way to do tables too. I just can’t understand that at year 2021 must do so basic thing using 90’s way or external software/website.
And no, this is not off topic. It can help OP to realize why there is no such functionality that is common in all other platforms.
The thing is, WYSIWYG has been discussed many many times here already. Unless you can bring new arguments, I don’t think the official position on this is gonna change.
I don’t like the the absence of the native WYSIWYG editor, including for easiness of tables composition, but I don’t see why a discussion number 20 should be started on the same matter.
I’m not sure that setting still exists? I can’t find it in my admin settings.
If the setting doesn’t exist, what a bummer.
I wanted to find an alternative to Confluence, with WYSIWYG editing of tables as a must have functionality.
Is there a plan (or a plugin/theme component) for adding a table button to the editor pane?
versus…
…or something.
Hopefully, it would plop a simple markdown table into the editor:
| Column A | Column B | Column C |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | B1 | C1 |
| A2 | B2 | C2 |
| Possibly even introducing the alignment functionality: | ||
| Column A | Column B | Column C |
| :— | :—: | :—: |
| Row 1 | B1 | C1 |
| Row 2 | B2 | C2 |
Does anyone have this in their community?
What about something like this?
We have now built a theme component for easily building/editing markdown tables 
. Learn more here: