This command defines the way in which the contents of a particular sub-columns in a table should be aligned. By default this works by simulating a paragraph decimal tab alignment and is only applied to those cells/paragraphs within a column that include a TAB. PTC ALD works out the amount of space needed before the alignment position, and the amount of space needed after the alignment position, and positions the pseudo-tab accordingly. This can be extended using <?tbcolalignt> so that the sub-column contains a block of tabs.

Any cells/paragraphs that don’t contain a TAB are formatted within the cell as normal, using the paragraph format or <?tbcolfmth> settings. If these cells are wider than the space needed for alignment, then the column width is increased as necessary and the code is used to indicate what the alignment ‘block’ does in this case.

This feature is very useful if, for example, the column contains columns of figures that need to be lined up on the decimal points. You must include a tab in the cells that you wish to align in this way, as PTC ALD uses tabs to work out the amount of space needed for alignment. The <?tbcolalignh> command must be applied at the start of every column you wish to align.