Tables containing lots of text

Question

I would like to create a table for a large amount of text, following the style shown in the picture 1 (below). I have attempted to do this using tabularx but with little success. I have tried to describe some of the problems below - they are also highlighted in the picture (red boxes) in case the descriptions are poor.

1. Creation of 'empty rows' - as per 'Title 1,2,3 etc..'.
2. Creation of an empty box in the top left hand corner of the table.
3. Position columns 4 and 5 next to columns 3 and 4.
4. Wrap text for all headings (columns 1,2,3 etc...).

MWE:

    \documentclass[a4paper,11pt]{article}
\usepackage{tabularx}
\usepackage{booktabs,caption, makecell}
\usepackage{pdflscape,afterpage}

\begin{document}

    \begin{landscape}% Landscape page
        \begin{table}[ht]
            \caption{Cognitive walkthrough goals, tasks and actions}
            \small
            \begin{tabularx}{\linewidth}{@{}*{3}{>{\arraybackslash}X}}
                \toprule\midrule[0.5pt]
                \thead{\textbf{Column 1}}& \thead{\textbf{Column 2}} & \thead{\textbf{Column 3}} & \thead{\textbf{Column 4}} & \thead{\textbf{Column 5}}\\
                \midrule
                To make your document look professionally produced, Word provides header, footer, cover page, and text box designs that complement each other. For example, you can add a matching cover page, header, and sidebar. Click Insert and then choose the elements you want from the different galleries. & To make your document look professionally produced, Word provides header, footer, cover page, and text box designs that complement each other. For example, you can add a matching cover page, header, and sidebar. Click Insert and then choose the elements you want from the different galleries. & To make your document look professionally produced, Word provides header, footer, cover page, and text box designs that complement each other. For example, you can add a matching cover page, header, and sidebar. Click Insert and then choose the elements you want from the different galleries.
                 \\
                \addlinespace
                Text & Text & Text \\
                \addlinespace
                Text & Text & Text \\
                \addlinespace
                Text & Text & Text \\
                \addlinespace
                Text & Text & Text \\
                \addlinespace
                Text & Text & Text \\
                \addlinespace
                Text & Text & Text \\
                \addlinespace
                Text & Text & Text \\
                \addlinespace
                Text & Text & Text \\
                \addlinespace
                Text & Text & Text \\
                \bottomrule
            \end{tabularx}%
            \hspace*{-12mm}%
            \label{table:comparison of techniques}
        \end{table}
    \end{landscape}

\end{document}

Picture 1 - ideal table style

Grateful for any advice. I'm happy to use another package tabularx is the one that I'm familiar with.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

• sorry, your question is not clear. for example how to be aligned contents in cells in columns 2 - 5, if the text has different number of lines. so my answer is based on guessing
• in table design see, if the how tables should look like is helpful to you

\documentclass[a4paper,11pt]{article}
\usepackage{booktabs, makecell, tabularx}
\usepackage{caption}
\renewcommand\theadfont{\small\bfseries}
\renewcommand\tabularxcolumn[1]{m{#1}}

\usepackage[table]{xcolor}

\usepackage{pdflscape,afterpage}

\begin{document}
    \begin{landscape}% Landscape page
\begin{table}[ht]
\caption{Cognitive walkthrough goals, tasks and actions}
\label{table:comparison of techniques}
    \small
    \setlength\extrarowheight{2pt}
\begin{tabularx}{\linewidth}{
       >{\columncolor{red!30}} l
                          *{4}{X}
                            }
    \Xhline{1pt}
    \rowcolor{red!30}
\multicolumn{1}{c}{}
    & \thead{Column 2} & \thead{Column 3}
    & \thead{Column 4} & \thead{Column 5}       \\
    \rowcolor{black}
\multicolumn{5}{l}{\textcolor{white}{Title 1}}  \\
Part 1
    &   To make your document look professionally produced, Word provides header, footer, cover page, and text box designs that complement each other. For example, you can add a matching cover page, header, and sidebar. Click Insert and then choose the elements you want from the different galleries.
        & To make your document look professionally produced, Word provides header, footer, cover page, and text box designs that complement each other. For example, you can add a matching cover page, header, and sidebar. Click Insert and then choose the elements you want from the different galleries.
            & To make your document look professionally produced, Word provides header, footer, cover page, and text box designs that complement each other. For example, you can add a matching cover page, header, and sidebar. Click Insert and then choose the elements you want from the different galleries.
                & To make your document look professionally produced, Word provides header, footer, cover page, and text box designs that complement each other. For example, you can add a matching cover page, header, and sidebar. Click Insert and then choose the elements you want from the different galleries.                      \\
    \Xhline{0.25pt}
Part 2
    & Text & Text & Text & Text                 \\
    \rowcolor{black}
\multicolumn{5}{l}{\textcolor{white}{Title 2}}  \\
Part 1
    & Text & Text & Text & Text                 \\
    \Xhline{1pt}
\end{tabularx}%
    \end{table}
\end{landscape}