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[180.150.91.8]) by smtp.gmail.com with ESMTPSA id mm19sm168782pjb.45.2020.11.02.10.36.53 for (version=TLS1_3 cipher=TLS_AES_256_GCM_SHA384 bits=256/256); Mon, 02 Nov 2020 10:36:54 -0800 (PST) User-agent: mu4e 1.4.13; emacs 27.1 From: TEC To: org-mode-email Subject: Tables: missing multi-col/row syntax Date: Tue, 03 Nov 2020 02:14:33 +0800 Message-ID: <87k0v361x9.fsf@gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Received-SPF: pass client-ip=2607:f8b0:4864:20::435; envelope-from=tecosaur@gmail.com; helo=mail-pf1-x435.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: , 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=h/ZSESCQ; 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: JmfPuGM4OmtE 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.