<?tbcoln>
Description
By default, PTC ALD will calculate the required number of columns when formatting a table by pre-scanning the table, if either no columns have been explicitly defined or if column widths have been specified using individual <?tbcolw> commands. This can be disadvantageous, since explicit row break commands must be included if you wish to start a new row.
<?tbcoln> permits you to explicitly state the number of columns that is required within the table, where cells will wrap onto new rows automatically.
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Slim tables of <?tbovflow=3> flow content from one column to the next and so cannot be prescanned to count the number of columns. The number of columns must be specified explicitly.
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This command can also be specified using <?tbnumcols>.
Example 408. Specify that a table should contain 4 columns
There are two ways by which the <?tbcoln> command could be used to specify that a table should contain 4 columns:
<?tbcoln=4>
<?tbcoln=-1>
This version of the command applies if you have not entered a specific number of columns, as it instructs PTC ALD to draw the same number of columns as the number of <?tbcolw> commands defined for the table. Therefore, if you have entered 4 separate <?tbcolw commands in the table definition, <?tbcoln=-1> will draw 4 columns for the table.
Syntax
<?tbcoln num:n>
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num
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The number of columns to be drawn for the table
Alternatively, use one of the following options:
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0
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Count the number of columns by prescanning the whole table (note: not applicable for slim tables where <?tbovflow=3>)
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-1
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Draw the same number of columns as the number of <?tbcolw> commands defined for the table
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Additional information
If a number of columns has been explicitly defined for a table using <?tbcoln>, any further tables nested within that table will use that original table’s column edges, provided they have <?tbabsleft=1> and <?tbabsright=1> set.
