Table Elements and Attributes

The Table element may be used to for both layout and data (tabular) tables. Layout tables are used to structure the page layout and for specific spacing requirements. Data tables are used to present information in a tabular format with cell contents that map to logical column and row headers.

Note: If you have purchased the Tagged PDF Outputs add-on license, refer to Accessibility in Tagged PDF Outputs Implementation Guide for details on how to author tables to generate proper accessibility tags.
Typical child elements within a Table element consist of the following:

Table Elements

ElementDescription
tableThe Table element contains attributes that defines the overall structure of the table such as frame/borders, border weight, font size, etc. A Table element may contain multiple tgroup elements and may be added to an entry element to create a nested table structure.
Note: If you have purchased the Tagged PDF Outputs add-on license, refer to Accessibility in Tagged PDF Outputs Implementation Guide for details on authoring tables.
tgroupThe tgroup element is the container to define the table contents. Add the tgroup element as a child of the Table element. Child elements and attributes may be added to the tgroup element to define number of columns, column width, alignment, etc. Add the thead element as a child to further define the table columns. Add the tbody element as a child to define the cell contents. Note: multiple tgroup elements may be added to a given table.
theadThe thead element is the container for rows that are the column headings.
Note: If you have purchased the Tagged PDF Outputs add-on license, refer to Accessibility in Tagged PDF Outputs Implementation Guide for details on authoring the thead element.
tbodyThe tbody element is the container for the body of the table. Add the row>entry element as a child of the tbody to content for each row/cell.
Iterator/Choose/ConditionThese elements may also be used as a child of the thead and tbody table elements.

See Using Rules for information on how to author these elements.

rowThe row element is the container for the all cells in the row which are represented as entries.
entryAn entry element may be added as a child of the row element. The entry element defines the data/content for the table. Each entry under a row represents the content for each column; the first entry is the first column, the second entry is the second column, etc.
Note: A child Para element is automatically inserted into each entry when a table is created. This helps to reduce time in working with tables as the para is the most common child element for the entry element.
SortByWrapper/SummedRow/ResultEntrySee Defining the Number of Rows (SortByWrapper Element) for further information.
TotalSummedRow/TotalResultEntry/ SummedEntry See Authoring for TILA/RESPA Rounding for further information. These new elements have been implemented specifically to support a new rounding method for the TILA/RESPA Loan Estimate document.

Table Element Attributes

The following attributes are the most common available for table elements and offer some control over how the stylesheet will format the content:
ElementAttributeDescription
table FontSize This attribute allows the user to specify the font size explicitly (measured in points). This may be needed when a regulatory rule requires a specific font size be used (i.e. 16pt).
frame/FrameWeight These attributes allows the user to specify the frame (borders) and border weight explicitly for the entire table. If the frame is not authored, the default applied is none. The following options are available for the frame attribute: top, bottom, topbot, all, sides, none. The FrameWeight attribute may be specified in either points or inches (i.e. .05in, 1.5pt)
ReadOrder
Note: If you have purchased the Tagged PDF Outputs add-on license, refer to Accessibility in Tagged PDF Outputs Implementation Guide for details on authoring the ReadOrder element.
tgroup cols Specify the total number of columns for the table.
tgroup/colspec colwidth Specify a colspec element for each column to further define the column details. Add the colwidth attribute to each colspec element to define the amount of space each column will reserve. Enter the desired value using inches (1in) or use the asterisk (1.*) to evenly divide the columns based on the total page width. Each colwidth may be different but the total combined colwidths cannot exceed 7.5 inches.
thead FontStyle When this attribute is added, a default value of Regular is applied, indicating the associated content is formatted without bolding or italics. Valid values include:
  • Regular
  • Bold
  • Italic
  • Bold Italic
row RowHeight This attribute allows the user to specify the height of a row explicitly (measured in inches).
entry align Controls the horizontal alignment of the cells contents. Possible values: left, right, center, justify, char. Default alignment is left.
BackgroundColor Sets the background color or shading of the cell. The following color options are available: Black, Gray, Red, LightGray, IntDiscGray, MetadataValue. Selecting ‘MetadataValue’ will use the color specificed in the stylesheet element InstanceFormattingMetadata/TableCellBackgroundColor element.
TopBorder/RightBorder/BottomBorder/LeftBorder

*BorderColor / *Weight

There are four sets of attributes for each border side (*top, right, bottom and left) and each attribute has a corresponding color and weight attribute. Use these attributes to draw border lines around a cell; use the weight will specify the thickness of the line in points (pt).
colspan Specifies the number of columns a given cell spans. The spanning column entries are not authored. For example, assume the table has a total of 3 columns and the first column spans both columns 1 & 2. The first entry with the colspan attribute represents two columns; therefore, only one additional entry is authored for the third column.
Note: If you have purchased the Tagged PDF Outputs add-on license, refer to Accessibility in Tagged PDF Outputs Implementation Guide for details on authoring the colspan element.
FontSize This attribute allows the user to specify the font size explicitly (measured in points). This may be needed when a regulatory rule requires a specific font size be used (i.e. 16pt).
padding Allows user to override default cell padding margins. The default is 1pt for top, right, bottom and left. The attribute value as string of four spaced points in the following format: 1pt, 2pt, 3pt, 4pt (where 1 represents top, 2 is right, 3 is bottom, and 4 if left). If the default margin only needs to change for one side, all four values must still be passed using the 1pt for the others that do not need to change (0pt, 1pt, 1pt, 1pt).
rowhead
Note: If you have purchased the Tagged PDF Outputs add-on license, refer to Acessibility in Tagged PDF Outputs Implementation Guide for details on authoring the rowhead element.
rowspan Specifies the number of rows a given cell spans. The spanning row entries are not authored. For example, assume the table has a total of 3 columns and 2 rows. The first row’s column entry spans rows 1 & 2. The first row’s column entry with the rowspan attribute represents two rows; therefore, the second row would only contain 2 entries for the 2nd and 3rd column cells of that row as the value for the first column cell is rowspan contents.
Note: If you have purchased the Tagged PDF Outputs add-on license, refer to Accessibility in Tagged PDF Outputs Implementation Guide for details on authoring the rowspan element.
valign This attribute controls the vertical alignment of the cells contents. Possible values: top, bottom, middle. The default is top.
ShrinkToCharacterCount/ShrinkToFontSize

These attributes can be authored to adjust the FontSize for a given entry’s value based on number of characters.

ShinkToCharacterCount – specify the number of characters threshold to be met to honor the ShrinkToFontSize font size specified.

ShrinkToFontSize - This attribute allows the user to specify the font size explicitly (measured in points i.e. 12pt). If the entry’s number of characters in the resolved value is >= the ShrinkToCharacterCount, the ShrinkToFontSize font size will be honored.

Note:
  • The FontSize attribute must also be authored on the same Entry element that ShrinkTo attributes are authored.
  • ShrinkToFont is supported only for Output Formats with dollar sign ($) and ‘RAW_IntDisc’ output format. It is not fully supported for number output formats.
SummedRow/ResultEntry, TotalSummedRow/ TotalResultEntry UseTRIDAddition Values: Yes, No.

A value of ‘Yes’ indicates that the result shall use the new rounding method which aggregates the values first, then rounds.