Align table heading at the top of the table

Question

I have a problem with the alignment of the heading in my table. Here I want to force a line break with the function \shortstack for the table headers. This works also so far. However, I would like to align the heading to the top of the table. I have not found a working alternative for the \shortstack-function yet.

Solutions are offered here, but for some reason they do not work in my case: How to add a forced line break inside a table cell

Can someone help me to align the headers to the top? (And possibly left-aligned in addition?)

Here is my code:

\documentclass[]{article}
\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
\usepackage{floatrow} \floatsetup[figure]{capposition=top} \floatsetup[table]{capposition=top} \usepackage{setspace}
\usepackage{siunitx} \newcolumntype{d}{S[table-format=2.1]}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{multirow}
\usepackage{wrapfig}
\usepackage{float}
\usepackage{tabu}
\usepackage{threeparttable}
\usepackage{threeparttablex}
\usepackage[normalem]{ulem}
\usepackage{makecell}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage[usestackEOL]{stackengine}
\begin{document}
\begin{tabu} to \linewidth {>{\raggedright}l|d|dddd}
\toprule
\shortstack{CAAR\Window} & \shortstack{All\transaction\forms} & \shortstack{Acquisition Of\ Partial Interest} & \shortstack{Acquisition Of\ Majority Assets} &  \shortstack{Acquisition Of \ Remaining Interest} & \shortstack{Merger}\
\midrule
{(-15,-2)} & 1.7*** & 1.3** & 1.8** & 2.2*** & 2.0*\
{(-10,-1)} & 1.9* & 0.9** & 2.2*** & 2.4*** & 2.5*\
{(-5,-1)} & 1.3* & 0.9*** & 1.2*** & 1.4*** & 1.7*\
{(-5,+5)} & 13.3* & 5.7*** & 12.2*** & 14.7*** & 20.9*\
{(-2,+2)} & 12.6* & 5.5*** & 11.1*** & 13.8*** & 19.9*\
{(-1,+1)} & 11.8* & 5.0*** & 9.8*** & 11.9*** & 19.4*\
{(0,0)} & 8.7* & 3.0*** & 6.3*** & 7.0*** & 16.0*\
{(0,+10)} & 12.1* & 4.9*** & 10.7*** & 13.5*** & 19.4*\
{(1,+10)} & 3.4* & 1.8*** & 4.4*** & 6.5*** & 3.5*\
{(2,+15)} & 1.2* & 0.4 & 1.6** & 2.1*** & 1.4***\
\bottomrule
\end{tabu}
\end{document}

I already used the \thead and the \makecell-function , but the table heading is shifted strangely:

Did you try with the \thead command, from makecell? The default alignment is centred both vertically and horizeontally, but you can change it with an optional argument. In your case, if I understand well what you want, \thead[tc]{…} would do it – if it is compatible with tabu. — Bernard, Apr 15 '21 at 08:26
Yes I've tried the \thead[tc]{…}- command, but the table heading is shifted strangely. See my edit. — TobKel, Apr 15 '21 at 08:29
Or maybe, add an empty third row to the \shortstacks with only two rows? — Bernard, Apr 15 '21 at 08:32
Good idea. But \shortstack{CAAR\\Window \\ { } gives me a centered aligned heading not a top aligned. — TobKel, Apr 15 '21 at 08:37

Zarko · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-15T16:35:01.757

I wouldn't use package tabu. It is not maintained anymore, regardless that exist some fixes for its non-combability with new version of the array package, it is not recommended to use.
In your case I will rather use tabularx
for aligning of numbers I would use S column type defined in the siunitx package
It is sufficient, that you load each package only once :-), also is sensible to group packages according to their use (see MWE below)

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
\usepackage{booktabs, makecell, multirow, tabularx}
\newcolumntype{C}{>{\centering\arraybackslash}X}
\usepackage[referable]{threeparttablex}
\NewExpandableDocumentCommand\mcc{mO{C}m}{\multicolumn{#1}{#2}{#3}}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\usepackage[normalem]{ulem}
\usepackage[usestackEOL]{stackengine}
\begin{document}
    \begin{table}[ht]
    \sisetup{table-format=2.1,
             table-space-text-post={*}
             } 
    \setcellgapes{2pt}
    \makegapedcells 
    \setlength\tabcolsep{3pt} 
\begin{tabularx}{\linewidth}{>{$}r<{$}@{,}>{$}l<{$} | S | *{4}{S} @{}}
    \Xhline{1.2pt}
\mcc{2}[c|]{\makecell[t]{CAAR\Window}} 
    & \mcc{1}[c|]{\makecell[t]{All\transaction\forms}} 
        & \mcc{1}{\makecell[t]{Acquisition Of\ Partial Interest}} 
            & \mcc{1}{\makecell[t]{Acquisition Of\ Majority Assets}} 
                &  \mcc{1}{\makecell[t]{Acquisition Of \ Remaining Interest}} 
                    & \mcc{1}{\makecell[t]{Merger}}\
    \Xhline{0.8pt}
(-15,   & -2)   &  1.7* & 1.3**  &  1.8**  &  2.2*** &  2.0***    \
(-10,   & -1)   &  1.9*** & 0.9**  &  2.2*** &  2.4*** &  2.5***    \
 (-5,   & -1)   &  1.3*** & 0.9*** &  1.2*** &  1.4*** &  1.7***    \
 (-5,   & +5)   & 13.3*** & 5.7*** & 12.2*** & 14.7*** & 20.9***    \
 (-2,   & +2)   & 12.6*** & 5.5*** & 11.1*** & 13.8*** & 19.9***    \
 (-1,   & +1)   & 11.8*** & 5.0*** &  9.8*** & 11.9*** & 19.4***    \
  (0,   & 0)    &  8.7*** & 3.0*** &  6.3*** &  7.0*** & 16.0***    \
  (0,   & +10)  & 12.1*** & 4.9*** & 10.7*** & 13.5*** & 19.4***    \
  (1,   & +10)  &  3.4*** & 1.8*** &  4.4*** &  6.5*** &  3.5***    \
  (2,   & +15)  &  1.2*** & 0.4    &  1.6**  &  2.1*** &  1.4***    \
    \Xhline{1.2pt}
\end{tabularx}
    \end{table}
\end{document}

You not only control the alignment to the decimal points, but also the alignment to the coma in the first column. Great! — TobKel, Apr 15 '21 at 14:07

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 15 '21 at 08:50

Your problem is those d columns, I believe --- change them to l using \multicolumn, and \makecell will work:

\documentclass[]{article}
\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
\usepackage{floatrow} \floatsetup[figure]{capposition=top} \floatsetup[table]{capposition=top} \usepackage{setspace}
\usepackage{siunitx} \newcolumntype{d}{S[table-format=2.1]}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{multirow}
\usepackage{wrapfig}
\usepackage{float}
\usepackage{tabu}
\usepackage{threeparttable}
\usepackage{threeparttablex}
\usepackage[normalem]{ulem}
\usepackage{makecell}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage[usestackEOL]{stackengine}
\begin{document}
\begin{tabu} to \linewidth {>{\raggedright}l|d|dddd}
\toprule
\multicolumn1{l|}{\makecell[t]{CAAR\Window}} & \multicolumn1{l|}{\makecell[t]{All\transaction\forms}} & \multicolumn1l{\makecell[t]{Acquisition Of\ Partial Interest}} & \multicolumn1l{\makecell[t]{Acquisition Of\ Majority Assets}} &  \multicolumn1l{\makecell[t]{Acquisition Of \ Remaining Interest}} & \multicolumn1l{\makecell[t]{Merger}}\
\midrule
{(-15,-2)} & 1.7*** & 1.3** & 1.8** & 2.2*** & 2.0*\
{(-10,-1)} & 1.9* & 0.9** & 2.2*** & 2.4*** & 2.5*\
{(-5,-1)} & 1.3* & 0.9*** & 1.2*** & 1.4*** & 1.7*\
{(-5,+5)} & 13.3* & 5.7*** & 12.2*** & 14.7*** & 20.9*\
{(-2,+2)} & 12.6* & 5.5*** & 11.1*** & 13.8*** & 19.9*\
{(-1,+1)} & 11.8* & 5.0*** & 9.8*** & 11.9*** & 19.4*\
{(0,0)} & 8.7* & 3.0*** & 6.3*** & 7.0*** & 16.0*\
{(0,+10)} & 12.1* & 4.9*** & 10.7*** & 13.5*** & 19.4*\
{(1,+10)} & 3.4* & 1.8*** & 4.4*** & 6.5*** & 3.5*\
{(2,+15)} & 1.2* & 0.4 & 1.6** & 2.1*** & 1.4***\
\bottomrule
\end{tabu}
\end{document}

Align table heading at the top of the table

2 Answers2