Create a table that fills a page with empty rows

Question

I'm trying to create an inventory sheet for our lab, and as such I need a large blank table. Is there a better way to do this then copy and pasting \midrule&&&\\ over and over again?

I'd like to look like this, but automatically repeat the blank cells until the page is full:

%Page layout here
\documentclass[letterpaper, 12pt,twocolumn]{article}
\usepackage[left= 2 cm, right=2 cm, top = 2 cm, bottom = 2 cm]{geometry}

%Font stuff here
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

%Goddamn tables.
\usepackage{booktabs} %Makes the pretty table based on wikibooks example

\begin{document}

\centering
{\large
\begin{tabular}{c|c|c|c}
\toprule
Date & User & Amount Used & Procedure\\
\phantom{2015-3-17} & \phantom{NAME} & (mg) &  \phantom{XXX3-33}\\
\midrule
&&&\\
\midrule
&&&\\
\midrule&&&\\
\midrule&&&\\
\midrule&&&\\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
}
\end{document}

Note: I'm just using Booktabs to add the midrule, that can be dropped. This is just going on a clipboard on the wall, it can be ugly as you want. I'm just sick of fighting with Word's hellish layout tools.

Edit: There is this answer that places blank lines in the middle, but I don't understand the code nearly enough to modify it to fill to the end of the page.

oh, golly, this would be so easy in plain tex, but i'm resisting temptation. — barbara beeton, Mar 18 '15 at 13:01

score 2 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:35

David Carlisle has gotten me most of the way to a solution, so I thought I'd post it:

%Page layout here
\documentclass[letterpaper, 12pt,twocolumn]{article}
\usepackage[left= 1 cm, right=1 cm, top = 2 cm, bottom = 1 cm]{geometry}

\newlength\linefillheight % vertical distance between lines
\setlength\linefillheight{1cm}

\newlength\wcolone %first column width
\setlength\wcolone{\dimexpr.125\textwidth-4mm\relax}
\newlength\wcoltwo %second column width
\setlength\wcoltwo{\dimexpr.125\textwidth-4mm\relax}
\newlength\wcolthree % third column width
\setlength\wcolthree{\dimexpr.125\textwidth-4mm\relax}
\newlength\wcolfour % third column width
\setlength\wcolfour{\dimexpr.125\textwidth-4mm\relax}

\newcommand\linefill{\leavevmode
    \rule{\wcolone}{0.4pt}\hspace*{4mm}\rule{\wcoltwo}{0.4pt}\hspace*{4mm}\rule{\wcolthree}{0.4pt}\hspace*{4mm}\rule{\wcolfour}{0.4pt}}

\makeatletter
\def\fillwithlines#1{%
  \begingroup
  \ifhmode
    \par
  \fi
  \hrule height 0pt
  \nobreak
  \cleaders\hbox to \hsize{\hskip \@totalleftmargin
          \vrule height \linefillheight depth 0pt width 0pt
          \linefill} \vskip #1 \hbox{}%
  \endgroup}
\makeatother


\begin{document}

\noindent\begin{minipage}[c][1cm][t]{\textwidth}
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcolone+4mm\relax}{\textbf{\centering Date}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\textbf{\centering User}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\textbf{\centering Amount Used\\mg}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\textbf{\centering Procedure}}%
\end{minipage}

\fillwithlines{\dimexpr\textheight-1cm\relax}

\noindent\begin{minipage}[c][1cm][t]{\textwidth}
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcolone+4mm\relax}{\textbf{\centering Date}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\textbf{\centering User}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\textbf{\centering Amount Used\\mg}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\textbf{\centering Procedure}}%
\end{minipage}

\fillwithlines{\dimexpr\textheight-1cm\relax}
\end{document}

Based on this answer. However, I'd like to be able to centre the column headers and draw a line down the middle, if anyone could help with this.

some minor tweaks:

\documentclass[letterpaper, 12pt,twocolumn]{article}
\usepackage[left= 1 cm, right=1 cm, top = 2 cm, bottom = 1 cm]{geometry}

\newlength\linefillheight % vertical distance between lines
\setlength\linefillheight{1cm}

\newlength\wcolone %first column width
\setlength\wcolone{\dimexpr.125\textwidth-4mm-1.25pt\relax}
\newlength\wcoltwo %second column width
\setlength\wcoltwo{\dimexpr.125\textwidth-4mm-1.25pt\relax}
\newlength\wcolthree % third column width
\setlength\wcolthree{\dimexpr.125\textwidth-4mm-1.25pt\relax}
\newlength\wcolfour % third column width
\setlength\wcolfour{\dimexpr.125\textwidth-4mm-1.25pt\relax}

\newcommand\linefill{\leavevmode
    \rule{\wcolone}{0.4pt}\hspace*{4mm}\rule{\wcoltwo}{0.4pt}\hspace*{4mm}\rule{\wcolthree}{0.4pt}\hspace*{4mm}\rule{\wcolfour}{0.4pt}}

\makeatletter
\def\fillwithlines#1{%
  \begingroup
    \par
  \hrule height 0pt
  \nobreak
  \cleaders\hbox to \hsize{%
          \vrule height \linefillheight depth 0pt width 0pt
          \hss\linefill\hss} \vskip #1 \hbox{}%
  \endgroup}
\makeatother\showoutput

\setlength\columnseprule{1pt}

\begin{document}


\noindent\begin{minipage}[c][1cm][t]{\linewidth}
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcolone+4mm\relax}{\centering\textbf{Date}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\centering\textbf{User}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\centering\textbf{Amount Used\\mg}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\centering\textbf{Procedure}}%
\end{minipage}

\fillwithlines{\dimexpr\textheight-1cm\relax}

\noindent\begin{minipage}[c][1cm][t]{\linewidth}
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcolone+4mm\relax}{\centering\textbf{Date}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\centering\textbf{User}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\centering\textbf{Amount Used\\mg}}%
\parbox{\dimexpr\wcoltwo+4mm\relax}{\centering\textbf{Procedure}}%
\end{minipage}

\fillwithlines{\dimexpr\textheight-1cm\relax}
\end{document}

In chat you said you wanted single column with 7 headings...

\documentclass[letterpaper, 12pt]{article}
\usepackage[left= 1 cm, right=1 cm, top = 2 cm, bottom = 1 cm]{geometry}

\newlength\linefillheight % vertical distance between lines
\setlength\linefillheight{1cm}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

\newcommand\linefill{\hspace{\stretch{.5}}%
    \rule{.1\textwidth}{0.4pt}\hfill
    \rule{.1\textwidth}{0.4pt}\hfill
    \rule{.1\textwidth}{0.4pt}\hfill
    \rule{.1\textwidth}{0.4pt}\hfill
    \rule{.1\textwidth}{0.4pt}\hfill
    \rule{.1\textwidth}{0.4pt}\hfill
    \rule{.1\textwidth}{0.4pt}\hspace{\stretch{.5}}%
}

\makeatletter
\def\fillwithlines#1{%
  \begingroup
    \par
  \hrule height 0pt
  \nobreak
  \cleaders\hbox to \hsize{%
          \vrule height \linefillheight depth 0pt width 0pt
          \linefill} \vskip #1 \hbox{}%
  \endgroup}
\makeatother

\setlength\columnseprule{1pt}

\begin{document}


\noindent\begin{minipage}[c][1cm][t]{\linewidth}
\parbox[t]{\dimexpr\linewidth/7\relax}{\centering\textbf{Date}}%
\parbox[t]{\dimexpr\linewidth/7\relax}{\centering\textbf{User}}%
\parbox[t]{\dimexpr\linewidth/7\relax}{\centering\textbf{Amount Used\\mg}}%
\parbox[t]{\dimexpr\linewidth/7\relax}{\centering\textbf{Procedure}}%
\parbox[t]{\dimexpr\linewidth/7\relax}{\centering\textbf{User}}%
\parbox[t]{\dimexpr\linewidth/7\relax}{\centering\textbf{Amount Used\\mg}}%
\parbox[t]{\dimexpr\linewidth/7\relax}{\centering\textbf{Procedure}}%
\end{minipage}

\fillwithlines{\dimexpr\textheight-1cm\relax}
\end{document}

Great, thank you. Now if only I could get the column headers centered it would be perfect. — Canageek, Mar 18 '15 at 18:06
@DavidCarlisle: I'm sorry. It was my mistake to have pinged you. I have deleted my comment. — vrgovinda, Mar 19 '22 at 16:12
@DavidCarlisle: Actually, I wanted an empty table with 7 columns (say, Monday to Sunday) but no rows to fill up an entire a4 page. — vrgovinda, Mar 19 '22 at 16:15
@VrajarajaGovindaDas the site doesn't really work if you ask new questions as comments on old answers, it's better to post a new question if this answer doesn't cover your needs — David Carlisle, Mar 19 '22 at 16:59

Create a table that fills a page with empty rows

1 Answers1