# Text Wrapping in Tables without Gaps

In the following sample latex codes of a table, how can I avoid large gaps in between symbols in the first column:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{rotating}

\begin{document}
\begin{sidewaystable}[h]
\caption{Comparsion of Methods }\label{tab:LPer}
\centering % centering table
\resizebox{\textwidth}{!}{
\begin{tabular}{|p{4cm}| c |c| ccc |ccc |ccc  |ccc| ccc| ccc|} % creating 10 columns
\hline\hline % inserting double-line
&\multicolumn{2}{c}{}&\multicolumn{3}{|c}{M 5} &\multicolumn{3}{|c}{M 1} &\multicolumn{3}{|c}{M2} &\multicolumn{3}{|c}{M3}&\multicolumn{3}{|c}{M3}&\multicolumn{3}{|c|}{M4}\\ [0.5ex]
\hline
Model \& Parameters &$Input 1$ & $Input 2$ & N & $error$& Time & N & $error$ & Time &N & $error$& Time &N & $error$ & Time & N & $error$ & Time & N & $error$& Time \\[0.5ex]
A1--a1=0.05; a2=0; a3=0.3 &$\theta$&1--100&  && & && & && & && & && & && \\[0.5ex]
\hline
A2--$\sigma=0.12,\, \theta=-0.14,\,\nu=0.2$&$\epsilon$&90--120&  && & && & && & && & && & && \\[0.5ex]
\hline % inserts single-line
\hline % inserts single-line
\end{tabular}}
\end{sidewaystable}
\end{document}

• Welcome to TeX.SE. Please provide compilable documents, not just fragments of code – user31729 Aug 24 '17 at 15:47
• Your table contains not 10, but 21 [!], columns! What are you trying to convey to your readers? – Mico Aug 24 '17 at 16:34

You can use \raggedright in the cell, but also don't use h with sidewaystable, avoid scaling tables, and don't use $ to get text italic, and finally (not shown in the image) always put the | at the right hand side of a cell unless in the first column. Never put it on the left. \documentclass{article} \usepackage{array,rotating} \begin{document} \begin{sidewaystable} \caption{Comparsion of Methods }\label{tab:LPer} \centering % centering table \footnotesize \setlength\tabcolsep{3pt} \hspace*{-10pt}% \begin{tabular}{@{}|>{\raggedright}p{4cm}| c |c|ccc|ccc|ccc|ccc|ccc|ccc|@{}} % creating 10 columns \hline\hline % inserting double-line &\multicolumn{2}{c|}{}&\multicolumn{3}{c|}{M 5} & \multicolumn{3}{c|}{M 1} &\multicolumn{3}{c|}{M2} & \multicolumn{3}{c|}{M3}& \multicolumn{3}{|}c{M3}&\multicolumn{3}{c|}{M4}\\ [0.5ex] \hline Model \& Parameters &\textit{Input} 1 & \textit{Input} 2 & N & \textit{error}& Time & N & \textit{error} & Time &N & \textit{error}& Time &N & \textit{error} & Time & N & \textit{error} & Time & N & \textit{error}& Time \\[0.5ex] A1--a1=0.05; a2=0; a3=0.3 &$\theta$&1--100& && & && & && & && & && & && \\[0.5ex] \hline A2--$\sigma=0.12,\,  \theta=-0.14,\,\nu=0.2$&$\epsilon$&90--120& && & && & && & && & && & && \\[0.5ex] \hline % inserts single-line \hline % inserts single-line \end{tabular}% \hspace*{-20pt}% \end{sidewaystable} \end{document}  In addition to using a \raggedright prefix for the p{4cm} column specification, you should also try to give your table a more open look. The following code provides an example. Note, in particular, the absence of any vertical rules; they're simply not needed in a reasonably well designed table. \documentclass{article} \usepackage{rotating,array,booktabs} \usepackage[skip=0.333\baselineskip]{caption} \begin{document} \begin{sidewaystable}[h] \captionsetup{font=footnotesize} \caption{Comparsion of Methods}\label{tab:LPer} \footnotesize \setlength\tabcolsep{0pt} % let LaTeX determine intercol. whitespace \setlength\extrarowheight{1pt} \begin{tabular*}{\textwidth}{>{\raggedright}p{3cm} @{\extracolsep{\fill}} cc*{6}{ccc}} % 21 [!] columns in all \toprule Model \& Parameters & Input 1 & Input 2 &\multicolumn{3}{c}{M0} &\multicolumn{3}{c}{M1} &\multicolumn{3}{c}{M2} &\multicolumn{3}{c}{M3} &\multicolumn{3}{c}{M4} &\multicolumn{3}{c}{M5}\\ \cmidrule{4-6} \cmidrule{7-9} \cmidrule{10-12} \cmidrule{13-15} \cmidrule{16-18} \cmidrule{19-21} && &$N$& error& Time &$N$& error & Time &$N$& error& Time &$N$& error& Time &$N$& error & Time &$N$& error& Time \\ \midrule A1:$a_1=0.05$;$a_2=0$;$a_3=0.3$&$\theta$& 1--100& \\ \addlinespace A2:$\sigma=0.12$;$\theta=-0.14$;$\nu=0.2$&$\epsilon\$ & 90--120& \\