How to make tikzpicture fill whole tabular cell?

Question

I have set up a a tabular environment and inside of it a tikzpicture. How can I adjust the width to the table cell?

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article} % DIN A4
\usepackage[a4paper, portrait, top=25mm, bottom=20mm, right=25mm, left=25mm]{geometry} % Seitenränder
\usepackage{amssymb, amsmath} % Mathematische Symbole
\usepackage{tabularx} % Tabellen
\usepackage{pgfplots} % Funktionsgraph
\pgfplotsset{compat = newest}
\pagenumbering{gobble}
\title{Exponential- und Logartihmusfunktion im Vergleich}
\author{me}
\begin{document}
\maketitle
\noindent\begin{tabularx}{\textwidth}{|X|X|}
\hline
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[xmin = -10, xmax = 10, ymin = -10, ymax = 10, xtick distance = 2, ytick distance = 2, xticklabel=\empty,yticklabel=\empty, grid = both,    minor tick num = 1, major grid style = {lightgray}, minor grid style = {lightgray!25}, width = 0.5\textwidth, height = 0.5\textwidth,axis lines = middle,xlabel=$x$,ylabel=$y$, legend style={at={(0.025,0.025)},anchor=south west}, legend cell align={left}]
        \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thick,blue,grid=major] {2^x)};
        \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thin,black,grid=major] {x};
    \addlegendentry{$2^x$}
        \addlegendentry{$x$}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
&
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[xmin = -10, xmax = 10, ymin = -10, ymax = 10, xtick distance = 2, ytick distance = 2, xticklabel=\empty,yticklabel=\empty, grid = both,    minor tick num = 1, major grid style = {lightgray}, minor grid style = {lightgray!25}, width = 0.5\textwidth, height = 0.5\textwidth,axis lines = middle,xlabel=$x$,ylabel=$y$, legend style={at={(0.025,0.025)},anchor=south west}, legend cell align={left}]
        \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thick,red,grid=major] {log2(x))};
        \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thin,black,grid=major] {x};
    \addlegendentry{$log_2(x)$}
        \addlegendentry{$x$}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}\
\hline
\end{tabularx}
\end{document}

side question: Why do I have to use X for \begin{tabularx}{\textwidth}{|X|X|}?

You don't "have to" use X with tabularx, but that is kind of the point of using tabularx, to have control over which columns can stretch out and which don't (if you put X the column can stretch, if you put something else, i.e. l, r, or c, it won't). If you don't need that don't use tabularx. — Plergux, Apr 02 '21 at 22:37
Please can you put your minimal working example to compile it? Thank you very much. — Sebastiano, Apr 02 '21 at 22:37
@Plergux thank you, the documentation handed to me didnt't include that — timlwsk, Apr 02 '21 at 22:40
I think you would be better off if you were using groupplots from pgfplots instead of a tabular. — , Apr 02 '21 at 23:29
It's your 7th question now it's time to read and understand https://tex.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/228 for your future questions. — Dr. Manuel Kuehner, Apr 02 '21 at 23:52

Zarko · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-03T00:22:30.717

Using tabularx you need to use at least one column of type X, otherwise it will not work properly. In your case I would adopt tikzpicture width to width of table cell and instead of X column types use C derivate from X as \newcolumntype{C}{>{\centering\arraybackslash}X}:

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article} % DIN A4
\usepackage[a4paper, portrait, 
            top=25mm, bottom=20mm, hmargin=25mm]{geometry} % Seitenränder
\usepackage{amssymb, amsmath} % Mathematische Symbole
\usepackage{tabularx} % Tabellen
\newcolumntype{C}{>{\centering\arraybackslash}X}
\usepackage{pgfplots} % Funktionsgraph
\pgfplotsset{compat = 1.17}
\pagenumbering{gobble}
\title{Exponential- und Logartihmusfunktion im Vergleich}
\author{me}
\begin{document}
\maketitle
\begingroup
\pgfplotsset{
    xmin = -10, xmax = 10,
    ymin = -10, ymax = 10,
    xtick distance = 2,
    ytick distance = 2,
    xticklabel=\empty,
    yticklabel=\empty,
    grid = both,
    minor tick num = 1,
    major grid style = {lightgray},
    minor grid style = {lightgray!25},
    width = \linewidth,
    height = 0.5\textwidth,
    axis lines = middle,
    xlabel=$x$, ylabel=$y$,
    legend pos=north west
            }
    \centering
\begin{tabularx}{\textwidth}{|C|C|}
    \hline
    \begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}
\addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thick,blue] {2^x)};
\addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 2,smooth,thin,black] {x};
    \legend{$2^x$, $x$}
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
    &   \begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}
    \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thick,red] {log2(x))};
    \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 2,smooth,thin,black] {x};
    \legend{$\log_2(x)$, $x$}
    \end{axis}
        \end{tikzpicture}       \
    \hline
\end{tabularx}
\endgroup
\end{document}

However, you can adopt cell width to width of tikzpicture by use simple tabular:

\begin{center}
\pgfplotsset{
    xmin = -10, xmax = 10,
    ymin = -10, ymax = 10,
    xtick distance = 2,
    ytick distance = 2,
    xticklabel=\empty,
    yticklabel=\empty,
    grid = both,
    minor tick num = 1,
    major grid style = {lightgray},
    minor grid style = {lightgray!25},
    width = 0.5\textwidth,  % <---
    height = 0.5\textwidth,
    axis lines = middle,
    xlabel=$x$, ylabel=$y$,
    legend pos=north west
            }
\begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
 % ...
\end{tabular}
\end{center}

Addendum: I wonder, why you use table at all, Both images you can draw in parallel without it as ˙groupplot`:

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article} % DIN A4
\usepackage[a4paper, portrait,
            top=25mm, bottom=20mm, hmargin=25mm]{geometry} % Seitenränder
\usepackage{pgfplots} % Funktionsgraph
\usepgfplotslibrary{groupplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat = 1.17}
\pagenumbering{gobble}
\title{Exponential- und Logartihmusfunktion im Vergleich}
\author{me}
\begin{document}
\maketitle
    \begin{center}
    \begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{groupplot}[
    group style = {
        group size=2 by 1,
        horizontal sep=1em,
                  },
    xmin = -10, xmax = 10,
    ymin = -10, ymax = 10,
    xtick distance = 2,
    ytick distance = 2,
    xticklabel=\empty,
    yticklabel=\empty,
    grid = both,
    minor tick num = 1,
    major grid style = {lightgray},
    minor grid style = {lightgray!25},
    width  = 0.5\textwidth,

    height = 0.5\textwidth,
    axis lines = middle,
    xlabel=$x$, ylabel=$y$,
    legend pos=north west
                ]
\nextgroupplot
    \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thick,blue] {2^x)};
    \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 2,smooth,thin,black] {x};
    \legend{$2^x$, $x$}
\nextgroupplot
     \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thick,red] {log2(x))};
    \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 2,smooth,thin,black] {x};
    \legend{$\log_2(x)$, $x$}
\end{groupplot}
    \end{tikzpicture}
    \end{center}
\end{document}

@Dr.ManuelKuehner, thank you very much!. +1 for your answer too (good explanation). — Zarko, Apr 02 '21 at 23:38

Dr. Manuel Kuehner · Answer 2 · 2021-04-02T23:49:55.130

I converted your code into a more practical minimal working example.
I used Scale column of a table in percentage of \textwidth for constructing the table.
For me, it looks ok now.
Question to the pros: I tried to center the cells using Centering in tabularx and X columns (adding \centering to the column definition) but I could not figure out how to do it. Maybe you can give it a try.
Regarding the accuracy of the width, please see pgfplots: how can I scale to text width?.

Since pgfplots doesn't use the exact space, you could make it fit using \resizebox of graphicx:
\resizebox{\textwidth}{!}{%
\begin{tikzpicture}%
...
\end{tikzpicture}}

pgfplots: how can I scale to text width? also led to a new package called tikzscale.

\documentclass{article} 
\usepackage{tabularx} 
\usepackage{pgfplots} 
\pgfplotsset{compat = newest}
\begin{document}
% https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/249040
\noindent
\begin{tabularx}{\linewidth}{
|>{\hsize=1\hsize}X|% 50% of 2\hsize 
 >{\hsize=1\hsize}X|% 50% of 2\hsize
   % sum=2.0\hsize for 2 columns
}
\hline
% <-- Left Cell Begins
    \begin{tikzpicture}
        \begin{axis}[
            xlabel=$x$,
            ylabel={$f(x) = x^2 - x +4$},
            width=0.50\textwidth,
        ]
        % use TeX as calculator:
        \addplot {x^2 - x +4};
        \end{axis}
    \end{tikzpicture}
& % <-- Next Cell
    \begin{tikzpicture}
        \begin{axis}[
            xlabel=$x$,
            ylabel={$f(x) = x^2 - x +4$},
            width=0.50\textwidth,
        ]
        % use TeX as calculator:
        \addplot {x^2 - x +4};
        \end{axis}
    \end{tikzpicture}
\ % <-- End of Row
\hline
\end{tabularx}
\end{document}

Update:

It looks like width=1\linewidth, is even better than width=0.5\textwidth,.

\documentclass{article} 
\usepackage{tabularx} 
\usepackage{pgfplots} 
\pgfplotsset{compat = newest}
\begin{document}
% https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/
\noindent
\begin{tabularx}{\linewidth}{
|>{\hsize=1\hsize}X|% 50% of 2\hsize 
 >{\hsize=1\hsize}X|% 50% of 2\hsize
   % sum=2.0\hsize for 2 columns
}
\hline
% <-- Left Cell Begins
    \begin{tikzpicture}
        \begin{axis}[
            xlabel=$x$,
            ylabel={$f(x) = x^2 - x +4$},
            width=1\linewidth,
        ]
        % use TeX as calculator:
        \addplot {x^2 - x +4};
        \end{axis}
    \end{tikzpicture}
& % <-- Next Cell
    \begin{tikzpicture}
        \begin{axis}[
            xlabel=$x$,
            ylabel={$f(x) = x^2 - x +4$},
            width=1\linewidth,
        ]
        % use TeX as calculator:
        \addplot {x^2 - x +4};
        \end{axis}
    \end{tikzpicture}
\ % <-- End of Row
\hline
\end{tabularx}
\end{document}

As you ask me (in comment below my answer): advantages of tabularx (in short) is ability to calculate table columns width. FOr this you need to prescribe width of table and use at least one X column type. Later is actually p{<calculated width>} column. These widths you can change with ratios between column width: \hsize=<ratio>\hsize, where you need to take a care that sum of ratios is equal to number of X columns. In OP case you not need to declare ratios between column widths since images have equal width. — Zarko, Apr 03 '21 at 00:07

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 03 '21 at 01:38

While this does not technically answer the question, in general the groupplots library is a very good tool to arrange several plots relative to each other. Among other things this also allows you to draw the table lines with TikZ, which offers more control and variations.

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article} % DIN A4
\usepackage[a4paper, portrait, top=25mm, bottom=20mm, right=25mm, left=25mm]{geometry} 
\usepackage{amssymb, amsmath} % Mathematische Symbole
\usepackage{tabularx} % Tabellen
\usepackage{pgfplots} % Funktionsgraph
\usepgfplotslibrary{groupplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat = newest}
\pagenumbering{gobble}
\title{Exponential- und Logartihmusfunktion im Vergleich}
\author{me}
\begin{document}
\maketitle
\centering
\begin{tikzpicture}
 \begin{groupplot}[group style={group size=2 by 1,
                 horizontal sep=2ex},%<-adjust
                 xmin = -10, xmax = 10, ymin = -10, ymax = 10, 
                 xtick distance =2, ytick distance = 2, 
                 xticklabel=\empty,yticklabel=\empty, grid = both,
                 minor tick num = 1, major grid style = {lightgray}, 
                 minor grid style ={lightgray!25}, 
                 axis lines =middle,xlabel=$x$,ylabel=$y$, 
                 legend style={at={(0.025,0.025)},anchor=south west}, 
                 legend cell align={left},
                 height=7cm,width=8cm,
                 no markers
                 ]
     \nextgroupplot
        \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thick,blue,grid=major] {2^x)};
        \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thin,black,grid=major] {x};
        \addlegendentry{$2^x$}
        \addlegendentry{$x$}
     \nextgroupplot
        \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thick,red,grid=major] {log2(x))};
        \addplot[domain = -10:10, samples = 200,smooth,thin,black,grid=major] {x};
        \addlegendentry{$\log_2(x)$}
        \addlegendentry{$x$}
    \end{groupplot}
    \path (group c1r1.east) -- coordinate[pos=0.5] (aux)
     (group c2r1.west);
    \draw ([xshift=-0.5ex,yshift=-0.5ex]current bounding box.south west)
     coordinate (sw)
     rectangle ([xshift=0.5ex,yshift=0.5ex]current bounding box.north east)
     coordinate (ne) (aux|-sw) -- (aux|-ne);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

How to make tikzpicture fill whole tabular cell?

3 Answers3

Update: