Rotate text in multirow long text table

Question

I have a problem when rotating a text in \multirow cell table. The obtained rotated text is not well centered in the middle of the cell; additionally, the text seems to be not merged with the wanted cells.

Here is the code I'm using:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx,multirow}
\usepackage{adjustbox}
\usepackage{chngpage}
\usepackage{booktabs}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}
\caption{ Classifications of problems being studied in Swarm robotics.}
\label{tab:classification}
\centering
 \begin{adjustwidth}{-.5in}{-.5in}  
 \begin{adjustbox}{max width=1.2\textwidth}
\begin{tabular}{p{0.4\textwidth} p{0.35\textwidth} p{0.32\textwidth}  p{0.2\textwidth}  p{0.15\textwidth}}
\toprule
Problematic &Sources of inspiration & Modeling approaches & Research literatures samples & Classification\\
\midrule
\textbf{Aggregation}: Clustering swarm robots in a region of the environment.
& 
- Nature (e.g. Aggregation bacteria, cockroaches, bees, fish and penguins).
&
- Probabilistic finite state machines.\newline
- Artificial evolution.&
- [20] and [21] & 
\multirow{4}{*}{\rotatebox[origin=c]{90}{Spatially organizing behaviors}}
\\
\midrule
\textbf{Pattern formation}: Deploying robots in a regular and repetitive manner from
which specific distances are kept between each other in order to create a desired
pattern. &
- Biology (e.g. the spatial disposition of bacterial colonies and the chromatic patterns on some animals). \newline
- Physics (e.g. molecules distribution and crystal formation).&
- Virtual physics-based design. &
- [22] &
\\
\midrule
\textbf{Chain formation}: Auto-Positioning robots to connect into two points. The
chain that they form can then be used as a guide for navigation or for
surveillance. &
- Foraging ants.  &
- Probabilistic finite state machines.\newline
- Virtual physics based design.\newline
- Artificial evolution&
- [23] and [24] &
\\
\midrule
\textbf{Self-assembly and morphogenesis}: Connecting physically swarm robots to each other to create structures (morphologies). &
- Foraging ants. &
- Probabilistic finite state machines.\newline
- Virtual physics based design.\newline
- Artificial evolution &
- [23] and [24] &
\\
\midrule
\textbf{Collective exploration} &
- Social animals (ants, bees…).  &
- Probabilistic finite state machines.\newline
- Virtual physics-based design.\newline
- Network routing &
- [26] and [27] & 
\multirow{3}{*}{\rotatebox[origin=c]{90}{Navigation behaviors}}
\\
\midrule
\textbf{Coordination motion}: Moving in formation similarly to schools of fish or
flocks of birds. &
- Flocking in-group of birds.\newline
- Schooling in group of fish. &
- Virtual physics-based design.\newline
- Artificial evolution&
- [28] &
\\
\midrule
\textbf{Collective transport}: Cooperating in order to transport an object. &
- Cooperative carry prey in ant colonies.&
- Probabilistic finite state machines.\newline
- Artificial evolution &
- [29]  &
\\
\midrule
\textbf{Consensus achievement}: Reaching consensus on one choice among different
alternatives. &
- Ants’ decision between the shorter of two paths using pheromones.\newline
- Bees’ decision between the best foraging area and the best nest location.\newline
- Aggregation in Cockroaches &
- Direct communication.\newline
- Indirect communication.
&
- [30] and [31]&
\multirow{2}{*}{\rotatebox[origin=c]{90}{Collective decision making}}\\
\midrule
\textbf{Task allocation}: Auto-distribution of swarm robots over different tasks To maximize the performance of the system. &
- Task allocation in ant and bee colonies. &
- Probabilistic finite state machines. &
- [32]  & \\
\bottomrule\\
\end{tabular}
\end{adjustbox}
 \end{adjustwidth}
\end{table}

\end{document}

Answer 1

edit: it seems that in the first answer I misunderstood the problem ... now I try to correct this

like this?

for above image of table the following changes has been done:

• added packages array, ragged2e, enumitem and etoolbox
• changed column width
• removed adjustbox
• defined new column type P and C
• used itemize for lists in cells
• reduced \tabcolsep distance
• multirow for rotated text now consider correct numbers of spanned lines, i.e.: for the first multirow 11 + 1 (1 for additional space introduced by \cmidrules
• for rules of rowsspanned with mutirow are used \cmidrule{1-4}`

changed mwe:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{adjustbox}
\usepackage{chngpage}
\usepackage{array, booktabs, multirow}

\usepackage{ragged2e}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage{etoolbox}
\AtBeginEnvironment{table}{%
    \setlist[itemize]{nosep,     % <-- new list setup
                      leftmargin = *         ,
                      label      = $\bullet$ ,
                      before     = \vspace{-0.6\baselineskip},
                      after      = \vspace{-\baselineskip}
                      }
                          }

\newcolumntype{P}[1]{>{\RaggedRight}p{#1}}
\newcolumntype{C}[1]{>{\Centering}p{#1}}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}
    \setlength\tabcolsep{3pt}
\caption{ Classifications of problems being studied in Swarm robotics.}
\label{tab:classification}
    \centering
\begin{adjustwidth}{-.18\textwidth}{-.18\textwidth}
\begin{tabular}{P{0.4\textwidth} P{0.3\textwidth} P{0.3\textwidth} P{0.2\textwidth} C{0.1\textwidth}}
    \toprule
Problematic
    & Sources of inspiration
    & Modeling approaches
    & Research literatures samples
    & Classi\-fication
    \\  \midrule
\textbf{Aggregation}: Clustering swarm robots in a region of the environment.
    &
\begin{itemize}
\item   Nature (e.g. Aggregation bacteria, cockroaches, bees, fish and penguins).
\end{itemize}
    &
\begin{itemize}
\item  Probabilistic finite state machines.
\item   Artificial evolution.
\end{itemize}
    &   [20] and [21]   &
\multirow{12}{*}{\rotatebox{90}{Spatially organizing behaviors}}
    \\  \cmidrule{1-4}
\textbf{Coordination motion}: Moving in formation similarly to schools of fish or
flocks of birds.
    &
\begin{itemize}
\item  Flocking in-group of birds.
\item  Schooling in group of fish.
\end{itemize}
    &
\begin{itemize}
\item  Virtual physics-based design.
\item  Artificial evolution
\end{itemize}
    &   [28]    &
    \\  \cmidrule{1-4}
\textbf{Collective transport}: Cooperating in order to transport an object.
    &
\begin{itemize}
\item  Cooperative carry prey in ant colonies.
\end{itemize}
    &
\begin{itemize}
\item  Probabilistic finite state machines.
\item  Artificial evolution
\end{itemize}
    &   [29]  &
    \\  \midrule
%
\textbf{Consensus achievement}: Reaching consensus on one choice among different
alternatives.
    &
\begin{itemize}
\item  Ants’ decision between the shorter of two paths using pheromones.
\item  Bees’ decision between the best foraging area and the best nest location.
\item  Aggregation in Cockroaches
\end{itemize}
    &
\begin{itemize}
\item  Direct communication.
\item  Indirect communication.
 \end{itemize}
   &   [30] and [31]   &
\multirow{15}{*}{\rotatebox[origin=c]{90}{Collective decision making}}
    \\  \cmidrule{1-4}
\textbf{Task allocation}: Auto-distribution of swarm robots over different tasks To maximize the performance of the system.
    &
\begin{itemize}
\item  Task allocation in ant and bee colonies.
\end{itemize}
    &
\begin{itemize}
\item  Probabilistic finite state machines.
\end{itemize}
    &   [32]    &   \\
\bottomrule
    \end{tabular}
\end{adjustwidth}
    \end{table}
\end{document}

Answer 2

I propose this solution, based on tabularx, with less horizontal rules. To simplify the typing of the table, I defines new column type, I, which an X column entering an itemize environment, so that you only have to type the \item some text. The corresponding column head have then to be typed as \multicolumns.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{geometry}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{adjustbox}%, rotating
\usepackage{changepage}
\usepackage{tabularx, multirow, makecell, caption, booktabs}
\renewcommand\theadfont{\small}

\usepackage{ragged2e}
\usepackage{enumitem}

\makeatletter
\newcommand*{\compress}{\@minipagetrue}
\makeatother
\newcolumntype{I}{>{\compress\RaggedRight\itemize[nosep, wide=0pt, label=\textendash, leftmargin=*, before=\compress, ]}X<{\enditemize}}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}[!htb]
  \small\centering
  \setlength\tabcolsep{4pt}
  \captionsetup{skip=6pt}
  \caption{ Classifications of problems being studied in Swarm robotics.}
  \label{tab:classification}
  \centering
  \begin{adjustwidth}{-0.15\textwidth}{-0.15\textwidth}
    \begin{tabularx}{\linewidth}{@{}>{\RaggedRight}p{5.6cm}IIl@{\quad}c}
      \toprule
      Problematic & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Sources of inspiration} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Modeling approaches} & \thead{Research \\ literatures \\ samples} & \rotatebox[origin=c]{90}{~Classif. }\\
      \midrule
      \textbf{Aggregation}: Clustering swarm robots in a region of the environment.
                    & \item Nature (e.g. Aggregation bacteria, cockroaches, bees, fish and penguins).
                    &
      \item Probabilistic finite state machines.
      \item Artificial evolution.
                    & [20] and [21]
                    & \multirowcell{18}[-4ex]{\rotatebox{90}{Spatially organizing behaviors}}
      \\
      \textbf{Pattern formation}: Deploying robots in a regular and repetitive manner from
      which specific distances are kept between each other in order to create a desired
      pattern.
                    &
      \item Biology (e.g. the spatial disposition of bacterial colonies and the chromatic patterns on some animals).
      \item Physics (e.g. molecules distribution and crystal formation).
                    & \item Virtual physics-based design.
                    & [22] &
      \\
      \textbf{Chain formation}: Auto-Positioning robots to connect into two points. The
      chain that they form can then be used as a guide for navigation or for
      surveillance.
                    & \item Foraging ants.
                    &
      \item Probabilistic finite state machines.
      \item Virtual physics based design.
      \item Artificial evolution
                    &
      [23] and [24] &
      \\
      \addlinespace[2ex]
      \textbf{Self-assembly and morphogenesis}: Connecting physically swarm robots to each other to create structures (morphologies).
                    & \item Foraging ants.
                    &
      \item Probabilistic finite state machines.
      \item Virtual physics based design.
      \item Artificial evolution
                    & [23] and [24] &
      \\
      \midrule
      \textbf{Collective exploration}
                    & \item Social animals (ants, bees…).
                    &
      \item Probabilistic finite state machines.
      \item Virtual physics-based design.
      \item Network routing
                    & [26] and [27] &
      \multirowcell{8}[-2.5ex]{\rotatebox[origin=c]{90}{Navigation behaviors}}
      \\
      \textbf{Coordination motion}: Moving in formation similarly to schools of fish or flocks of birds.
                    &
      \item Flocking in-group of birds.
      \item Schooling in group of fish.
                    &
      \item Virtual physics-based design.
      \item Artificial evolution
                    & [28] &
      \\
      \addlinespace[2ex]
      \textbf{Collective transport}: Cooperating in order to transport an object.
                    & \item Cooperative carry prey in ant colonies.
                    &
      \item Probabilistic finite state machines.
      \item Artificial evolution
                    & [29] &
      \\
      \addlinespace[-2.5ex]
      \midrule
      \textbf{Consensus achievement}: Reaching consensus on one choice among different alternatives.
                    &
      \item Ants’ decision between the shorter of two paths using pheromones.
      \item Bees’ decision between the best foraging area and the best nest location.
      \item Aggregation in Cockroaches
                    &
      \item Direct communication.
      \item Indirect communication.
                    & [30] and [31] %
                    & \multirowcell{10}[-1.7ex]{\rotatebox[origin=l]{90}{Collective decision making}}
      \\%
      \textbf{Task allocation}: Auto-distribution of swarm robots over different tasks To maximize the performance of the system.
                    & \item Task allocation in ant and bee colonies.
                    & \item Probabilistic finite state machines.
                    & [32] & \\
      \bottomrule
    \end{tabularx}
  \end{adjustwidth}
\end{table}

\end{document}