List Tables in ODT export (OpenDocument Text Exporter for Emacs’ Org Mode)

8 List Tables in ODT export

A ‘List Table’, in simple terms, is a list that is typeset as a table. Use it to create tables with multi-paragraph content.

Why a ‘List Table’?

Org mode’s tables are line-oriented i.e., each row (and hence a cell) cannot span multiple lines. This choice has serious limitations. Specifically,

a table cell cannot have more than a single paragraph
if the sole paragraph has copious text, the table will overflow your display screen, and editing or reviewing such tables is very cumbersome and annoying.

A list table overcomes the above problem.

Lists that are marked with attribute ‘:list-table’ are called as list tables. They will be rendered as a table within the exported document.

8.1 Examples

A simple list table

Consider an example. The following list table

#+ATTR_ODT: :rel-width 80
#+ATTR_ODT: :list-table t
-
  - Row 1, Col 1 
  - Row 1, Col 2 
  - Row 1, Col 3 
  - Row 1, Col 4 
- -----
  - Row 2, Col 1 
  - Row 2, Col 2 
  - Row 2, Col 3 
  - Row 2, Col 4

will be exported as though it were an Org table like the one show below.

| Row 1, Col 1 | Row 1, Col 2 | Row 1, Col 3 | Row 1, Col 4 |
| Row 2, Col 1 | Row 2, Col 2 | Row 2, Col 3 | Row 2, Col 4 |

8.2 A list table with rules, column size and alignments

List tables honor all attributes save for the column alignments.

#+ATTR_ODT: :list-table t
- | /    | <    | >    |      |
- | <l2> | <l1> | <l1> | <l8> |
- 
  - Row 1, Col 1
  - Row 1, Col 2
  - Row 1, Col 3
  - Row 1, Col 4
- ----------------
  - Row 2, Col 1
  - Row 2, Col 2
  - Row 2, Col 3
  - Row 2, Col 4

Above list table will be exported as if it were an Org table like the one below

| /            | <            | >            |              |
| <l2>         | <l1>         | <l1>         | <l8>         |
| Row 1, Col 1 | Row 1, Col 2 | Row 1, Col 3 | Row 1, Col 4 |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------|
| Row 2, Col 1 | Row 2, Col 2 | Row 2, Col 3 | Row 2, Col 4 |

Here is a real-world table that uses the same template as the one above

#+ATTR_ODT: :list-table t
- | /    | <    | >    |      |
- | <l2> | <l1> | <l1> | <l8> |
- 
  - Day
  - Min Temp
  - Max Temp
  - Summary
- ----------------
  - Monday
  - 11C
  - 22C
  - 
    1. A clear day with lots of sunshine.
    2. Late in the day, a strong breeze will bring down the temperatures.
- ----------------
  - Tuesday
  - 9C
  - 19C
  - 
    1. Cloudy with rain, across many northern regions.
    2. Clear spells across most of Scotland and Northern Ireland, but
       rain reaching the far northwest.

8.3 List table with table and figures

List tables are particularly well-suited for creating captioned side-by-side images. Note that with conventional ‘org’ tables, even though you can place images side-by-side using a table, you cannot caption them.

#+ATTR_ODT: :list-table t
- 
  - 
    #+CAPTION: A Unicorn
    [[./org-mode-unicorn.png]]
  - 
    #+CAPTION: Yet another Unicorn
    [[./org-mode-unicorn.png]]

8.4 List table can contain other tables

#+ATTR_ODT: :list-table t
- 
  - Comments
  - A Dog & A Cat
- --------
  - This table contains
    - A Dog
    - A cat

    | Animal | What it does |
    |--------+--------------|
    | Dog    | Barks        |
    | Cat    | News         |

  - 
    #+ATTR_ODT: :list-table t
    - 
      - 
        #+CAPTION: A Dog
        #+ATTR_ODT: :scale .8
        [[./org-mode-unicorn.png]]
      - 
        #+CAPTION: A Cat
        #+ATTR_ODT: :scale .8
        [[./org-mode-unicorn.png]]
- --------