path: root/doc/user/tbl_mark

@Section
    @Title { Vertical alignment of tables }
    @Tag { tbl_mark }
@Begin
@PP
Occasionally the vertical alignment of a table with objects to its left
tables. @RawIndex { tables }
tables.vertical.alignment @SubIndex { vertical alignment of }
vertical.alignment @Index { vertical alignment of tables }
and right becomes an issue.  Examples are hard to find, but let's say
that we need to construct a symbol
@ID @AmberLight
and include it in running text.  The obvious first attempt at a table
with three rows is
@ID -1px @Break @OneRow @Code @Verbatim {
@Tbl
   aformat { @Cell A }
   margin { 0i }
   strut { no }
{
@Rowa A { @OpenCircle }
@Rowa A { @ClosedCircle }
@Rowa A { @OpenCircle }
}
}
where @Code "@OpenCircle" and @Code "@ClosedCircle" produce open and
closed circles (they may be defined using the @Code "@Diag" package);
but this produces
@Tbl
   aformat { @Cell A }
   margin { 0i }
   strut { no }
{
@Rowa A { @OpenCircle }
@Rowa A { @ClosedCircle }
@Rowa A { @OpenCircle }
}
in running text, because vertical alignment is by default through the
top boundary of the table.  To make the alignment pass through one of
the rows, replace its @Code "@Row" symbol by a corresponding
tables. @RawIndex { tables }
tables.markrow @SubIndex { @Code "@MarkRow" symbols }
thing.tables @Index { @Code "@MarkRow" symbols (tables) }
@Code "@MarkRow" symbol.  Here is the revised table, enclosed in a
definition for ease of use:
amberlight @Index { @Code "@AmberLight" symbol }
@ID -1px @Break @OneRow @Code @Verbatim {
import @TblSetup
def @AmberLight
{
    @OneRow @Tbl
         aformat { @Cell indentvertical { align } A }
         margin { 0i }
         strut { no }
         paint { no }
         rule { no }
     {
         @Rowa A { @OpenCircle }
         @MarkRowa A { @ClosedCircle }
         @Rowa A { @OpenCircle }
     }
}
}
Now when we write
@ID @Code "produces @AmberLight in running text"
we find that this definition produces @AmberLight in running text, as
desired.  We have enclosed the table in @Code "@OneRow" to ensure that
its rows will never become separated, and added some options just in
case the definition is ever used with a setup file (Section
{@NumberOf tbl_setu}) that has default painting or rules.
@End @Section