Vertical alignment of text based on image height

Question

Problem:

Trying to use tabularx to align text to a number of images. I have opened a similar question regarding tabular but decided to open a new specifically for tabularx since the tabular approach generated a number of errors which I could not solve.

Since I have figures I did not know how to make a MWE of them. Instead I will try to explain where the issue is.

Code:

\begin{figure}[tbh]
\begin{tabularx}{\textwidth}{cX}
\includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_server.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.\\
\includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\
\includegraphics[width=1in]{figure8_1_database.eps} & This is some text that
 describes the second figure. It will take up as much space as is needed 
 and will remain centred. As the text gets longer  it centres in the way 
 that we want. So it seems that this is working. \\
 \includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\
 \includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_table.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.\\
 \includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\
 \includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_row.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.\\
 \includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\
 \includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_cell.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.
\end{tabularx}
\caption{Syntax för iterationen for och dess delar.}
\label{fig:database}
\end{figure}

Outputs:

Desired outcome:

To have the text vertically aligned with the photos.

Answer 1

You can use

\renewcommand\tabularxcolumn[1]{m{#1}}

and m column type for first column also like

\begin{tabularx}{\textwidth}{>{\centering\arraybackslash}m{2.2in}X}

to get

You have to adjust 2.2in as you wish. BTW, your table is too long to fit in the page.

\documentclass[svgnames]{article}
\usepackage{tabu,tabularx} % just to show compatibility
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage[demo]{graphicx}

\usepackage{cellspace, makecell}
\renewcommand\cellspacetoplimit{3pt}
\renewcommand\cellspacebottomlimit{3pt}
\usepackage{xparse}

\renewcommand\tabularxcolumn[1]{m{#1}}

\begin{document}
\begin{figure}[tbh]
\begin{tabularx}{\textwidth}{>{\centering\arraybackslash}m{2.2in}X}
\includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_server.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.\\\hline
\includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\\hline
\includegraphics[width=1in]{figure8_1_database.eps} & This is some text that
 describes the second figure. It will take up as much space as is needed
 and will remain centred. As the text gets longer  it centres in the way
 that we want. So it seems that this is working. \\\hline
 \includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\\hline
 \includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_table.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.\\\hline
 \includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\\hline
 \includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_row.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.\\\hline
 \includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\\hline
 \includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_cell.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.
\end{tabularx}
\caption{Syntax för iterationen for och dess delar.}
\label{fig:database}
\end{figure}
\end{document}

I have added \hline just to demonstrate the alignment. Remove them.

Answer 2

You need to set the anchor point for both columns to be at the vertical centre. For the left c-column, which only contains graphics, you can use the key-value

valign=c

which requires adding \usepackage[export]{adjustbox} to your preamble. For the second X-column, use

\renewcommand{\tabularxcolumn}[1]{m{#1}}

Here's your document with a global setting of valign=c for all images in your document:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[demo,export]{adjustbox}
\let\oldincludegraphics\includegraphics
\renewcommand{\includegraphics}[2][]{\oldincludegraphics[valign=c,#1]{#2}}

\usepackage{cellspace,tabularx}
\renewcommand\cellspacetoplimit{3pt}
\renewcommand\cellspacebottomlimit{3pt}

\renewcommand\tabularxcolumn[1]{m{#1}}

\begin{document}
\begin{tabularx}{\textwidth}{cX}
  \includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_server.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.\\\hline
  \includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\\hline
  \includegraphics[width=1in]{figure8_1_database.eps} & This is some text that
  describes the second figure. It will take up as much space as is needed
  and will remain centred. As the text gets longer  it centres in the way
  that we want. So it seems that this is working. \\\hline
  \includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\\hline
  \includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_table.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.\\\hline
  \includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\\hline
  \includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_row.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.\\\hline
  \includegraphics[width=.5in]{figure8_1_arrow.eps} & \\\hline
  \includegraphics[scale=.5]{figure8_1_cell.eps} & This is some text that describes the first figure. It will take up as much space as is needed and will remain centred I hope.
\end{tabularx}

\end{document}