[Tex/LaTex] How to change/add column background colors in Lyx? I can easily change/add colors of rows, but not columns

colorcolumnslyxtables

Bear with me, this isn't a duplicate question. I can successfully change the row color in tables using the instructions here: http://wiki.lyx.org/LyX/Tables

(A similar question exists here: Background for table cells in LyX)

But when I add the command \columncolor{cyan}, it throws up some errors. The working example provided on the website has one of the columns colored in green, but I have no idea how they did it, since the command isn't present in the main editor (but it shows up in the source!).

Keep in mind I want to do this using LyX and don't want LaTeX code (which is already out there).

Best Answer

First, you need to put the \usepackage{colortbl} package in your preamble. Then put the curser in the column where you want to change the background color. Then right click and go to more -> settings

Now, under LaTeX Argument: you have to put the following

>{\columncolor{darkgreen}\centering}c

where the darkgreen can be changed to any valid LaTeX color and c can be changed to a table alignment. I.e. l,r,c etc.

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Custom title font in LyX

It sounds like LyX is not running XeTeX at all. Here’s a simple way to check it: run the following document in Lyx

\documentclass{minimal}

\usepackage{ifxetex}

\begin{document}

\ifxetex{I'm running XeTeX}\else{I'm \textbf{not} running XeTeX}\fi

\end{document}

and see if the output file contains “I’m running XeTeX” or “I’m not running XeTeX”. In the latter case, you should go again through the instructions to set up LyX to use XeTeX and not pdfTeX (or whatever it’s using); I can’t really help you there, as I’ve never used LyX.

Also, if you’re going to use XeTeX and fontspec and use system fonts, you should absolutely not use the fontenc package. It’s not compatible with XeTeX. The line above it in your code (\renewcommand{\familydefault}{\rmdefault}) may also cause problems, and interacts anyway with what fontspec does, so you’re better off deleting it.

[Tex/LaTex] How to color table columns

Here a small example, which might be of help to you.

Define your own color using \definecolor{Gray}{gray}{0.85}
Define your own columns using \newcolumntype{a}{>{\columncolor{Gray}}c}
You are ready to go.

Code

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{xcolor,colortbl}

\newcommand{\mc}[2]{\multicolumn{#1}{c}{#2}}
\definecolor{Gray}{gray}{0.85}
\definecolor{LightCyan}{rgb}{0.88,1,1}

\newcolumntype{a}{>{\columncolor{Gray}}c}
\newcolumntype{b}{>{\columncolor{white}}c}

\begin{document} 


\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l | a | b | a | b}
\hline
\rowcolor{LightCyan}
\mc{1}{}  & \mc{1}{x} & \mc{1}{y} & \mc{1}{w} & \mc{1}{z} \\
\hline
variable 1 & a & b & c & d \\
variable 2 & a & b & c & d \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

\end{document}

Result

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Custom title font in LyX

[Tex/LaTex] How to color table columns

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