Vertically aligning text after baseline changed

Question

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tabularx}
\usepackage{tikz}

\begin{document}

\begin{tabularx}{\linewidth}{c|X}
\begin{tikzpicture}[
    scale=.6,
    every node/.style={scale=.6}
    ]
     \path[draw] (0,0) rectangle 
        +(3,2) node [pos=.5] {rectangle}
        +(3,1.5) node[anchor=east] (a)  {A}
        +(3,0.5) node[anchor=east] (b) {B};
\end{tikzpicture}
& 
 \begin{tabular}{l}
 This line is not aligned vertically top\\
 This is another line below the first one
 \end{tabular}
\end{tabularx}

\end{document}

In this example a small tikz picture changes the baseline of the text so that the next cell starts at the bottom of the cell. i would like the baseline to stay where it was and have the tikz picture insert itself without changing it. that way my subsequent inputs would stay at the top of the cell.

How can i make my second cell align vertically topside?

Answer 1

If you just add [t] to the tabular, initially it will move down as the top row will align with the bottom of the picture. Then you want to put the baseline of the picture somewhere other than the bottom, eg the baseline of the node a.:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tabularx}
\usepackage{tikz}

\begin{document}

\begin{tabularx}{\linewidth}{c|X}
\begin{tikzpicture}[
baseline={(a.base)},
    scale=.6,
    every node/.style={scale=.6}
    ]
     \path[draw] (0,0) rectangle 
        +(3,2) node [pos=.5] {rectangle}
        +(3,1.5) node[anchor=east] (a)  {A}
        +(3,0.5) node[anchor=east] (b) {B};
\end{tikzpicture}
& 
 \begin{tabular}[t]{l}
 This line is not aligned vertically top\\
 This is another line below the first one
 \end{tabular}
\end{tabularx}

\end{document}