[Tex/LaTex] Centering table column titles above comma-aligned numbers

best practiceshorizontal alignmenttables

I am trying to make the following table look nice. With that I want the title
to be centered horizontally, and the numbers to be alligned at comma.

Here is how it looks now:

Table

And my code.

\documentclass[11pt,a4paper]{article}       % Alternativet er å bruke {report}, men vi holder oss helst til {article} i labrapportene.
\usepackage{booktabs}  
\usepackage[norsk]{babel}
\usepackage{color}
\usepackage{graphicx} 
\usepackage{siunitx}

\sisetup{
table-number-alignment = right,
}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}[h!tb]
    \centering
        \caption{beregnede og målte verdier av magnetfeltet $B$ på aksen til en kort spole s,f.a. avstanden $x$ fra spolens midtplan.}
        \vspace{0.5cm}                      % Litt ekstra plass for å få det til å se penere ut.
        \label{Tabell2}\resizebox{15cm}{!}{
        \begin{tabular}{@{}*{10}{r@{}}} 
            \toprule                        % Horisontal linje.     &
\multicolumn{1}{p{1cm}}{\centering {\color{white}|}\vspace*{-0.3cm} \newline \hspace*{0.1cm} $x$     \newline ($m$) }                   &    
\multicolumn{1}{p{2cm}}{\centering $a=2R$ \newline \hspace*{0.05cm} Beregnet   \newline \hspace*{0.3cm}  $B_1$       \newline (gauss)}  &   
\multicolumn{1}{p{2cm}}{\centering $a= R$ \newline \hspace*{0.15cm} Beregnet   \newline \hspace*{0.25cm} $B_1$       \newline (gauss)}  &
\multicolumn{1}{p{2cm}}{\centering $a=R/2$\newline \hspace*{0.15cm} Beregnet   \newline \hspace*{0.25cm} $B_1$       \newline (gauss)}  &    
\multicolumn{1}{p{2cm}}{\centering $a=2R$ \newline \hspace*{0.05cm} Målt       \newline \hspace*{0.1cm}  $B_2$       \newline (gauss)}  &
\multicolumn{1}{p{2cm}}{\centering $a=2R$ \newline \hspace*{0.05cm} Differanse \newline \hspace*{0.1cm}  $B_2 - B_1$ \newline (\%}      &
\multicolumn{1}{p{2cm}}{\centering $a= R$ \newline \hspace*{0.05cm} Målt \newline\hspace*{0.1cm}  $B_2$ \newline (prosent)}             &
\multicolumn{1}{p{2cm}}{\centering $a= R$ \newline \hspace*{0.05cm} Differanse \newline\hspace*{0.1cm}  $B_2 - B_1$ \newline (\%)}      & 
\multicolumn{1}{p{2cm}}{\centering $a=R/2$\newline \hspace*{0.05cm} Målt \newline\hspace*{0.1cm}  $B_2$ \newline (prosent)}             &
\multicolumn{1}{p{2cm}}{\centering $a=R/2$\newline \hspace*{0.05cm} Differanse \newline\hspace*{0.1cm}  $B_2 - B_1$ \newline (\%)}       \\
\midrule                                        
-0,18   &  5,265    &  3,365    &  2,981    &  5,31     &  0,864    &  3,34     & -0,743    &  3,01     &  0,959 \\
-0,16   &  7,725    &  4,667    &  4,057    &  7,77     &  0,584    &  4,60     & -1,439    &  4,08     &  0,559 \\
-0,14   & 11,595    &  6,666    &  5,675    & 11,61     &  0,131    &  6,58     & -1,293    &  5,68     &  0,084 \\
-0,12   & 17,398    &  9,797    &  8,175    & 17,48     &  0,470    &  9,62     & -1,811    &  8,17     & -0,061 \\
-0,10   & 24,796    & 14,694    & 12,114    & 24,71     & -0,345    & 14,35     & -2,338    & 12,04     & -0,607 \\
-0,08   & 30,955    & 21,937    & 18,306    & 30,82     & -0,436    & 21,46     & -2,175    & 18,10     & -1,125 \\
-0,06   & 31,701    & 30,981    & 27,529    & 31,61     & -0,288    & 30,59     & -1,262    & 27,27     & -0,940 \\
-0,04   & 27,387    & 38,714    & 39,223    & 27,42     &  0,121    & 38,68     & -0,088    & 38,99     & -0,595 \\
-0,02   & 22,688    & 41,914    & 49,688    & 22,67     & -0,080    & 42,49     &  1,375    & 49,85     &  0,326 \\
 0,00   & 20,852    & 42,202    & 53,852    & 20,74     & -0,538    & 43,00     &  1,892    & 54,31     &  0,850 \\
 0,02   & 22,688    & 41,914    & 49,688    & 22,49     & -0,873    & 42,46     &  1,303    & 50,04     &  0,708 \\
 0,04   & 27,387    & 38,714    & 39,223    & 27,00     & -1,412    & 39,01     &  0,764    & 39,36     &  0,349 \\
 0,06   & 31,701    & 30,981    & 27,529    & 31,42     & -0,887    & 31,16     &  0,578    & 27,63     &  0,368 \\
 0,08   & 30,955    & 21,937    & 18,306    & 31,00     &  0,145    & 22,06     &  0,560    & 18,41     &  0,568 \\
 0,10   & 24,796    & 14,694    & 12,114    & 25,13     &  1,348    & 14,88     &  1,269    & 12,15     &  0,301 \\
 0,12   & 17,398    &  9,797    &  8,175    & 17,83     &  2,482    &  9,89     &  0,945    &  8,26     &  1,040 \\
 0,14   & 11,595    &  6,666    &  5,675    & 11,91     &  2,718    &  6,77     &  1,558    &  5,74     &  1,141 \\
 0,16   &  7,725    &  4,667    &  4,057    &  8,00     &  3,561    &  4,74     &  1,561    &  4,13     &  1,792 \\
 0,18   &  5,265    &  3,365    &  2,981    &  5,39     &  2,384    &  3,45     &  2,526    &  3,04     &  1,965 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}}
\end{table}

\end{document}

Yeah, it is not a pretty sight. I think I have tried every single mean I have to make it look good.
Like using the siunitx package and so on.

So yeah, any help in making this table look good is greatly appreciated.

My main problem and question is how to make the title be centered above the numbers, and having the numbers align at comma / alligned to the right

Best Answer

I note that you're trying to make the nine data columns all have the same width. That's not straightforward to do if one one also wants to use the S column type that's provided by the siunitx package.

To provide a workable solution, one can start by observing that the word "Differanse" is the longest word in any of the columns; by providing code in the "non-Differanse" columns that forces them to occupy the width of the "Differanse", one can achieve the equal-column-width objective. The MWE below builds on these observations to achieve your objective.

Note that when you're dealing with an S column type, material that's enclosed in curly braces will be centered by default. Hence, if you want to center-typeset some non-numeric material, say "xyz", in the respective S column, it's not necessary to provide a \multicolumn{1}{c}{xyz} wrapper -- all that's needed is {xyz}.

\documentclass[11pt,a4paper]{article}  
\usepackage{booktabs,color,graphicx}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[norsk]{babel}
\usepackage[labelfont=bf]{caption}

% set margins to whatever specifications are correct...
\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry} 

\usepackage{siunitx}
\sisetup{ table-number-alignment = right,
          output-decimal-marker = {,} ,
          table-format=2.3}

\setlength\tabcolsep{3pt} % default is 5pt

% set up some auxiliary variables and macros
\newsavebox\diffbox
   \sbox\diffbox{Differanse}
\newlength\diffwidth
   \setlength\diffwidth{\wd\diffbox}
\newsavebox\Berbox
   \savebox{\Berbox}[\diffwidth][c]{\begingroup Beregnet\endgroup}
\newsavebox\Maltbox
   \savebox{\Maltbox}[\diffwidth][c]{\begingroup Målt\endgroup}

% Now the commands to typeset the words "Beregnet" and "Malt" in 
% "boxes" that are as wide as the word "Differanse"
\newcommand{\Beregnet}{\usebox{\Berbox}}
\newcommand{\Malt}{\usebox{\Maltbox}}
\begin{document}

\begin{table}[h!tb]
\caption{Beregnede og målte verdier av magnetfeltet $B$ på aksen til 
  en kort spole s,f.a. avstanden $x$ fra spolens midtplan.}
\label{Tabell2}

\vspace{0.5cm}\noindent  % Litt ekstra plass for å få det til å se penere ut.
\resizebox{\textwidth}{!}{%
\begin{tabular}{S[table-format=2.2] *{9}{S}}
\toprule
& {$a=2R$} & {$a=R$} & {$a=R/2$} 
& {$a=2R$} & {$a=2R$} & {$a=R$} 
& {$a=R$} & {$a=R/2$} & {$a=R/2$}\\
& \Beregnet  & \Beregnet & \Beregnet 
& \Malt & {Differanse} & \Malt 
& {Differanse} & \Malt & {Differanse} \\
{$x$}
& {$B_1$} & {$B_1$} & {$B_1$} 
& {$B_2$} & {$B_2-B_1$} & {$B_2$} 
& {$B_2-B_1$} & {$B_2$} & {$B_2-B_1$} \\
{(m)} % don't set in italics
& {(gauss)} & {(gauss)} & {(prosent)} 
& {(gauss)} & {(\%)} & {(gauss)} 
& {(\%)} & {(prosent)} & {(\%)} \\
\midrule
-0,18 & 5,265 & 3,365 & 2,981 & 5,31 & 0,864 & 3,34 & -0,743 & 3,01 & 0,959 \\
-0,16 & 7,725 & 4,667 & 4,057 & 7,77 & 0,584 & 4,60 & -1,439 & 4,08 & 0,559 \\
-0,14 & 11,595 & 6,666 & 5,675  & 11,61 & 0,131 & 6,58 & -1,293 & 5,68 & 0,084 \\
-0,12 & 17,398 & 9,797 & 8,175 & 17,48 & 0,470 & 9,62 & -1,811 & 8,17 & -0,061 \\
-0,10 & 24,796 & 14,694 & 12,114 & 24,71 & -0,345 & 14,35 & -2,338 & 12,04 & -0,607 \\
-0,08 & 30,955 & 21,937 & 18,306 & 30,82 & -0,436 & 21,46 & -2,175 & 18,10 & -1,125 \\
-0,06 & 31,701 & 30,981 & 27,529 & 31,61 & -0,288 & 30,59 & -1,262 & 27,27 & -0,940 \\
-0,04 & 27,387 & 38,714 & 39,223 & 27,42 & 0,121 & 38,68 & -0,088 & 38,99 & -0,595 \\
-0,02 & 22,688 & 41,914 & 49,688 & 22,67 & -0,080 & 42,49 & 1,375 & 49,85 & 0,326 \\
 0,00 & 20,852 & 42,202 & 53,852 & 20,74 & -0,538 & 43,00 & 1,892 & 54,31 & 0,850 \\
 0,02 & 22,688 & 41,914 & 49,688 & 22,49 & -0,873 & 42,46 & 1,303 & 50,04 & 0,708 \\
 0,04 & 27,387 & 38,714 & 39,223 & 27,00 & -1,412 & 39,01 & 0,764 & 39,36 & 0,349 \\
 0,06 & 31,701 & 30,981 & 27,529 & 31,42 & -0,887 & 31,16 & 0,578 & 27,63 & 0,368 \\
 0,08 & 30,955 & 21,937 & 18,306 & 31,00 & 0,145 & 22,06 & 0,560 & 18,41 & 0,568 \\
 0,10 & 24,796 & 14,694 & 12,114 & 25,13 & 1,348 & 14,88 & 1,269 & 12,15 & 0,301 \\
 0,12 & 17,398 & 9,797 & 8,175 & 17,83 & 2,482 & 9,89 & 0,945 & 8,26 & 1,040 \\
 0,14 & 11,595 & 6,666 & 5,675 & 11,91 & 2,718 & 6,77 & 1,558 & 5,74 & 1,141 \\
 0,16 & 7,725 & 4,667 & 4,057 & 8,00 & 3,561 & 4,74 & 1,561 & 4,13 & 1,792 \\
 0,18 & 5,265 & 3,365 & 2,981 & 5,39 & 2,384 & 3,45 & 2,526 & 3,04 & 1,965 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}} % end of scope of \resizebox command
\end{table}
\end{document}

enter image description here

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Fixed column-width table with text left-aligned in cells

You could use the array package and let it insert \raggedright commands. A comfortable way is to define a new column type:

\usepackage{array}
\newcolumntype{P}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{#1}}

Now just use P instead of p to get left justified p columns.

Instead of \raggedright, you could also use the enhanced command \RaggedRight of the ragged2e package, which allows hyphenation. Further \arraybackslash, which restores the behavior of \ (changed by \raggedright), is no longer needed.

So, my preferred way would be

\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{ragged2e}
\newcolumntype{P}[1]{>{\RaggedRight\hspace{0pt}}p{#1}}

I'm further inserting \hspace{0pt} because otherwise there could be hyphenation problems: TeX doesn't hyphenate the first word in a box. Inserting zero space works around that.

[Tex/LaTex] Centering Table with Column Width in Two-column layout

The full width of the text area is \textwidth not \columnwidth so as shown in the first example below you could specify that to tabular* personally I think that makes the table look rather spaced out and it is better to set it to its natural width using tabular and then centre the result, as shown in the second table.

enter image description here

\documentclass[twocolumn]{article}

\usepackage{booktabs}

\def\a{One two three four. }
\def\b{Red Yellow Green Blue. }
\def\c{\a\a\b\b\par\b\a\b\a\b\b\a\par}

\begin{document}
\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c
\begin{table*}
\centering
\begin{tabular*}{\textwidth}{@{\extracolsep{\stretch{1}}}*{7}{r}@{}}
  \toprule
  & $z_{6}$ & $z_{8}$ & $z_{9}$ & $z_{11}$ & $z_{13}$ & $z_{14}$ \\
  \midrule
  fileA & 0.00 & 0.00 & 0.00 & 0.08 & 0.79 & 0.08  \\
  fileB & 0.01 & 0.00 & 0.13 & 0.00 & 0.84 & 0.00  \\
  fileC & 0.00 & 0.39 & 0.02 & 0.49 & 0.00 & 0.00  \\
  fileD & 0.75 & 0.08 & 0.00 & 0.00 & 0.00 & 0.00  \\
  \bottomrule                             
\end{tabular*}
\caption{tabular*}
\end{table*}
\begin{table*}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{*{7}{r}}
  \toprule
  & $z_{6}$ & $z_{8}$ & $z_{9}$ & $z_{11}$ & $z_{13}$ & $z_{14}$ \\
  \midrule
  fileA & 0.00 & 0.00 & 0.00 & 0.08 & 0.79 & 0.08  \\
  fileB & 0.01 & 0.00 & 0.13 & 0.00 & 0.84 & 0.00  \\
  fileC & 0.00 & 0.39 & 0.02 & 0.49 & 0.00 & 0.00  \\
  fileD & 0.75 & 0.08 & 0.00 & 0.00 & 0.00 & 0.00  \\
  \bottomrule                             
\end{tabular}
\caption{tabular}
\end{table*}

\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c\c


\end{document}

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Fixed column-width table with text left-aligned in cells

[Tex/LaTex] Centering Table with Column Width in Two-column layout

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