How to change a table column type in the middle of table?

Question

I have a table with a column that I need to change its type in the middle of the table.

For example, I have a part of the table in which the column will hold a typeset number with some decimal points and some alignment. After some rows, I need the same column to be a simple number (no decimal alignment) and with a different alignment.

For example, something in the lines of

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{siunitx}

\begin{document}
\begin{tabular}{lS[table-format=3.2]}
  \multicolumn{2}{l}{\textbf{Part 1}} \\
  Number & 100 \\
  Number & 2.00 \\
  % Somehow change the row format
  \newrowformat{rS[table-format=1]}
  \multicolumn{2}{l}{\textbf{Part 2}} \\
  Right & 1 \\
  Rigth &10 \\
\end{tabular}
\end{document}

I know that I can use a \multicolumn 1-column span hack to change the type of each cell, but I wanted a more flexible solution that allows me to change the type from that point onwards.

How can I achieve that?

Have a look at: http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/144434/re-newing-a-column-type#157062 — Runar, Nov 08 '16 at 20:00

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 08 '16 at 20:11

I suggest you simply set up two separate tabular environments, with one row of each tabular (likely the header row) containing information about the (ex-ante fixed) width of each column.

In the following example, vertical lines are used in each tabular purely to demonstrate that they line up across the two environments.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\newlength{\mylen}
\setlength{\mylen}{1in} % desired width of first column
\newcommand\slug{\hphantom{123456}} % set desired width of "slug" used in column 2

\begin{document}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|l|S[table-format=3.2]|}
  \multicolumn{1}{|p{\mylen}|}{\textbf{Part 1}} & {\slug} \\
  Number & 100  \\
  Number & 2.00 \\
\end{tabular}\\[-0.25ex] % snug up the two tabulars
\begin{tabular}{|r|S[table-format=1]|}
  \multicolumn{1}{|p{\mylen}|}{\textbf{Part 2}} & {\slug} \\
  Right &  1 \\
  Right & 10 \\
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{document}

I did consider using several tabular environments, but I didn't like the idea of having the size set by hand. Is there a way to pick the size of the previous tabular automatically instead of fixing it with \mylen and \slug? — adn, Nov 08 '16 at 20:27

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 08 '17 at 15:48

Use nested table. Note, in the both table the corresponding columns width had to be the same:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{siunitx}

\begin{document}
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{| >{\raggedright}p{1in} | S[table-format=3.2] |}
  \textbf{Part 1}   &   \multicolumn{1}{p{0.5in}|}{}   \\
Number & 100        \\
Number & 2.00       \\
\multicolumn{2}{@{}c@{}}{
    \begin{tabular}{|>{\raggedleft}p{1in}|S[table-format=1]|}
\multicolumn{1}{|l|}{\textbf{Part 2}}
            &  \multicolumn{1}{p{0.5in}|}{}   \\
    Right   &  1  \\
    Right   & 10  \\
    \end{tabular}}
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{document}

How to change a table column type in the middle of table?

2 Answers2

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