label in subcaption and customize cell size of an array

Question

Using the following code

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{subcaption}
\DeclareCaptionSubType*[arabic]{table}
\captionsetup[subtable]{labelformat=simple,labelsep=space}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}[ht]
\begin{subtable}{.5\textwidth}
\centering
$\begin{array}{ | c | c | c | c | } \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\end{array}$
\subcaption{Subtable 1}
\label{lab1}
\end{subtable}
\begin{subtable}{.5\textwidth}
\centering
$\begin{array}{ | c | c | c | c | } \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\end{array}$
\subcaption{Subtable 1}
\label{lab2}
\end{subtable}
\caption{Sub Tables}
\label{lab3}
\end{table}

\end{document}

I can produce the below table and subtables. One question is how to use 1a, 1b as label (counter?), instead of 1.1, 1.2.

The second question is how to customize the cell size in an array? In the above example, each cell is an exact square, but if I type something inside, it become (not exact ) rectangle automatically. One can use \begin{array}{ | p{1cm} | p{1cm} | } to fix the cell width to 1cm, but I didn't find a way to fix cell height. Also, even one can fix the size, how to put the content in the center?

Final question is how to put a diagonal line or a cross in a cell? (I found a way which use TikZ, but if there is eaiser way? )

Answer 1

You asked quite a few questions, and I'll try and answer them in order.

1. To change the sub-table labels, you can use

   \DeclareCaptionSubType*[alph]{table}
   

2. There are quite a few ways to change the vertical sizing of an array; if you load the array package, then you can use

   \renewcommand{\arraystretch}{2}
   

   and change the 2 to whatever you would like. Alternatively you could use something like the bigstrut package, which provides the command \bigstrut to be used at the end of each line. You could also use something like \parbox[c][3cm][t]{3cm}{ ...content...} which would guarantee the cell size.

3. Finally, have a look at the following post to put a diagonal line in a table cell

   Diagonal lines in table cell

A complete MWE follows

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{subcaption}
\DeclareCaptionSubType*[alph]{table}
\captionsetup[subtable]{labelformat=simple,labelsep=space}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{bigstrut}

\begin{document}


\begin{table}[ht]
\begin{subtable}{.5\textwidth}
\centering
$\begin{array}{ | c | c | c | c | } \hline
 \parbox[c][3cm][b]{3cm}{$\ast$} & \ast & \ast & \ast \bigstrut\\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\end{array}$
\subcaption{Subtable 1}
\label{lab1}
\end{subtable}
\begin{subtable}{.5\textwidth}
\centering
\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{2}
$\begin{array}{ | c | c | c | c | } \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\ast & \ast & \ast & \ast \\ \hline
\end{array}$
\subcaption{Subtable 1}
\label{lab2}
\end{subtable}
\caption{Sub Tables}
\label{lab3}
\end{table}

\end{document}

---

Following the comment, you could define a \newcommand

\newcommand{\mycell}[1]{\parbox[c][3cm][c]{3cm}{\centering #1}}

which can be used as (for example)

 \mycell{$\ast$}

and will center the contents vertically and horizontally