Table Column Properties
Table columns are specified when defining the table and control settings such as default alignment and width of the cells in the table.
• Column width
Column width can be an absolute value, a relative value, or a percentage of the table width. It is also possible to specify that the column is as wide as the widest piece of text it contains.
It is not necessary to set the column widths of tables. PTC Arbortext Layout Developer can calculate the widths based on the number of columns, gutters, and rules specified for the table. Note that this can affect performance negatively. PTC Arbortext Layout Developer has to run a table prescan process before outputting the table. The table prescan formats the whole table in memory to establish column widths and numbers before outputting. Note that this process can be deactivated. To reduce the performance hit, provide widths for the columns.
Instead of a specific width for a column, you can specify a minimum and maximum column width. This gives PTC Arbortext Layout Developer a range of possible sizes for the column.
• Column gutter
The column gutter is the space to the right of the current column, before the next column. The gutter width is set on the column and can also be a relative or an absolute value.
• Column alignment
Columns provide alignment for multiple items within the column:
◦ Alignment of paragraphs in the table cell
The fTableColumn.horizontalAlign property controls this alignment. Paragraphs can be left or right aligned, centered, or justified in a cell.
◦ Alignment of content, for example decimal alignment on a character
The fTableColumn.align property sets the alignment type
◦ Subcolumn alignment
Subcolumn alignment provides multiple alignment points within the same column. This is useful for financial tables or tables that contain technical information.
• Keeps
A table column can be kept with the next column if the table breaks under table width mode 2, when columns are repeated below the current table. Refer to
Table Properties for information on table overflow mode.
Use the fTableColumn.keepWithNext property.
• Properties of child objects
The fTableColumn.defaultCell object defines the default properties for any cells (fTableCell objects) that appear in the column. Note that more local table cell properties override these properties.
• Column name
The fTableColumn.name property specifies a column name. The value of this property is referenced when defining column spans and can also be used to identify the starting column of a table cell.