Longtable indentation in first column

Question

I'm having trouble getting the text alignment in the first column of my longtable right.

The problem is, that after a linebreak (automatic) the text is indented. More like reverse indented, since it is aligned more to the left than the first line. I want to avoid that, but can't find a solution that works. I have tried redefining via \newcolumntype and some other stuff for the last three hours and am now officially giving up :D I hope somebody can help.

This is my MWE, where the odd alignment occurs right in the first row:

\documentclass[11pt,a4paper,twoside]{scrreprt} 
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[english]{babel} 

\usepackage{ragged2e,array,longtable}

\begin{document}

\begin{longtable}{|@{}p{0.35\textwidth}|p{0.15\textwidth}|p{0.5\textwidth}|}
\firsthline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} \textbf{Software} & \textbf{Version} & 
\textbf{Copyright} \\\hline
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} Bio-Formats Package for ImageJ & 5.0.4 & The Open 
Microscopy Environment \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} GraphPad Prism 6 & 6.00 & GraphPad Software Inc., La 
Jolla, CA, USA \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} Heidelberg Eye Explorer & 1.9.13.0 & Heidelberg 
Engineering GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} ImageJ & 1.45s & Wayne Rasband, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 
USA  \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} Matlab & R2016a & The MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA, 
USA \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} MC\_Rack & 4.5.9 & Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH, 
Reutlingen, Germany \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} MC\_DataTool & 2.6.15 & Multi Channel Systems MCS 
GmbH, Reutlingen, Germany \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} Mendeley Desktop & 1.16.1 & Mendeley Desktop Ltd. \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} NeuroExplorer & 4.125 & Nex Technologies, Madison, 
AL, USA \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} Offline Sorter & 3.3.2 & Plexon Inc., Dallas, TX, 
USA \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} RC\_menu & V6.11.0.20 & Roland Consult Stasche \& 
Finger GmbH, Brandenburg a.d. Havel, Germany  \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} SAS statistical analysis software & 9.4 TS Level 1M3 
& SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA \\ 
\hline 
\rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} Texmaker & 4.2 & Pascal Brachet \\ 
\lasthline \\
\caption[Software]{} 
\label{tab:Software}
\end{longtable}

\end{document}

Thanks so much!

Mina

Answer 1

an alternative for your table:

\documentclass[11pt,a4paper,twoside]{scrreprt}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[english]{babel}

\usepackage{ragged2e}
\usepackage{booktabs, longtable, makecell}
\renewcommand\theadfont{\bfseries}
\setcellgapes{5pt} % <--- increase


%---------------- show page layout. don't use in a real document!
\usepackage{showframe}
\renewcommand\ShowFrameLinethickness{0.15pt}
\renewcommand*\ShowFrameColor{\color{red}}
%---------------------------------------------------------------%
\usepackage{lipsum}

\begin{document}
\lipsum[1-3]
\begingroup
\makegapedcells
\begin{longtable}{@{}
    >{\RaggedRight}p{\dimexpr0.27\linewidth-1.33\tabcolsep\relax}% 1.33 ~ 4/3 \tabcolsep per column
    >{\RaggedRight}p{\dimexpr0.23\linewidth-1.33\tabcolsep\relax}
    >{\RaggedRight}p{\dimexpr0.50\linewidth-1.33\tabcolsep\relax}
                 @{}   }
\caption[Software]{Overview of software packages ... }
\label{tab:Software}    \\
    \toprule
\textbf{Software} & \textbf{Version} & \textbf{Copyright} \\
    \midrule
\endfirsthead
\caption{Overview of software packages ... (cont.) }
\label{tab:Software}    \\
    \toprule
\textbf{Software} & \textbf{Version} & \textbf{Copyright} \\
    \midrule
\endhead
    \midrule
\multicolumn{3}{r}{\textit{continue on the next page}}
\endfoot
    \bottomrule
\endlastfoot
Bio-Formats Package for ImageJ
                        & 5.0.4     & The Open Microscopy Environment \\
GraphPad Prism 6        & 6.00      & GraphPad Software Inc., La Jolla, CA, USA \\
Heidelberg Eye Explorer & 1.9.13.0  & Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany \\
ImageJ                  & 1.45s     & Wayne Rasband, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA  \\
Matlab                  & R2016a    & The MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA, USA \\
MC\_Rack                & 4.5.9     & Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH, Reutlingen, Germany \\
MC\_DataTool            & 2.6.15    & Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH, Reutlingen, Germany \\
Mendeley Desktop        & 1.16.1    & Mendeley Desktop Ltd. \\
NeuroExplorer           & 4.125     & Nex Technologies, Madison, AL, USA \\
Offline Sorter          & 3.3.2     & Plexon Inc., Dallas, TX, USA \\
RC\_menu                & V6.11.0.20& Roland Consult Stasche \& Finger GmbH, Brandenburg a.d. Havel, Germany  \\
SAS statistical analysis software
                        & 9.4 TS Level 1M3
                                    & SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA \\
Texmaker                & 4.2       & Pascal Brachet \\
\end{longtable}
\endgroup

\end{document}

which gives

about rules used in your table, read my comment below your question.

edit: added are code for table head, last head, foot and last foot. slightly decreased is \arraystreatch (that rows become more compact) and increased vertical spaces in cells. now the rows are better visible and use lines between rows is superfluous.

Answer 2

Getting rid of the mysterious \rule[-1ex]{0pt}{2.5ex} directives is a good first step. If you look closely, you'll notice that the longtable is wider than the textblock; it's necessary to reduce some of the column widths. Also, do change from full justification to raggedright layout in all three columns.

\documentclass[11pt,a4paper,twoside]{scrreprt} 
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[english]{babel} 

\usepackage{ragged2e,array,longtable}
\newcolumntype{P}[1]{>{\RaggedRight\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
\setlength\extrarowheight{2pt}
\begin{document}

\begin{longtable}{|P{0.29\textwidth}|P{0.14\textwidth}|P{0.48\textwidth}|}
\hline 
\textbf{Software} & \textbf{Version} & \textbf{Copyright} \\
\hline\hline
\endhead

Bio-Formats Package for ImageJ & 5.0.4 
    & The Open Microscopy Environment \\ 
\hline 
GraphPad Prism 6 & 6.00 
    & GraphPad Software Inc., La Jolla, CA, USA \\ 
\hline 
Heidelberg Eye Explorer & 1.9.13.0 
    & Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany \\ 
\hline 
ImageJ & 1.45s 
    & Wayne Rasband, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA  \\ 
\hline 
Matlab & R2016a 
    & The MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA, USA \\ 
\hline 
MC\_Rack & 4.5.9 
    & Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH, Reutlingen, Germany \\ 
\hline 
MC\_DataTool & 2.6.15 
    & Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH, Reutlingen, Germany \\ 
\hline 
Mendeley Desktop & 1.16.1 
    & Mendeley Desktop Ltd. \\ 
\hline 
NeuroExplorer & 4.125 
    & Nex Technologies, Madison, AL, USA \\ 
\hline 
Off{}line Sorter & 3.3.2 
    & Plexon Inc., Dallas, TX, USA \\ 
\hline 
RC\_menu & V6.11.0.20 
    & Roland Consult Stasche \& Finger GmbH, Brandenburg a.d.\ Havel, Germany  \\ 
\hline 
SAS statistical analysis software & 9.4 TS Level 1M3 
    & SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA \\ 
\hline 
Texmaker & 4.2 & Pascal Brachet \\ 
\hline

\caption[Software]{Software} 
\label{tab:Software}
\end{longtable}

\end{document}