On Thu, 15 Jul 2010 02:33:03 -0600, Peter Rolf
has to do with the way the column width is calculated. the combined entries (2+3,4+5) in row one can only influence (increase) the total width of the involved columns, but they can not give an answer to the question how wide the single columns should be. in the end you need a linear system of equations (and metapost) to solve this. and there is also no guarantee that it is solvable in all (more complex) cases. col2=col3; col4=col5; col2+col3= ....; col4+col5= ....;
Ok... But it seems inescapable that this is a bug in some sense. If we simplify things, compare ====================================== \starttext \starttables[|c|c|] \HL \VL \Use{2}[c]{B} \VL\AR \HL \VL B \VL B \VL\AR \HL \stoptables \blank \starttables[|c|c|] \HL \VL \Use{2}[c]{BBBBBBB} \VL\AR \HL \VL B \VL B \VL\AR \HL \stoptables \stoptext ==================================== Your mathematical explanation makes sense, but to a new user I doubt one could convince him/her that the second table is a feature and not a bug. But I understand that the challenge may be complicated. Till then, we need a simple workaround if that's possible.
also: i can't imagine how a user interface for this should look like.
\setuptables[spanalign=balance] or something....
maybe like this...
That's a great workaround, and I appreciate it. But what about new users? There has got to be a more elegant solution to this seemingly simple table. Row two just does not look right...
true, but this is font related. you can see this by using \ruledhbox{ʿAlī}. you have to add some manual kerning (\kern-0.??em ...) then.
I don't see the font-relatedness, even with \ruledhbox... Hence the above simple test case. As we work to bring ConTeXt to a wider audience -- I'm currently involved with such efforts, we should keep track of outwardly "simple" cases like the above ... Thanks again and Best wishes Idris -- Professor Idris Samawi Hamid, Editor-in-Chief International Journal of Shīʿī Studies Department of Philosophy Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523