[Tex/LaTex] longtable caption (make it look like table caption as defined by a LaTeX class)

captionslongtabletables

I have the following MWE with a table and a longtable, and I just want that the longtable caption looks exactly as the table caption without modifying anything from the table above (just the longtable).

I actually have the table caption settings in a .cls file that I am not supposed to change, and they look like the following (the complete .cls file can be found here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/download/tex/bmc_article.zip):

% settings for table caption
\setattribute{floatcaption}    {size}{\footnotesize\bfseries\mathversion{bold}\raggedright}
\setattribute{floatcaptionname}{size}{\bfseries}

\setlength\abovecaptionskip{0\p@}
\setlength\belowcaptionskip{4\p@}

\long\def\@makecaption#1#2{
    \vskip\abovecaptionskip
    \parbox[t]{\hsize}{\floatcaption@size{\floatcaptionname@size #1}\hskip.5em #2\par}%
    \vskip\belowcaptionskip}


\def\@floatboxreset{%
        \reset@font
        \footnotesize
        \sffamily
        \@setminipage
        \centering
}

So I just want to make the longtable caption look like the table caption as specified in the .cls file, but introducing the required changes in the .tex file only. I do not understand why the .cls file affects only table captions but not longtable captions, but if I write \usepackage{caption} in the preamble, it affects everything… How can I make local changes in certain specific captions (the longtable ones), so that they look exactly as specified in the .cls file??

This is the MWE:

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article}

\usepackage{multirow}
\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{2}
\usepackage{longtable}


\begin{document}

\section*{Tables}
\begin{table}[h!]
\caption{Sample table title. This is where the description of the table should go.}
      \begin{tabular}{cccc}
        \hline
           & B1  &B2   & B3\\ \hline
        A3 & ..  & .   & .\\ \hline
      \end{tabular}
\end{table}



\begin{longtable}{|c|c|c|c|}
\caption{Statistically significant Gene Ontology terms from enrichment tests for each gene class. Adjusted p-value < 0.01, N/A indicates no terms at this level of significance.}\\
\hline
    \textbf{Class}
    & \textbf{Ontology}
    & \textbf{Term}
    & \textbf{Adj. p-value}\\
\hline
\endfirsthead
\multicolumn{4}{c}%
{\tablename\ \thetable\ -- \textit{Continues from previous page}}\\
\hline
    \textbf{Class}
    & \textbf{Ontology}
    & \textbf{Term}
    & \textbf{Adj. p-value}\\
\hline
\endhead
\hline \multicolumn{4}{r}{\textit{Continues on next page}} \\
\endfoot
\hline
\endlastfoot


\multirow{8}{*}{\textbf{1}}
        & \multirow{2}{*}{\textbf{\textit{BP}}}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize positive regulation of cell migration}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{3-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize cell-cell adhesion}}
        & 6.10E-03\\
\cline{2-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multirow{2}{*}{\textbf{\textit{CC}}}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{3-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{2-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multirow{4}{*}{\textbf{\textit{MF}}}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{3-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{3-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{3-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\hline
\end{longtable}


\end{document}

Best Answer

You could replicate the (admittedly opaquely defined) caption-related settings of the bmc_article class file, using the syntax of the caption package:

\usepackage{caption}
\captionsetup{
   labelsep = space,
   justification = raggedright,
   font = {footnotesize,bf,singlespacing,sf},
   singlelinecheck=off,
   skip=4pt,
   position=top}

Separately, you should also set

\setlength\LTcapwidth{\textwidth} % default value is 4in, I think

With these instructions inserted in the preamble, the captions of "ordinary" table environments as well as of longtable environments should conform to the look-and-feel of what's prescribed by the class file.

enter image description here

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{bmc_article}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc} % to properly typeset the "<" symbol even though it's not in math mode
\usepackage{multirow}
\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{2}
\usepackage{longtable}
\setlength\LTcapwidth{\textwidth}

\usepackage{caption}
\captionsetup{
   labelsep = space,
   justification = raggedright,
   font = {footnotesize,bf,singlespacing,sf},
   singlelinecheck=off,
   skip=4pt,
   position=top}

\begin{document}
\section*{Tables}
\begin{table}[h!]
\caption{Sample table title. This is where the description of the table should go.}
      \begin{tabular}{cccc}
        \hline
           & B1  &B2   & B3\\ \hline
        A3 & ..  & .   & .\\ \hline
      \end{tabular}
\end{table}

\begin{longtable}{|c|c|c|c|}
\caption{Statistically significant Gene Ontology terms from enrichment tests for 
    each gene class. Adjusted \mbox{p-value} < 0.01, N/A indicates no terms at 
    this level of significance.}\\
\hline
    \textbf{Class}
    & \textbf{Ontology}
    & \textbf{Term}
    & \textbf{Adj. p-value}\\
\hline
\endfirsthead
\multicolumn{4}{c}%
{\tablename\ \thetable\ -- \textit{Continues from previous page}}\\
\hline
    \textbf{Class}
    & \textbf{Ontology}
    & \textbf{Term}
    & \textbf{Adj. p-value}\\
\hline
\endhead
\hline \multicolumn{4}{r}{\textit{Continues on next page}} \\
\endfoot
\hline
\endlastfoot

\multirow{8}{*}{\textbf{1}}
        & \multirow{2}{*}{\textbf{\textit{BP}}}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize positive regulation of cell migration}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{3-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize cell-cell adhesion}}
        & 6.10E-03\\
\cline{2-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multirow{2}{*}{\textbf{\textit{CC}}}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{3-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{2-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multirow{4}{*}{\textbf{\textit{MF}}}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{3-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{3-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\cline{3-4}
        \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{}
        & \textit{{\scriptsize texttexttexttext}}
        & 2.20E-03\\
\hline
\end{longtable}
\end{document}

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Caption spacing – table vs longtable

Load the caption package:

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{longtable, booktabs, graphicx, caption}
\captionsetup[table]{position=above}
\begin{document}

\begin{table}
\caption{This is the first caption}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{@{}llllll@{}}
\toprule
\textbf{Name} & \textbf{Description} & \textbf{Unit} & \textbf{Data source} & \textbf{Time frame} & \textbf{Frequency} \\
\midrule  
Name & Description & Unit & Data source & Time frame & Frequency \\
\bottomrule  
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

\begin{longtable}{@{}p{2cm}p{1.5cm}p{3.6cm}p{1.2cm}p{1.5cm}p{1.5cm}@{}}
\caption{This is the second caption} \\
\toprule 
\textbf{Author(s)} & \textbf{Area} & \textbf{Estimated relationship} & \textbf{Time frame}  & \textbf{Scope}  & \textbf{type} \\
\midrule 
\endfirsthead
\multicolumn{6}{c}{\tablename\ \thetable\ -- \textit{Continued from previous page}} \\
\toprule 
\textbf{Author(s)} & \textbf{Area} & \textbf{Estimated relationship} & \textbf{Time frame}  & \textbf{Scope}  & \textbf{ type} \\ 
\midrule 
\endhead
\midrule 
\multicolumn{6}{r}{\textit{Continued on next page}} \\ 
\endfoot 
\bottomrule 
\endlastfoot
name & area & relationship & time & scope &  type \\
\end{longtable} 
\end{document}

Don't use the center environment inside table, but \centering
Don't use the center environment around longtable: the table will appear centered by default
Use \resizebox only as a last resort
Narrow p columns may be better handled if you add \raggedright, which you can do with the array package:
```
>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{3.6cm}
```
would be a good declaration for your third longtable column (add \usepackage{array} to your preamble.

enter image description here

[Tex/LaTex] longtable caption formatting

I don't know what document class you are using, but reading your question it surely loads setspace and uses \doublespacing.

A way to avoid loading the caption package to customize the longtable caption spacing is to load the etoolbox package and put the following line in your preamble:

\AtBeginEnvironment{longtable}{\singlespacing}

In this way you will have single spacing inside all your longtables.

Note also the line

\setlength{\LTcapwidth}{\linewidth}

to make the longtable caption span over the whole line

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{longtable}
\usepackage{setspace}
\usepackage{lipsum} % just for the example

\usepackage{etoolbox}
\AtBeginEnvironment{longtable}{\singlespacing}

\setlength{\LTcapwidth}{\linewidth}

\begin{document}

\doublespacing

\lipsum[1]

\begin{table}[h]
    \centering
    \begin{tabular}{llll}
        1 & 1 & 1 & 1\\
        1 & 1 & 1 & 1
    \end{tabular}
    \caption{Table very very very very very very very very very very very very very long caption}
    \label{table}
\end{table}

\begin{longtable}{llll}
    1 & 1 & 1 & 1\\
    1 & 1 & 1 & 1\\
    \\
    \caption{Longtable very very very very very very very very very very very very very long caption}
    \label{longtable}
\end{longtable}

\lipsum[1-2]

\end{document}

Output:

enter image description here

EDIT

If you get any error, it means that your document class doesn't load setspace.

In this case, replace the line

\AtBeginEnvironment{longtable}{\singlespacing}

with

\AtBeginEnvironment{longtable}{\linespread{1}\selectfont}

and it should be fine.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Caption spacing – table vs longtable

[Tex/LaTex] longtable caption formatting

EDIT

Related Question