# Table wanted that breaks across pages and has the wanted horizontal size

Working quite a time now with tables I get the impression that sizes are not respected.

I usually do:

  \begin{longtable}[H]{|m{0.3\linewidth}|m{0.7\linewidth}|}
\hline
\hline
Content\\\hline
\caption{Caption}
\end{longtable}


The horizontal size is bigger than expected. I compare the endpoint of the line above the footer with the right margin of the table. Those 2 shall get the same x-value, which is not the case yet.

When I use tabularx the x-value is the same:

  \begin{tabularx}{\linewidth}{|lX|}
\hline
Content & Content \\
\hline
\end{tabularx}


But since I have tables that are longer than one page I need a new solution since tabularx just keeps continuing the table into the footer and does not break on a new page. As suggested here, I changed to longtable: Continuing table on multiple pages with tabularx

longtable properly breaks across pages (even repeating the header) but does not respect the size, tabularx respects the size but does not break across pages. Is there a working solution to this issue?

EDIT: For all those searching the answer here is the working code I use now (2 columns example):

\begin{longtable}{|m{0.25\dimexpr\linewidth-4\tabcolsep-3\arrayrulewidth}|m{0.75\dimexpr\linewidth-4\tabcolsep-3\arrayrulewidth}|}
\hline
\textbf{1} & \textbf{2}\\\hline
\hline
\textbf{1} & \textbf{2}\\\hline
1 & 2\\\hline
\caption{1}
\end{longtable}

• [H]? Get rid of that. Sep 6, 2016 at 8:16
• Load package showframe to better judge. At the left and right of every cell content, a bit of space is added. Try @{} between the different columns (column definition). Sep 6, 2016 at 8:17
• longtable has no H option any the table is specified too wide {|m{0.3\linewidth}|m{0.7\linewidth}|} has a total width of \linewidth+4\tabcolsep+3\arrayrulewidth Sep 6, 2016 at 8:18
• longtable respects the size that you specified, you just specified the wrong size:-) Sep 6, 2016 at 8:21

You have to leave space for the column padding and rules so

\newlength\mylength
\setlength\mylength{\dimexpr\linewidth-4\tabcolsep-3\arrayrulewidth}
% in general you need to remove
% 2\tabcolsep for each column and 1\arrayrulewidth for each |

....

\begin{longtable}{|m{0.3\mywidth}|m{0.7\mywidth}|}

• So would this guys be of use? \newlength\mylengthForOneColumn \setlength\mylengthForOneColumn{\dimexpr\linewidth-3\tabcolsep-2\arrayrulewidth} \newlength\mylengthForTwoColumns \setlength\mylengthForTwoColumns{\dimexpr\linewidth-4\tabcolsep-3\arrayrulewidth} \newlength\mylengthForThreeColumns \setlength\mylengthForThreeColumns{\dimexpr\linewidth-5\tabcolsep-4\arrayrulewidth} \newlength\mylengthForFourColumns \setlength\mylengthForFourColumns{\dimexpr\linewidth-6\tabcolsep-5\arrayrulewidth} Sep 6, 2016 at 8:52
• @gentlesea In general, vertical rules should be avoided. They are often just distracting. Sep 6, 2016 at 8:55
• @gentlesea There are packages like supertabular and ltxtable and others that probaly can do a better job. David Carlisle will know more. Sep 6, 2016 at 8:56
• @gentlesea no point in defining them all in advance. (and for one column you want to subtract 2\tabcolsep not 3) just allocate \mylength once in the preamble and then set it just before the table in each case adjusting for whatever columns and rules (or @-expressions that you have that take up width. Sep 6, 2016 at 9:03
• @gentlesea: If you want to predefine some common tabular preamble setups, use \newcolumntype. E.g. \newcolumntype\tabtwocol{p{2cm}p{\dimexpr\linewidth-2cm-4\tabcolsep}} Sep 6, 2016 at 9:52