Multirow not working in tabular environment

Question

I am using the multirow package to typeset a tabular where two rows should merge into one. I look very carefully at my code and compare it to the working example but it fails to work. An ugly horizontal line goes across the rows that are supposed to be merged.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{array, float, multirow}
\begin{document}

\begin{table}[H]
  \centering
  \caption{LLLL}
  \label{tab:location-xiagu}
  \begin{tabular}{|c|>{\centering}m{0.1\textwidth}|m{0.5\textwidth}|}
    \hline
    \multirow{2}{*}{A} & B & C\tabularnewline
    \hline
    & A & C \tabularnewline
    \hline
    \multirow{2}{*}{X} & W & E \tabularnewline
    \hline
    & O &  E \tabularnewline
    \hline
    \multirow{2}{*}{S} & M & N \tabularnewline
    \hline
    & P & W  \tabularnewline
    \hline
  \end{tabular}
\end{table}
\end{document}

But I want no line crossing the A, X, S letters. Thanks in advance!

You need to remove three of the \hline. – AML May 10 '18 at 15:34 — AML, May 10 '18 at 15:34

ArTourter · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-10T21:01:13.033

\hline will draw a full line, you need to use \cline{2-3} for this:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{array, float, multirow}
\begin{document}

\begin{table}[H]
  \centering
  \caption{LLLL}
  \label{tab:location-xiagu}
  \begin{tabular}{|c|>{\centering}m{0.1\textwidth}|m{0.5\textwidth}|}
    \hline
    \multirow{2}{*}{A} & B & C\tabularnewline
    \cline{2-3}
    & A & C \tabularnewline
    \hline
    \multirow{2}{*}{X} & W & E \tabularnewline
    \cline{2-3}
    & O &  E \tabularnewline
    \hline
    \multirow{2}{*}{S} & M & N \tabularnewline
    \cline{2-3}
    & P & W  \tabularnewline
    \hline
  \end{tabular}
\end{table}
\end{document}

Alternatively, you can use booktabs and remove the vertical lines which, to me, gives a much more pleasing result:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{array, float, multirow}
\usepackage{booktabs,caption}
\begin{document}

\begin{table}[H]
  \centering
  \caption{LLLL}
  \label{tab:location-xiagu}
  \begin{tabular}{c >{\centering}m{0.1\textwidth} m{0.5\textwidth} }
    \toprule
    \multirow{2}{*}{A} & B & C\tabularnewline
    & A & C \tabularnewline
    \midrule
    \multirow{2}{*}{X} & W & E \tabularnewline
    & O &  E \tabularnewline
    \midrule
    \multirow{2}{*}{S} & M & N \tabularnewline
    & P & W  \tabularnewline
    \bottomrule
  \end{tabular}
\end{table}
\end{document}

as others have notes, the package caption will give you the proper spacing for your caption above the table.

@cgsdfc please consider voting for the answer and marking it as the solution. — ArTourter, May 10 '18 at 15:56
I'd suggest some padding at the top of cells with \setlength[\extrarrowheight}{...}d a better spacing between caption table, just loading caption. — Bernard, May 10 '18 at 17:29
@Bernard I agree that the table design is not really optimal. I was also going to suggest use booktabs as an alternative but felt it was slightly at of scope and I got distracted before amending my answer. — ArTourter, May 10 '18 at 20:53
@ArTourter: I posted the improvements, because I thought you didn't have time, and I feel important to show LaTeX beginners different tools for taking care of the aesthetic aspect of tables. — Bernard, May 10 '18 at 21:04
@ArTourter sorry for the delay. Finding that green big tick takes some newby's time but it should be alright now. Great answer anyway. — cgsdfc, May 11 '18 at 16:30

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered May 10 '18 at 20:10

Some improvements: I added some padding to cells, and variable width vertical and horizontal rules with boldline:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{array, float, multirow, caption, boldline}
\begin{document}

\begin{table}[H]
  \centering\setlength{\extrarowheight}{2pt}
  \caption{LLLL}
  \label{tab:location-xiagu}
  \begin{tabular}{V{2.5}cV{2.5}>{\centering}m{0.1\textwidth}| >{\arraybackslash}m{0.5\textwidth}V{2.5}}
    \hlineB{2.5}
    \multirow{2}{*}{A} & B & C \\
    \cline{2-3}
    & A & C \\
    \hlineB{2.5}
    \multirow{2}{*}{X} & W & E \\
    \cline{2-3}
    & O & E \\
    \hlineB{2.5}
    \multirow{2}{*}{S} & M & N \\
    \cline{2-3}
    & P & W \\
    \hlineB{2.5}
  \end{tabular}
\end{table}
\end{document}

Multirow not working in tabular environment

2 Answers2