Tabular Formatting Issue

Question

I'm having trouble recreating the following table in LaTeX:

(Note that in the first column, "Action" is centered while the rows beneath it are left aligned.) The closest I've gotten is this:

 \documentclass[12pt,oneside,letterpaper]{book}

  \usepackage{array}
  \usepackage{multirow}

  \begin{document}

 \begin{tabular}{|l|
 >{\centering\arraybackslash}p{0.75in}|  % this centers over multiple lines
 >{\centering\arraybackslash}p{0.75in}|
 >{\centering\arraybackslash}p{1.1in}|
 >{\centering\arraybackslash}p{1.1in}|
 >{\centering\arraybackslash}p{1.1in}|}
 \hline 
 \multicolumn{1}{|c|}{Action} % Fake multicol centers action
 & \multicolumn{2}{|c|}{Magnetic Flux}  % Merge two columns
 & \multirow{2}{1.1in}{\centering Direction of \\ Induced $B$ \\ Field  (Expected)} % Multirow seems not to be working?
 & \multirow{2}{1.1in}{\centering Expected Direction of Induced Current (CW/CCW)}
 & \multirow{2}{1.1in}{\centering Actual Direction of Induced Current } \\ 
 \hline 
 & Direction (Up/Down) & Increasing/ Decreasing &&& \\ % This row isn't behaving right
 \hline
 N pole in & & & & & \\ \hline 
 N pole out & & & & & \\ \hline
 S pole in & & & & & \\ \hline 
 S pole out & & & & & \\ \hline
 \end{tabular} 
 \end{document}

which produces this table:

It seems like the multirow isn't playing nice with the way I have things extending over multiple columns? And because I'm using a "fake" multicol to center action I'm having trouble getting it to extend over multiple rows.

Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!

EDIT: I am running on Mac and compiling with pdfTeX 3.14159265-2.6-1.40.20 (TeX Live 2019), and YES I do get the table shown. If people get a different table can they show what they get, with what compiler? I have added the \begin{document} and \end{document} along with the document class. This is the full file that I am compiling.

Links to .tex and resulting .pdf: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2o92882h9q4xtt0/test.pdf?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/ho1a5mzbhjoe5oi/test.tex?dl=0

Answer 1

I suppose, that you looking for the following:

\documentclass[a4paper]{article}
\usepackage{geometry}
\usepackage{array, makecell, multirow}
\newcolumntype{P}[1]{>{\centering\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
\setcellgapes{3pt}
\makegapedcells

\begin{document}
 \begin{tabular}{|l| P{0.75in}|  
                     P{0.75in}|
                     P{1 in}|
                     P{1.2 in}|
                     P{1 in}|}
    \hline
\multirow{4}{*}{Action}
    & \multicolumn{2}{c|}{Magnetic Flux}    &   &   &   \\
    \cline{2-3}
    & \makecell{Direction\\ (Up/Down)}
        & \makecell{Increasing/\\ Decreasing}
            & \multirow{-2.8}{=}{\centering Direction of Induced $B$ Field  (Expected)}
                & \multirow{-2.8}{=}{\centering Expected Direction of Induced Current (CW/CCW)}
                    & \multirow{-2.8}{=}{\centering Actual Direction of Induced Current}   \\
 \hline
 N pole in  & & & & & \\ \hline
 N pole out & & & & & \\ \hline
 S pole in  & & & & & \\ \hline
 S pole out & & & & & \\ \hline
 \end{tabular}
 \end{document}

Answer 2

I enclosed the code for two calstables, typeset with the help of the package cals.

The first table is typeset with vertical rules. Due to the width of the headers, I reduced margins with the help of geometry.

I have aligned the second row headers at the bottom of the cells, the content of all other cells are centred vertically. Also, the font size used in the header is reduced, making the them less dominant and disturbing.

The second calstable is typeset without vertical rules. As yo will find, those are unnecessary for the readability.

\documentclass[12pt,oneside,letterpaper]{book}
\usepackage{lmodern, cals}
\usepackage[left=3cm, right=3cm]{geometry}

% Set up the carlstable
\makeatletter
%% All rules of same weight
\def\cals@framers@width{0.4pt}   % Outside frame rules, reduce if the rule is too heavy
\def\cals@framecs@width{0.4pt}
\def\cals@bodyrs@width{0.4pt}
\def\cals@AtBeginCell{\vfil}            % All cell contents vertically centred

% Shorthands for spanning cells
\let\nc=\nullcell
\let\sc=\spancontent

\def\rb{\ifx\cals@borderR\relax     % Right Border (rules) switch (off-on)
    \def\cals@borderR{0.0pt}
\else \let\cals@borderR\relax\fi}

\def\lb{\ifx\cals@borderL\relax     % Left Border switch (off-on)
    \def\cals@borderL{0.0pt}
\else \let\cals@borderL\relax\fi}

\def\bb{\ifx\cals@borderB\relax     % Bottom Border switch (off-on)
    \def\cals@borderB{0.0pt}
\else \let\cals@borderB\relax\fi}

\def\lp{\ifdim\cals@paddingL=0.0pt\relax    % Left padding switch (off-on) 
\setlength{\cals@paddingL}{3pt}
\else \setlength{\cals@paddingL}{0pt}\fi}

\def\rp{\ifdim\cals@paddingR=0.0pt\relax    % Right padding switch (off-on)
\setlength{\cals@paddingR}{3pt}
\else \setlength{\cals@paddingR}{0.0pt}\fi}
\makeatother

\begin{document}

\begin{calstable}[c]

% Defining 5 columns, 1 are for double vertical rules (col2)
\colwidths{{\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*7+8pt)}
                   {\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*7-5pt)}
                   {\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*7-5pt)}
                   {\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*9)}
                   {\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*10+2pt)}
                   {\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*9)}
            }
\makeatletter
\setlength{\cals@paddingL}{2pt}    % Changes to padding has to go inside the tables preamble
\setlength{\cals@paddingR}{2pt}   % Decrease tabcolsep from 4.96pt to 2pt
\setlength{\cals@paddingB}{3pt} % Uncomment if you want less space between cells
%\setlength{\cals@paddingT}{2pt}

% R1H1 
\thead{\footnotesize%
\brow
    \nc{lrt}
    \nc{ltb}
    \nc{rtb}\alignC\sc{Magnetic Flux}
    \nc{lrt}
    \nc{lrt}
    \nc{lrt}
\erow
%
%R2H2 % Header
\brow
    \nc{lrb}\alignC\sc{Action}
    \cell{\vfill Direction\\ (Up/Down)}
    \cell{\vfill Increasing/\\ Decreasing}
    \nc{lrb}\alignC\sc{\vfill Direction of\\Induced $B$\\\mbox{Field (Expected)}}
    \nc{lrb}\alignC\sc{\vfill \mbox{Expected Direction}\\\mbox{of Induced Current}\\(CW/CCW)}
    \nc{lrb}\alignC\sc{\vfill\mbox{Actual Direction}\\of Induced\\Current\vphantom{j}} % \vphantom command since Current has no depth
\erow
}
\tfoot{\lastrule\strut}
\small
%R3B1
\brow
    \alignL\cell{N pole in}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
\erow
%R4B2
\brow
    \alignL\cell{N pole out}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
\erow
%R5B3
\brow
    \alignL\cell{S pole in}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
\erow
%R6B4
\brow
    \alignL\cell{S pole out}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
\erow
\makeatletter
\end{calstable}\par

\vspace{1cm}

\begin{calstable}[c]

% Defining 5 columns, 1 are for double vertical rules (col2)
\colwidths{{\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*7+8pt)}
                   {\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*7-5pt)}
                   {\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*7-5pt)}
                   {\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*9)}
                   {\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*10+2pt)}
                   {\dimexpr(\columnwidth/50*9)}
            }
\makeatletter
%% All rules of same weight
\def\cals@framers@width{0.8pt}   % Outside frame rules, reduce if the rule is too heavy
\def\cals@framecs@width{0.0pt}
\def\cals@bodyrs@width{0.6pt}
\def\cals@cs@width{0.0pt}             % Inside rules, reduce if the rule is too heavy
\def\cals@rs@width{0.3pt}
\def\cals@AtBeginCell{\vfil}            % All cell contents vertically centred
\setlength{\cals@paddingL}{3pt}    % Changes to padding has to go inside the tables preamble
\setlength{\cals@paddingR}{3pt}   % Decrease tabcolsep from 4.96pt to 2pt
\setlength{\cals@paddingB}{3pt} % Uncomment if you want less space between cells
%\setlength{\cals@paddingT}{2pt}

% R1H1 
\thead{\footnotesize%
\brow
    \lp\nc{lrt}\lp
    \nc{ltb}
    \nc{rtb}\alignC\sc{Magnetic Flux}
    \nc{lrt}
    \nc{lrt}
    \rp\nc{lrt}\rp
\erow
%
%R2H2 % Header
\brow
    \lp\nc{lrb}\alignC\sc{Action}\lp
    \cell{\vfill Direction\\ (Up/Down)}
    \cell{\vfill Increasing/\\ Decreasing}
    \nc{lrb}\alignC\sc{\vfill Direction of\\Induced $B$\\\mbox{Field (Expected)}}
    \nc{lrb}\alignC\sc{\vfill \mbox{Expected Direction}\\\mbox{of Induced Current}\\(CW/CCW)}
    \rp\nc{lrb}\alignC\sc{\vfill\mbox{Actual Direction}\\of Induced\\Current\vphantom{j}}\rp % \vphantom command since Current has no depth
\erow
}
\tfoot{\lastrule\strut}
\small
%R3B1
\brow
    \lp\bb\alignL\cell{N pole in}\lp
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \rp\cell{}\rp
\erow
%R4B2
\brow
    \lp\alignL\cell{N pole out}\lp
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \rp\cell{}\rp
\erow
%R5B3
\brow
    \lp\alignL\cell{S pole in}\lp
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \rp\cell{}\bb\rp
\erow
%R6B4
\brow
    \lp\alignL\cell{S pole out}\lp
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \cell{}
    \rp\cell{}\rp
\erow
\makeatletter
\end{calstable}\par
\end{document}

\end{document}

Answer 3

You can do easily that tabular with {NiceTabular} of nicematrix.

In {NiceTabular}, you merge cells both horizontally and vertically with the command \Block. For the rows, you give the number of logical rows (and not the number of physical lines as with \multicolumn).

With the key hvlines, all the rules are drawn, excepted in the blocks (constructed by \Block).

\documentclass[a4paper]{article}
\usepackage{geometry}
\usepackage{nicematrix}

\begin{document}

\begin{NiceTabular}{lccccc}[hvlines,cell-space-limits=3pt]
\Block[c]{2-1}{Action} 
  & \Block{1-2}{Magnetic Flux} 
    & 
      & \Block{2-1}{Direction of\\ Induced $B$ Field\\ (Expected)}
        & \Block{2-1}{Expected Direction\\ of Induced Current\\ (CW/CCW)}
          & \Block{2-1}{Actual\\ Direction of\\ Induced Current} \\
& \Block{}{Direction\\ (Up/Down)} & \Block{}{Increasing/\\ Decreasing} \\
N pole in  \\ 
N pole out \\ 
S pole in  \\ 
S pole out \\ 
\end{NiceTabular}

\end{document}

You need several compilations (because nicematrix uses PGF/Tikz nodes under the hood).