From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: from mp2 ([2001:41d0:2:4a6f::]) (using TLSv1.3 with cipher TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384 (256/256 bits)) by ms11 with LMTPS id cPUsMRFioF/vZAAA0tVLHw (envelope-from ) for ; Mon, 02 Nov 2020 19:46:25 +0000 Received: from aspmx1.migadu.com ([2001:41d0:2:4a6f::]) (using TLSv1.3 with cipher TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384 (256/256 bits)) by mp2 with LMTPS id UMgALRFioF/XagAAB5/wlQ (envelope-from ) for ; Mon, 02 Nov 2020 19:46:25 +0000 Received: from lists.gnu.org (lists.gnu.org [209.51.188.17]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384 (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by aspmx1.migadu.com (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 640909401CD for ; Mon, 2 Nov 2020 19:46:25 +0000 (UTC) Received: from localhost ([::1]:38168 helo=lists1p.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.90_1) (envelope-from ) id 1kZfma-0006I3-1S for larch@yhetil.org; Mon, 02 Nov 2020 14:46:24 -0500 Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:470:142:3::10]:59142) by lists.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS1.2:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_GCM_SHA384:256) (Exim 4.90_1) (envelope-from ) id 1kZfmC-0006Hu-5r for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Mon, 02 Nov 2020 14:46:00 -0500 Received: from mail-wm1-x32d.google.com ([2a00:1450:4864:20::32d]:39160) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS1.2:ECDHE_RSA_AES_128_GCM_SHA256:128) (Exim 4.90_1) (envelope-from ) id 1kZfmA-0000iK-G9 for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Mon, 02 Nov 2020 14:45:59 -0500 Received: by mail-wm1-x32d.google.com with SMTP id 205so2885711wma.4 for ; Mon, 02 Nov 2020 11:45:57 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20161025; h=mime-version:references:in-reply-to:from:date:message-id:subject:to :cc; bh=p22+e4kkBOUoNLEXW3N5Ak1supbaKyghZ292FhbFmzQ=; b=WROb4D6jc+IKiHcnl1nCmP0iRSnrM7cegrEXrrygGLJ/Ue5q6PCTDxM6WtW4NETd84 YlW85TSl9h35L6EQS9vLgSErfY/qOM7GkwIMpfFIkOrxxGEciaqYJLNqv+j+UuOjOUa6 zU6UrAYKu06oyaGpGGcbHzHvnfThQYKKmUYFxVp7/bBcRNwJrMHG2SsUq7AsEFuJZ17Y F4LWod83ZlEJIgn/GtRpFAU6pA/vk4MDdJH334Z/81rVB7optAU2u0vjohUe0PgfMiiM cZD0Steni0CiM+9wvTqc0YCS+ukkJOZjZg3X6/ZWLBMxexRxUuzveeJwUmos6gD3DKzq UJtQ== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20161025; h=x-gm-message-state:mime-version:references:in-reply-to:from:date :message-id:subject:to:cc; bh=p22+e4kkBOUoNLEXW3N5Ak1supbaKyghZ292FhbFmzQ=; b=WB/7thw1DTXc4DWEUmbsXO5so4ACVFP0qkNwDrO+MwNHfCNGiNzLlcPThJG+nhwMrI lGFtodH3X+FhCYxlLjzTRxZ9e6D6JJ5b97L/7ldT5OQAIVs2MEyLDpyohkGnooncjIjO qiOR/M3F47+LNRSiux2rHbZjl5q267Qp1s5RhPdTXcP8W0+mV1y1CLNbsAPtNs3QrlRA b3ffX29o/sEgPSc4YWBes7FLobKNnB8EvPl7dK2R/SS7BWWgG3f721XISX688nSe/wij cb7EvsXVULuSdmykHDSNe4kclJPZh81qgOUzlcIprxohWyKtfvlGsfZNFEi5MxUr9IpR cdQA== X-Gm-Message-State: AOAM531JPpIqFTIfz0MOs5Fvg+dSawCKQyVmq1qQo9RquD6Gi5Rg/HhX bwlFsBOWyytFiHyHeOXnMQHidhlxnk4uLCn9N68= X-Google-Smtp-Source: ABdhPJwCrWWW7QB8OPxEuu+QuRE+rCB1QE1KxUQ58kRMsHsR2vHTu3ZIuSMDTFw+TkuvqMyzcwu6lppTvpZLEyjE0Ag= X-Received: by 2002:a1c:1b85:: with SMTP id b127mr192741wmb.163.1604346356085; Mon, 02 Nov 2020 11:45:56 -0800 (PST) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <87k0v361x9.fsf@gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <87k0v361x9.fsf@gmail.com> From: Tom Gillespie Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2020 14:45:44 -0500 Message-ID: Subject: Re: Tables: missing multi-col/row syntax To: TEC Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Received-SPF: pass client-ip=2a00:1450:4864:20::32d; envelope-from=tgbugs@gmail.com; helo=mail-wm1-x32d.google.com X-detected-operating-system: by eggs.gnu.org: No matching host in p0f cache. That's all we know. X-Spam_score_int: -20 X-Spam_score: -2.1 X-Spam_bar: -- X-Spam_report: (-2.1 / 5.0 requ) BAYES_00=-1.9, DKIM_SIGNED=0.1, DKIM_VALID=-0.1, DKIM_VALID_AU=-0.1, DKIM_VALID_EF=-0.1, FREEMAIL_FROM=0.001, RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE=-0.0001, SPF_HELO_NONE=0.001, SPF_PASS=-0.001 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no X-Spam_action: no action X-BeenThere: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.23 Precedence: list List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Cc: org-mode-email Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+larch=yhetil.org@gnu.org Sender: "Emacs-orgmode" X-Scanner: ns3122888.ip-94-23-21.eu Authentication-Results: aspmx1.migadu.com; dkim=pass header.d=gmail.com header.s=20161025 header.b=WROb4D6j; dmarc=pass (policy=none) header.from=gmail.com; spf=pass (aspmx1.migadu.com: domain of emacs-orgmode-bounces@gnu.org designates 209.51.188.17 as permitted sender) smtp.mailfrom=emacs-orgmode-bounces@gnu.org X-Spam-Score: -1.71 X-TUID: rwHDVgB0vjPm Any support for something like this would need to retain backward compatibility as well to avoid older versions reformatting the tables due to e.g. the presence of a double pipe. I also think that extending the table syntax in ways that makes it more complex than it already is, will be a non-starter. Thus, an alternate but more likely approach would be to allow specification of what cells to merge outside the table as is done for formulas. It is not elegant, but it would be a layer on top of existing syntax, and it would allow the fundamental structure of the table to remain the same -- rows of cells. For example #+TBLCELLMERGE: @2-3$1 or something like that. Thoughts? Tom On Mon, Nov 2, 2020 at 1:37 PM TEC wrote: > > Hi all, > > This is a pretty major 'feature request', but I think also an > important > one. > > When developing large tables, it can often be /necessary/ to start > using > multi-column/row cells for clarity, and sensible exporting > results. > > As far as I am aware, in Org does not currently have any > multi-col/row > syntax. The only viable method seems to be re-implementing the > table > using export blocks in every backend you may want to export to (in > my > case, usually TeX + HTML). This is clumsy, difficult to work with, > and > could be avoided should org gain support for multi-col/row syntax. > > I appreciate that this would constitute a major change both the > Org's > syntax and the codebase, but I believe such a change is warranted > by the > advantages it would provide. > > Both how this can be implemented while minimising/eliminating the > chance > of breaking well-formed current table elements, and what syntax > may be > both acceptable and seem sensible to use. > > I would anticipate such a feature working by designating two > characters > to indicate "add row" and "add column". For example "|" and "-". > These > characters would take affect when /immediately following/ (no > space) a > cell separator ("|"), and designate the dimensions of the top > right cell. > > Example: > | a | b | c | > |---+---+---| > | a | - | | | > | - | b | . | > | . | | | c | > > Would be interpreted just as any current table is. > > However, > > | hello | there | you | > |-------+-------+------| > || two column | cell | > > Contains a 2x1 cell. > > | a little | test | > |----------+------| > |- hello | hi | > | two row | you | > > Contains a 1x2 cell. In a more complex example: > > | a | b | c | > |---+---+---| > ||-- hi | a | > | two x | . | > | three | b | > | c | - | . | > > Contains a 2x3 cell. > > This is just the first syntax that comes to mind, but hopefully > the > general form of this idea seems viable. > > All the best, > > Timothy. >