columnstables
I have a table with two columns. In the first column there is no multiple column. But there are 11 multiple columns in the second column. The format looks like:
| A | B |
| _ | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
A and B are headings, and 1, 2, 3, …, 11 are subheadings of the table. After that there are some rows containing data.
I have tried several ways but cannot do it.
I first thought in an answer like that:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{rotating}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\begin{document}
\begin{tabular}{ccc}
\toprule
\begin{sideways} Lengthy words which \end{sideways} &
\begin{sideways} make my columns too wide like \end{sideways} &
\begin{sideways} antidisestablishmentarianism \end{sideways} \\
\midrule
1 & 0 & 0\\
3 & 7 & 5\\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{document}
But I believe that this is point again to the wrong target. Although you can wrap the headings with p columns, or tabularx or using multicolumns, o rotate 90ยบ the headings, o some other trick, there are not a good LaTeX solution for this, because the table still will have probably a bad looking design. Just compare these four tables:
The first table made with tabularx have horrible headings expanding in four lines and still a lot of space between columns. If you want reduce this space (second table) the headngs are even longer (more than horrible). And rotate headings as in the above MWE force to the reader to do some fun neck exercises. LaTeX can do the best with the given text, but not a miracle. The main problem is the bad design of the table, and the solution is the re-desing of the table. What table is better?
I know that this is too obvious, and surely is not considered for some good reason in this case, but in general the best solutions for long headings just are (1) use shorter headers (including using acronyms, predefined labes, etc.) or (2) transposing columns and rows:
\documentclass[]{article}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\begin{document}
\begin{tabular}{lcc}
\toprule
Some long to explain & a & b \\
\midrule
Lengthy words which & 1 & 3 \\
make my columns too wide like & 0 & 7 \\
antidisestablishmentarianism & 0 & 5 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
Best Answer
What you need is the
\multicolumnmacro: