I need a general solution for alignment in tables

Question

I need a general solution for vertical align in tables. That is, a solution for texts and subtables inside the cells.

I try defining new column types like,

\newcolumntype{?}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}?{#1}}

But is insuficient because can't predetermine the correct position of the content inside the cell.

Even worse if the contents of the cell is a table. The vertical alignment becomes blurred and unpredictable.

If vertical alignment is used within the subtables (like \begin{tabular}[t], the solution is not complete.

Therefore, I do not find a universal solution for vertically and horizontally aligning any content in a cell, in a predictable and reliable way.

Please, I need help for this purpose. The contents of the cells can be a text (multiline); a table; or mixed together.

The code used for the examples is as follows:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{array}

% Middle alignment
\newcolumntype{L}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}m{#1}}
\newcolumntype{C}[1]{>{\centering\arraybackslash}m{#1}}
\newcolumntype{R}[1]{>{\raggedleft\arraybackslash}m{#1}}
% Top alignment
\newcolumntype{T}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
\newcolumntype{U}[1]{>{\centering\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
\newcolumntype{V}[1]{>{\raggedleft\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
% Bottom alignment
\newcolumntype{E}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}b{#1}}
\newcolumntype{F}[1]{>{\centering\arraybackslash}b{#1}}
\newcolumntype{G}[1]{>{\raggedleft\arraybackslash}b{#1}}

\newcommand{\subtableshort}{\begin{tabular}{ll}a&b\\c&d\end{tabular}}
\newcommand{\subtablecontrol}{\begin{tabular}{ll}a&b\\c&d\\e&f\\g&h\end{tabular}}
\newcommand{\subtableAlignedShort}[1]{\begin{tabular}[#1]{ll}a&b\\c&d\end{tabular}}
\newcommand{\subtableAlignedControl}[1]{\begin{tabular}[#1]{ll}a&b\\c&d\\e&f\\g&h\end{tabular}}

\newcommand{\txtshort}{Donec aliquet, erat ligula aliquet.\newline Suspendisse ut. }
\newcommand{\txtcontrol}{Nam dui ligula, fringilla euismod. \newline Morbi ac orci et nisl hendrerit mollis. Cras ante.}

\newcommand{\textExample}{\hline\txtcontrol&\txtshort&\txtshort&\txtshort\\[0.3in]\hline}
\newcommand{\tableExample}{\hline\subtablecontrol&\subtableshort&\subtableshort&\subtableshort\\\hline}
\newcommand{\alignedTableExample}[1]{\hline\subtableAlignedControl{#1}&\subtableAlignedShort{#1}&\subtableAlignedShort{#1}&\subtableAlignedShort{#1}\\\hline}

\begin{document}

\section{Example with texts}

Using
\begin{verbatim}
\newcolumntype{?}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}?{#1}}
\end{verbatim}


\subsection{Middle}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|L{1.2in}|L{1.2in}|C{1.2in}|R{1.2in}|}\textExample\end{tabular}
\subsection{Top   }
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|T{1.2in}|T{1.2in}|U{1.2in}|V{1.2in}|}\textExample\end{tabular}
\subsection{Bottom}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|E{1.2in}|E{1.2in}|F{1.2in}|G{1.2in}|}\textExample\end{tabular}
\subsection{Mixed}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|E{1.2in}|L{1.2in}|T{1.2in}|E{1.2in}|}\textExample\end{tabular}

\section{Example with subtables}
\subsection{Middle}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|L{1.2in}|L{1.2in}|C{1.2in}|R{1.2in}|}\tableExample\end{tabular}
\subsection{Top}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|T{1.2in}|T{1.2in}|U{1.2in}|V{1.2in}|}\tableExample\end{tabular}
\subsection{Bottom}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|E{1.2in}|E{1.2in}|F{1.2in}|G{1.2in}|}\tableExample\end{tabular}

\section{Example with aligned top subtables}
\subsection{Middle}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|L{1.2in}|L{1.2in}|C{1.2in}|R{1.2in}|}\alignedTableExample{t}\end{tabular}
\subsection{Top}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|T{1.2in}|T{1.2in}|U{1.2in}|V{1.2in}|}\alignedTableExample{t}\end{tabular}
\subsection{Bottom}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|E{1.2in}|E{1.2in}|F{1.2in}|G{1.2in}|}\alignedTableExample{t}\end{tabular}

\section{Example with aligned bottom subtables}
\subsection{Middle}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|L{1.2in}|L{1.2in}|C{1.2in}|R{1.2in}|}\alignedTableExample{b}\end{tabular}
\subsection{Top}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|T{1.2in}|T{1.2in}|U{1.2in}|V{1.2in}|}\alignedTableExample{b}\end{tabular}
\subsection{Bottom}
\noindent\begin{tabular}{|E{1.2in}|E{1.2in}|F{1.2in}|G{1.2in}|}\alignedTableExample{b}\end{tabular}

\end{document}

Answer 1

Hope this help. Note that m columns do not care of [t] or [b] options in tabulars (and that [t] and [b] options do not care if the column is p or b).

I almost forgot it: the problem with texts is the [0.3in].

\documentclass[a4paper]{article}
\usepackage[margin=1cm]{geometry}
\usepackage{array}
\setlength\parskip{1ex}

% Middle alignment
\newcolumntype{L}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}m{#1}}
\newcolumntype{C}[1]{>{\centering\arraybackslash}m{#1}}
\newcolumntype{R}[1]{>{\raggedleft\arraybackslash}m{#1}}
% Top alignment
\newcolumntype{T}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
\newcolumntype{U}[1]{>{\centering\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
\newcolumntype{V}[1]{>{\raggedleft\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
% Bottom alignment
\newcolumntype{E}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}b{#1}}
\newcolumntype{F}[1]{>{\centering\arraybackslash}b{#1}}
\newcolumntype{G}[1]{>{\raggedleft\arraybackslash}b{#1}}
% less typing
\newcommand{\txtcontrol}{Nam dui ligula, fringilla euismod. \newline Morbi ac orci et nisl hendrerit mollis. Cras ante.}
\newcommand{\txtshort}{Donec aliquet, erat ligula aliquet. \newline Suspendisse ut. }
\newcommand\TBLC{\hline \txtcontrol & \txtshort & \txtshort &   \txtshort \\\hline}

\begin{document}

\begin{tabular}{p{3cm}p{3cm}p{3cm}p{3cm}} Left & Left &\hfil Center &\hfill Right \\ \end{tabular}\par
\begin{tabular}{|L{3cm}|L{3cm}|C{3cm}|R{3cm}|} \TBLC \end{tabular}\qquad{\huge Medium}\par 
\begin{tabular}{|T{3cm}|T{3cm}|U{3cm}|V{3cm}|} \TBLC \end{tabular}\qquad{\huge Top}\par 
\begin{tabular}{|E{3cm}|E{3cm}|F{3cm}|G{3cm}|} \TBLC \end{tabular}\qquad{\huge Bottom}\par 

%SUBTABLES
\renewcommand{\txtcontrol}{\begin{tabular}{ll} 11 & 12\\ 21 & 22\\ 31 & 32\\ 41 & 42\\\end{tabular}}
\renewcommand{\txtshort}{\begin{tabular}{ll} 11 & 12\\ 21 & 22\\\end{tabular}}

\begin{tabular}{|L{3cm}|L{3cm}|C{3cm}|R{3cm}|} \TBLC \end{tabular}\qquad{\huge Medium}\par 

\renewcommand{\txtcontrol}{\begin{tabular}[t]{ll}11 & 12\\ 21 & 22\\ 31 & 32\\ 41 & 42\\\end{tabular}}
\renewcommand{\txtshort}{\begin{tabular}[t]{ll}11 & 12\\ 21 & 22\\\end{tabular}}

\begin{tabular}{|T{3cm}|T{3cm}|U{3cm}|V{3cm}|} \TBLC \end{tabular}\qquad{\huge Top}\par 
\begin{tabular}{|L{3cm}|L{3cm}|C{3cm}|R{3cm}|} \TBLC \end{tabular}\qquad{\huge Medium [t]}\par 

\renewcommand{\txtcontrol}{\begin{tabular}[b]{ll} 11 & 12\\ 21 & 22\\ 31 & 32\\ 41 & 42\\\end{tabular}}
\renewcommand{\txtshort}{\begin{tabular}[b]{ll} 11 & 12\\ 21 & 22\\\end{tabular}}

\begin{tabular}{|E{3cm}|E{3cm}|F{3cm}|G{3cm}|} \TBLC\end{tabular}\qquad{\huge Bottom}\par 
\begin{tabular}{|L{3cm}|L{3cm}|C{3cm}|R{3cm}|} \TBLC \end{tabular}\qquad{\huge Medium [b]}\par 

\end{document}