Graphics, Figures & Tables ⇒ Table with Number of Columns as Parameter

[segovia]

I am trying to create an environment for building a table. The number of columns wanted would be passed as a parameter. This is my MWE:

Code: Select all

\documentclass{amsart}

\usepackage{ifthen}
\newcounter{nbcol}
\newcounter{nbcolt}
\newcommand{\tmpcmd}{}

\newenvironment{tabledl}[1]{
\setcounter{nbcol}{#1}
\setcounter{nbcolt}{#1}
\renewcommand{\tmpcmd}{\whiledo{\value{nbcolt} > 0}{c\addtocounter{nbcolt}{-1}}} %builds a string of 'c's
\bigskip
\begin{center}\begin{tabular}{\tmpcmd}
}{
\end{tabular}\end{center}}

\begin{document}

\begin{tabledl}{3}
a&b&c\\d&e&f
\end{tabledl}

\end{document}

When compiling, I get this error message:

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! Argument of \@tempc has an extra }.
<inserted text>
                \par
l.23 \begin{tabledl}{3}

The error is caused by the line

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\renewcommand{\tmpcmd}{\whiledo{...

because if I replace with

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\renewcommand{\tmpcmd}{ccc}

everything works just fine.

Could someone tell me what is going on and how to fix the problem? I have been using LaTeX for a few years, but I don't have much experience in TeX/LaTeX programming.

Thank you!

Daniel

[localghost]

If I understand you right, you want to create a table with a certain number of identical column types. In this case the solution is very simple.

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\begin{tabular}{*{10}{c}}
% table content
\end{tabular}

If that's not what you want, please enlighten me.


Best regards and welcome to the board
Thorsten

[segovia]

Thank you Thorsten for your speedy reply.

Indeed, you provide me with a way to solve my problem! All it takes is

Code: Select all

\begin{center}\begin{tabular}{*{\value{nbcol}}{c}}

which is much simpler than what I was trying to do...

I am however still curious about what was causing the bug, as that way of doing things might be useful in some other context.

Thanks again, and have a nice week-end!

Daniel