Gaps between merged cells in tables is in white and the line is seen

Question

I am currently constructing a table of marking scheme for my report.

\usepackage[a4paper, margin=2cm]{geometry}
\usepackage{multirow}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{amsthm}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{hhline}
\usepackage{afterpage}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{lscape}
\usepackage[table,xcdraw]{xcolor}
\usepackage{multirow}
\usepackage{mathtools}

\begin{document}
\afterpage{
\begin{landscape}
\begin{center}
   \textbf{MARKING RUBICS}
\end{center}
\begin{table}[!htb]
   \centering 
   \scalebox{0.75}{
   \begin{tabular}{|c|l|l|l|l|c|c|}
       \hline
       \cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1}\textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}c@{}}Component\\ Title\end{tabular}} &
       \multicolumn{3}{c|}{\textbf{}} &
       \multicolumn{1}{c|}{\cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1}\textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}c@{}}Total\\ (out of 70)\end{tabular}}} &
       \multicolumn{2}{c|}{\textbf{}} \\ \hline
       \rowcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1} 
       \cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1} &
       \multicolumn{4}{c|}{\cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1}\textbf{Score(s)}} &
       \cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1} &
       \cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1} \\ \cline{1-5}\hhline{|>{\arrayrulecolor{white}}->{\arrayrulecolor{black}}|-|}
       \rowcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1} 
       \multirow{-2}{*}{\cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1}\textbf{Criteria}} &
       \multicolumn{1}{c|}{\cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1}\textbf{$4$}} &
       \multicolumn{1}{c|}{\cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1}\textbf{$3$}} &
       \multicolumn{1}{c|}{\cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1}\textbf{$2$}} &
       \multicolumn{1}{c|}{\cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1}\textbf{$1$}} &
       \multirow{-2}{*}{\cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1}\textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}c@{}}Weightage\\ ($w$)\end{tabular}}} &
       \multirow{-2}{*}{\cellcolor[HTML]{5DA6F1}\textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}c@{}}Marks\\ ($s\times w$)\end{tabular}}} \\ \hline
       \textbf{Game} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}The game is\\fully functional.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}The game can be played \\ but with some oversights.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}The game cannot\\be played.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}An idea for a \\ game is presented.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{$1.5$} &
       \textbf{} \\ \hline
       \textbf{Instructions} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Instructions are\\clear  and easy to follow. \\ The game can be played \\ by others without \\ the help of the creator.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Instructions are somewhat \\ clear and easy to follow. \\ The game can be played by\\  others with minimal help \\ from the creator.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Instructions are unclear\\ and a verbal description \\ of the game is necessary.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Instructions are\\ incomplete.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{$2.5$} &
       \textbf{} \\ \hline
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}c@{}}Probability\\ Analysis\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Analysis is complex and\\ presented accurately.\\The idea of fair game\\is clearly explained.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Analysis is somewhat\\ complex and presented\\ accurately. The  idea of \\fair game is clearly\\explained.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Analysis is simple and\\ presented accurately.\\The idea of fair game\\is clearly explained.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Analysis is presented\\inaccurately or the\\idea of fair game is\\not explained clearly.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{$10$} &
       \textbf{} \\ \hline
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}c@{}}\\Difficulties\\ and \\ Improvements\\[10pt]\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Difficulties and\\ improvements\\ are well described.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Difficulties and\\ improvements\\ are mentioned.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Difficulties or\\ improvements\\ are included.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}Both difficulties and\\ improvements are\\left out.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{$1.5$} &
       \textbf{} \\ \hline
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}c@{}}Neatness and\\ Organisation\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}The work is presented\\in a neat, clear, and\\ organised way that is\\easy to read.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}The work is presented\\in a neat and organised\\way that is usually\\ easy to read.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}The work is organised\\but may be hard to\\ read at times.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}The work is sloppy\\and unorganised. It\\ is hard to know what\\information goes\\ together.\end{tabular}} &
       \textbf{$1$} &
       \textbf{} \\ \hline
       \multicolumn{6}{|r|}{\textbf{\begin{tabular}[c]{@{}l@{}}TOTAL\\[5pt]\end{tabular}}} &
       \textbf{} \\ \hline
   \end{tabular}}
\end{table}
\end{landscape}}
\end{document}

If you zoom in around the region for 'Criteria', as one could see, there is a line in the merged cells, also the colour is not filled within the gap. How could I fix this?

Thanks you for your help.

Use hhline, see this answer – Sveinung May 06 '20 at 17:21 — Sveinung, May 06 '20 at 17:21

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered May 06 '20 at 23:49

I propose this solution, with a simplified code, based on tabularx and stackengine for multiline contents in ordinary cells (which avoids all those nested tabulars), with the X column type redefined as mtype, so its contents is vertically centred, very cellspace to add some vertical padding to cells, and hhline . The blank lines you mention are removed with a simple trick: I raised the coloured row beneath a small bit with \\[-0.5pt] (little more than the rule thickness). Last, in the X cells, with a longer text, I used the \small font size, in the place of the adjustbox command, which should be used in tables as it yields inconsistent font izes.

\documentclass{report}

\usepackage[a4paper, margin=2cm]{geometry}
\usepackage{amsthm}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{mathtools}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{hhline}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{multirow}
\usepackage{tabularx}
\renewcommand{\tabularxcolumn}[1]{ >{\small}m{#1}}
\usepackage[column=O]{cellspace}
\addparagraphcolumntypes{X}
\setlength{\cellspacetoplimit}{4pt}
\setlength{\cellspacebottomlimit}{4pt}
\usepackage{ragged2e}
\usepackage{afterpage}
\usepackage{lscape}
\usepackage[table,xcdraw]{xcolor}
\usepackage[usestackEOL]{stackengine}
\definecolor{bgcolour}{HTML}{5DA6F1}

\begin{document}

\afterpage{
\begin{landscape}
\begin{center}
   \textbf{MARKING RUBICS}
\end{center}
\begin{table}[!htb]
   \centering \bfseries\boldmath
  % \scalebox{0.75}{
   \begin{tabularx}{\linewidth}{|>{\bfseries}Oc|*{4}{>{\RaggedRight\arraybackslash}O{X}|}Oc|Oc|}%
       \hline
       \cellcolor{bgcolour} \Centerstack{\\ Component\\ Title} &
       \multicolumn{3}{c|}{} &
     \cellcolor{bgcolour}\centering\Centerstack{Total\\ (out of 70)} &
       \multicolumn{2}{c|}{} \\ \hline
       \rowcolor{bgcolour} &
       \multicolumn{4}{Oc|}{ Score(s) } & & \\[-0.5pt]%
\hhline{~|-|-|-|-|~~}
\rowcolor{bgcolour}
       \multirow{-2}{*}{Criteria} & \centering 4 & \centering 3 & \centering 2 &\centering 1 &
       \multirow{-2}{*}{\Centerstack{Weightage\\ ($w$)}} &
       \multirow{-2}{*}{\Centerstack{Marks\\ ($s\times w$)}} \\ \hline
       Game & The game is fully functional. & The game can be played but with some oversights. &
      The game cannot be played. & An idea for a game is presented. & 1.5 & \\ \hline
       Instructions &
       Instructions are clear and easy to follow. \newline The game can be played by others without the help of the creator. &
       Instructions are somewhat clear and easy to follow. \newline The game can be played by others with minimal help from the creator &
       Instructions are unclear and a verbal description of the game is necessary. &
       Instructions are incomplete. & 2.5 & \\ \hline
       \Centerstack{Probability\\ Analysis} &
       Analysis is complex and presented accurately. The idea of fair game is clearly explained. &
       Analysis is somewhat complex and presented accurately. The idea of fair game is clearly explained. &
       Analysis is simple and presented accurately. The idea of fair game is clearly explained. &
       Analysis is presented inaccurately or the idea of fair game is not explained clearly. & 10 & \\ \hline
       \Centerstack{Difficulties\\ and \\ Improvements} &
      Difficulties and improvements are well described. & Difficulties and improvements are mentioned. &
      Difficulties or improvements are included. & Both difficulties and improvements are left out. & 1.5 & \\ \hline
       \Centerstack{Neatness\\ and\\ Organisation} &
       The work is presented in a neat, clear, and organised way that is easy to read. &
       The work is presented in a neat and organised way that is usually easy to read. &
       The work is organised but may be hard to read at times. &
       The work is sloppy and unorganised. It is hard to know what information goes together. & 1 & \\ \hline
       \multicolumn{6}{|Or|}{TOTAL} & \\ \hline
   \end{tabularx}%}
\end{table}
\end{landscape}}

\end{document}

Gaps between merged cells in tables is in white and the line is seen

1 Answers1