\def\tabulateuse#1{% \dorecurse{\numexpr2*#1-1\relax} {\span\omit}} \appendtoks \let\use\tabulateuse \defineTABLEshorthands \to \everytabulate \starttext \starttabulate[|l|Bc|c|c|c|r|] \NC a\NC b\NC c \NC d\NC e\NC f\NC\NR \NC a\NC b\use2 \NC d\NC e\NC f\NC\NR \NC a\NC b\use3 \NC e\NC f\NC\NR \NC a\use4 \NC e\NC f\NC\NR \stoptabulate \stoptext why is the 2nd line ok and the 3rd and 4th not? http://perce.de/temp/xx.png Herbert