In LaTeX, you can create tables with columns of fixed width and different alignments. Previously, we discussed how to set the width of columns, and now we'll show you how to change their alignment. Up until now, only justified alignment was possible.
We'll continue to use the standard table environment tabular, but we'll also need the tabularx package because we're introducing three new column types.
For left-aligned columns with a fixed width:
\newcolumntype{L}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
For center-aligned columns with a fixed width:
\newcolumntype{C}[1]{>{\centering\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
For right-aligned columns with a fixed width:
\newcolumntype{R}[1]{>{\raggedleft\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
This LaTeX example demonstrates how to create a table with fixed column widths using the tabularx package. We define three new column types: L (left-aligned), C (center-aligned), and R (right-aligned). Each column has a fixed width: 1cm, 2cm, and 3cm, respectively.
The table contains three rows, each representing a different alignment (left, center, right) and displaying text within cells of the specified widths. This method provides precise control over the layout and alignment of the table content.
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tabularx}
\newcolumntype{L}[1]{>{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
\newcolumntype{C}[1]{>{\centering\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
\newcolumntype{R}[1]{>{\raggedleft\arraybackslash}p{#1}}
\begin{document}
\begin{tabular}{|L{1cm}|C{2cm}|R{3cm}|}
\hline
1 cm wide & 2 cm wide & 3 cm wide \\
\hline
Test 1 & Test 2 & Test 3\\
\hline
Left & Center & Right \\
\hline
Isn't & the text & too long?\\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{document}