[texhax] TeX Query 6: First argument/value of \settabs and the number of columns in the table

Paul Isambert zappathustra at free.fr
Mon Dec 3 06:40:42 CET 2012


Paul Stanley <paulrichardstanley at gmail.com> a écrit:
> Hi folks,
> 
> It seems that the first argument/value passed to zsettabs doesn't 
> make much difference to the output. For example with `zsettabs 2 
> zcolumns', it is still possible to typeset three columns in the 
> "table" and the TeX compiler makes no plaintiff noises.  Here's an example:
> 
> %start code
> {\hsize = 5cm \settabs 2 \columns
> \+column 1&column 2&column 3\cr
> \+one&cattle&herd\cr
> \+two&fish&school\cr
> \+three&lions&pride\cr}
> 
> \bye
> %end code
> 
> produces the same output as:
> 
> %start code
> {\hsize = 5cm \settabs 3 \columns
> \+column 1&column 2&column 3\cr
> \+one&cattle&herd\cr
> \+two&fish&school\cr
> \+three&lions&pride\cr}
> 
> \bye
> %end code
> 
> Any idea what's going on?

The number of declared columns doesn't prevent you from using more, it
just sets the size of each column; in your previous message (TeX Query 5), 
you said 

> The `\hsize' value determines the length of the gap between the 
> left-most edge of the left column and the left-most edge of the right 
> column for each pair of columns.

but actually \hsize sets the width of the entire line (as usual); then

    \settabs 2 \columns

creates columns with a width of half the width of a line, while

    \settabs 5 \columns

creates columns whose width is a fifth of a line, and so on. Again,
that doesn't prevent you from using as many columns as you wish, it
simply sets their widths.

(I have nothing else to say on your previous message, TeX Query 5, which
is why I didn't reply to it; but I'm no \settabs wizard.)

Best,
Paul



More information about the texhax mailing list