Possible Duplicate:
Easiest way to delete a column?
I have many table in my document, and I have decided I don't want one of their columns to appear in the output. I don't want to just remove the columns -- the tables are long and fiddly to edit, I might change my mind and want the column back, etc. So I am trying to come up with a new column specifier (using the array package) that discards a column entirely, making the table appear as if said column was not in the source code ("commented out," as it were). Here's an example document, with a couple ideas I've tried with no success:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{array}
\def\FooGobble#1\EndGobble{}
% leaves extra blank space between the columns
%\newcolumntype{X}{>{\FooGobble}l<{\EndGobble}}
% continues to typeset SURPRISE
%\newcolumntype{X}{p{0in}}
% still leaves extra space
\newcolumntype{X}{>{\FooGobble}p{0in}<{\EndGobble}}
\begin{document}
\begin{tabular}{lXl}
first col & SURPRISE & second col \\
\end{tabular}
should appear the same as:
\begin{tabular}{ll}
first col & second col \\
\end{tabular}
\end{document}
Thanks!