# Spacing between columns table

Would you know why the spacing between column "ssDNA8" and "dsDNA2" on line 2 looks more narrow than between "ssDNA1" and "dsDNA0", "ssDNA5" and "dsDNA5" ?

\begin{table}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{@{}l@{\hspace*{0.1cm}}c@{\hspace*{0.4cm}}c@{\hspace*
{0.6cm}}c@{\hspace*{0.4cm}}c@{\hspace*{0.6cm}}c@{\hspace*{0.4cm}}c@{}}
\toprule
&\multicolumn{1}{c}{ssDNA8} & {dsDNA2} & {ssDNA1} & {dsDNA0} & {ssDNA5} &
{dsDNA5} \\
\hline
\\[-1em]
A$_{\text{1}}$&\multicolumn{1}{c}{1240 ± 80} & {1540 ± 100} & {4420 ± 30} &
{8960 ± 30} & {1110 ± 40} & {8880 ± 20} \\
\bottomrule
\hline
\end{tabular}
\label{table1}
\end{table}


I would like to have a small and identical spacing in line 2, between columns "ssDNA8" and "dsDNA2", "ssDNA1" and "dsDNA0", "ssDNA5" and "dsDNA5" and a larger and identical spacing between columns "dsDNA2"and "ssDNA1", "dsDNA0"and "ssDNA5".

• Welcome! Between columns, in the table preamble, you have a series of @\hspace{some length} with lengths from 1 mm to 6 mm, that's all. The normal spacing is fixed by the value of \tabcolsep, 6pt if I remember well (~ 2 mm), and you can change it. – Bernard Aug 4 '17 at 11:31
• Maybe just remove those manual hspaces and instead \setlength{\tabcolsep}{8pt} or some other length that looks good to you. In this way, you can adjust the spaces between all columns at the same time. – Michael Palmer Aug 4 '17 at 11:34
• However I would like to set the spacing between some columns differently in a repetitive manner. – Mathy Aug 4 '17 at 11:46
• And what would this "repeated manner" be? – Mico Aug 4 '17 at 11:49
• I would like to have a small and identical spacing in line 2, between columns "ssDNA8" and "dsDNA2", "ssDNA1" and "dsDNA0", "ssDNA5" and "dsDNA5" and a larger and identical spacing between columns "dsDNA2"and "ssDNA1", "dsDNA0"and "ssDNA5". – Mathy Aug 4 '17 at 11:50

Something along the following lines may be what you're looking for. I suggest that if you want to vary the amounts of intercolumn whitespace, you should make it really obvious. 4mm vs 6mm may simply not be enough variation; consider 3mm and 8mm, say, instead.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{booktabs} %% for \toprule, \midrule, and \bottomrule macros

% Choose the values of the following 2 length parameters to suit your needs:
\newlength\lengtha \setlength\lengtha{3mm}
\newlength\lengthb \setlength\lengthb{8mm}

\begin{document}
\begin{table}
\caption{Some caption} \label{table1}
\medskip
\centering
\begin{tabular}{@{} l
@{\hspace*{2mm}}     c
@{\hspace*{\lengtha}}c
@{\hspace*{\lengthb}}c
@{\hspace*{\lengtha}}c
@{\hspace*{\lengthb}}c
@{\hspace*{\lengtha}}c @{}}
\toprule
& ssDNA8 & dsDNA2 & ssDNA1 & dsDNA0 & ssDNA5 & dsDNA5 \\
\midrule
A$_{1}$ & $1240\pm80$ & $1540\pm100$ & $4420\pm30$ & $8960\pm30$ & $1110\pm40$ & $8880\pm20$ \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}

\end{document}