multicoltab

multicoltab is a non-floating table environment whose rows may continue in the next multicols column or on the next page. It also works in ordinary one-column text, where rows continue only on later pages.

Version: 0.6a (2026-09-02)

Author and maintainer: Andres Zanzani, azanzani@gmail.com.

Overview

There is one environment and one normal row syntax:

left cell & right cell \\

multicoltab reads every top-level \\ as the end of a source row. It then typesets that row as an independent tabularx. Consequently, LaTeX may break between rows but never in the middle of a row.

The final \\ is optional. Use \newline for a line break inside a cell. A \\ inside braces is also safe because it is not treated as an outer row end.

The complete body is read before any row is printed. This lets the package measure natural l, c and r columns across the complete table and use the same column widths for every row. A small allowance is added to those measured widths so a cell whose text is exactly at the measured width is not split at a hyphenation point. Use X or a fixed-width paragraph column for cells that are intended to contain long, wrapping text.

Why not longtable?

longtable is the usual choice for a table that continues across ordinary pages. However, it modifies LaTeX's output routine and therefore does not work inside multicols (or in ordinary twocolumn pages). multicoltab is designed for that missing case: it emits each row as a separate tabularx, allowing multicols to move from one column to the next between rows.

The packages have different purposes. Use longtable when you need its captions, page headers and footers, or footnotes in a conventional full-width multi-page table. Use multicoltab for a non-floating table or list that must flow through multicols; it also provides explicit column and page continuation commands with optional heading repetition.

Minimal example

\usepackage{multicol}
\usepackage{multicoltab}

\begin{multicols}{2}
\begin{multicoltab}{@{}p{1.8cm}X@{}}
  Armor & Reduces the damage received by a character. \\
  Shield & Can improve the character's defense. \\
  Torch & Provides light in dark places.
\end{multicoltab}
\end{multicols}

The default table width is the current \linewidth, so the same code fits each multicols column automatically.

Environment interface

\begin{multicoltab}[<options>]{<column specification>}
  <rows>
\end{multicoltab}

The optional argument is a comma-separated key list:

width=\linewidth normally needs no adjustment: inside multicols, it is the width of the current column. A heading is kept with its following row regardless of break-penalty.

Column specification

The mandatory argument contains the column specification. The package counts the following direct column tokens and keeps their widths consistent across all emitted rows. Array separators and modifiers may be placed around them.

\multicolumn may be used in an individual row. Keep the column tokens explicit in the environment specification; custom column-type aliases and *{n}{...} repetitions are not expanded while the package measures columns.

\begin{multicoltab}{@{}p{2cm}|>{\centering\arraybackslash}X|X@{}}
  Name & First value & Second value \\
  Armor & 2 & 5
\end{multicoltab}

X columns

By default, X behaves as a top-aligned p column. The standard tabularx hook changes that for all following X columns:

\renewcommand{\tabularxcolumn}[1]{m{#1}}

X columns can also be given relative widths. Their \hsize values must add up to the number of X columns, as in this two-column 1:3 split:

\begin{multicoltab}
  {>{\hsize=.5\hsize}X>{\hsize=1.5\hsize}X}
  Short label & A wider description column.
\end{multicoltab}

The usual array table parameters remain available: \tabcolsep, \arraystretch, \extrarowheight, \arrayrulewidth, \doublerulesep, and \extracolsep. Packages such as booktabs and xcolor provide their normal rules and row-colour commands when loaded by the document.

Heading commands

Every data row uses the normal cell & cell \\ syntax. The only row command is \mchead, which declares a heading; \mcheadrepeat reprints it. Both commands must end with \\.

\mchead accepts optional [<before>][<after>] arguments: material placed before and after its cells. They are useful for heading rules.

Heading kept with its first entry

Use \mchead for a table heading. It records the cells for later repetition, prints them now, and prevents a break between the heading and its first data row. This avoids a heading stranded at the foot of a column or page.

\mchead[\toprule][\midrule]
  {\textbf{Item} & \textbf{Description}} \\
Armor & Reduces damage received by a character. \\
Shield & Improves a character's defense.

Formatting a normal row

No row wrapper is needed for formatting. Put the usual table command directly before the row cells. For example, \rowcolor colours only the following row.

Potion & Restores a small number of hit points. \\
\rowcolor{gray!20}
Rope & Useful for climbing and tying equipment. \\
Map & Helps the group avoid getting lost.

Reusing a heading in place

Use \mcheadrepeat to print the most recently declared heading again without starting a new column or page. It is useful before a manually grouped set of rows; like \mchead, it stays with the following row.

\mchead{\textbf{Item} & \textbf{Description}} \\
Armor & Reduces damage. \\

\mcheadrepeat \\
Torch & Provides light.

\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage[table]{xcolor}

\begin{multicoltab}[row-sep=2pt]{@{}p{2.2cm}X@{}}
  \mchead[\toprule][\midrule]{\textbf{Item} & \textbf{Description}} \\
  Potion & Restores a small number of hit points. \\
  \rowcolor{gray!20}
  Rope & Useful for climbing and tying equipment. \\
  Map & Helps the group avoid getting lost.
\end{multicoltab}

Repeating a heading

multicols decides an automatic column break only after it has received the rows. For that reason, an automatic repeated heading at every arbitrary break is not reliable. Use an explicit break when a repeated heading is required.

Inside multicols, \multicoltabbreak \\ forces the next column and repeats the heading declared with \mchead:

\begin{multicols}{2}
\begin{multicoltab}{@{}p{1.8cm}X@{}}
  \mchead{\textbf{Item} & \textbf{Description}} \\
  Armor & Reduces damage. \\

  \multicoltabbreak \\
  Torch & Provides light.
\end{multicoltab}
\end{multicols}

Outside multicols, \multicoltabpagebreak \\ forces the next page and repeats the heading. Do not use \multicoltabpagebreak inside multicols; use \multicoltabbreak there instead.

Both break directives require an earlier \mchead. They are complete rows, so write them alone on a source line.

Columns and limitations

The environment has no two-column assumption. It works inside every \begin{multicols}{n} supported by multicol, for any integer n of at least two.

• A row is the smallest unbreakable unit. A row taller than the available space moves as a whole.
• Natural l, c and r columns are measured across the complete table and keep the same width in every emitted row. Fixed-width columns (p{...}, m{...}, b{...}) and X columns remain supported as usual.
• \multirow across rows is not supported.
• Floats, captions and footnotes retain the normal restrictions of multicols.
• The body is collected before its rows are emitted. Avoid verbatim material such as \verb in table cells; use a verbatim-safe command from another package when needed.

Examples and license

multicoltab-simple-example.tex demonstrates normal rows. multicoltab-options-example.tex demonstrates normal formatted rows and options. multicoltab-repeated-head-example.tex demonstrates repeated headings. multicoltab-columns-example.tex demonstrates three and four columns. The corresponding *-example.pdf files show their compiled output.

The package is released under LPPL 1.3c or later; see LICENSE.