[OS X TeX] How to fit a table into the letter size paper

[Alain Schremmer]

On Dec 29, 2008, at 5:18 PM, Ross Moore wrote:

> If you want a wide table to look good, then you
> have to put serious work into formatting the row
> header cells, by careful choice of styles, sizes,
> widths and alignments.

[…]

> Here's what can be done, in your case:
>
> <texshop_image.jpeg>
> Here's the modified coding (additions to preamble
> and the coding for the table itself):
>
>
> \newcommand{\cm}{\mathop{\mathrm{cm}}}
> \newcommand{\gm}{\mathop{\mathrm{g}}}
> \newcommand{\secs}{\mathop{\mathrm{s}}}
>
> \newcommand{\colhead}[2]{{\centering\footnotesize#1\par
>   \centering \scriptsize$#2$\par}}
> \newcommand{\mycolhead}[3][\normcol]{&\multicolumn{1}{p{#1}} 
> {\colhead{#2}{#3}}}
> \newcommand{\widecol}{1.5cm}
> \newcommand{\medcol}{1.31cm}
> \newcommand{\normcol}{.8cm}
>
> \begin{document}
> \maketitle
>
> \noindent
> {\footnotesize  % local table definitions
> \addtolength{\tabcolsep}{-2pt}
> %\begin{tabular}{ccccccccccc}
> \begin{tabular}{cllllllllll}
> \hline
> \multicolumn{1}{p{\widecol}}{\colhead{Soil depth}{\cm}}
> \mycolhead{Sand}{\%}
> \mycolhead{Silt}{\%}
> \mycolhead{Clay}{\%}
> \mycolhead[\medcol]{BD}{\gm\cm^{-3}}
> \mycolhead[\medcol]{FC}{\cm^3\cm^{-3}}
> \mycolhead[\medcol]{K}{\cm\sec^{-1}}
> \mycolhead[\medcol]{WP}{\cm^3\cm^{-3}}
> \mycolhead{pH}{\quad}
> \mycolhead{Root}{\%}
> \mycolhead{OM}{\%}
> \\
> \noalign{\vskip-\medskipamount}
> 0--2 & & & & & & & & & & \\
> 2--5 & & & & & & & & & & \\
> \phantom{1}5--10 & & & & & & & & & & \\
> 10--20 & & & & & & & & & & \\
> 20--30 & & & & & & & & & & \\
> 30--45 & & & & & & & & & & \\
> 45--60 & & & & & & & & & & \\
> 60--75 & & & & & & & & & & \\
> 75--90 & & & & & & & & & & \\
> \phantom{1}90--105 & & & & & & & & & & \\
> 105--120+\kern-8pt& & & & & & & & & & \\
> \hline
> \end{tabular}
> }% end of local table definitions

A superb example of the difference between an expert and a clod like  
myself—who is going to study the example.

Envious regards
--schremmer