# Creating Custom Layout Tables with RadPdfProcessing ## Environment | Version | Product | Author | | ---------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 2024.3.806 | RadPdfProcessing | [Desislava Yordanova](https://www.telerik.com/blogs/author/desislava-yordanova) | ## Description Creating tables with customized layouts, including varying column spans, is a common requirement for document processing. This article demonstrates how to achieve a table with multiple rows, each with a different column layout, by using the [RadPdfProcessing](https://www.telerik.com/document-processing-libraries/documentation/libraries/radpdfprocessing/overview) library. The following image shows a sample design for such a custom layout: ![Custom Table design](https://www.telerik.com/document-processing-libraries/documentation/assets/d4f3f94144a984457a6cb0859a70cd8e/custom-table-design.png) ## Solution Before starting with the solution, divide the table columns with red lines for better understanding of how to build the layout: ![Divided Table design](https://www.telerik.com/document-processing-libraries/documentation/assets/f8774c3d8252775dad0a6add17a197b0/divided-table-design.png) To create a table with varying column layouts, follow the steps below: 1. Define a `Table` and set its `LayoutType` to `AutoFit`. Customize the `DefaultCellProperties` to set padding and borders for the cells. 2. Add table rows by using `table.Rows.AddTableRow()`. 3. For each row, add cells by using `row.Cells.AddTableCell()`. Customize each cell's content by adding blocks of text with specific styles (for example, font family, font style, and font weight). 4. To change the column layout, set the `ColumnSpan` property of the cells accordingly. 5. To adjust the row height, insert content with the desired height in each cell or use the `Padding` property for minor adjustments. The following example demonstrates the setup: ```csharp static void Main(string[] args) { RadFixedDocument fixedDocument = new RadFixedDocument(); RadFixedPage page = new RadFixedPage(); page.Size = new Size(1200, 800); fixedDocument.Pages.Add(page); FixedContentEditor editor = new FixedContentEditor(page); editor.Position.Translate(Unit.CmToDip(2), Unit.CmToDip(2)); editor.DrawTable(GenerateCustomTable()); string outputFilePath = "sample.pdf"; File.Delete(outputFilePath); PdfFormatProvider provider = new PdfFormatProvider(); using (Stream output = File.OpenWrite(outputFilePath)) { provider.Export(fixedDocument, output); } Process.Start(new ProcessStartInfo() { FileName = outputFilePath, UseShellExecute = true }); } private static Table GenerateCustomTable() { Border blackBorder = new Border(1, new RgbColor(0, 0, 0)); Table table = new Table { LayoutType = TableLayoutType.AutoFit, DefaultCellProperties = { Padding = new Thickness(5, 5, 5, 5), Borders = new TableCellBorders(blackBorder, blackBorder, blackBorder, blackBorder) } }; TableRow row = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell = row.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Truck-Reference"); cell.ColumnSpan = 5; TableCell cell2 = row.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell2.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Date:"); cell2.ColumnSpan = 2; TableRow row2 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell3 = row2.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell3.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Appointment:"); cell3.ColumnSpan = 7; TableRow row3 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell4 = row3.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell4.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "CtrNr.:"); cell4.ColumnSpan = 2; TableCell cell5 = row3.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell5.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Type:"); cell5.ColumnSpan = 2; TableCell cell6 = row3.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell6.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Tara(kg):"); cell6.ColumnSpan = 2; TableCell cell7 = row3.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell7.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Net(kg):"); cell7.ColumnSpan = 1; TableRow row4 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell8 = row4.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell8.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Content:"); cell8.ColumnSpan = 7; TableRow row5 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell9 = row5.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell9.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "License Truck:"); cell9.ColumnSpan = 3; TableCell cell10 = row5.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell10.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Trailer:"); cell10.ColumnSpan = 4; TableRow row6 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell11 = row6.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell11.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Full Cont.:"); cell11.ColumnSpan = 7; TableRow row7 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell12 = row7.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell12.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Depot:"); cell12.ColumnSpan = 3; TableCell cell13 = row7.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell13.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Available:"); cell13.ColumnSpan = 4; TableRow row8 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell14 = row8.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell14.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Loadingplace:"); cell14.ColumnSpan = 7; TableRow row9 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell15 = row9.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell15.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Reference:"); cell15.ColumnSpan = 3; TableCell cell16 = row9.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell16.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Origin:"); cell16.ColumnSpan = 4; TableRow row10 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell17 = row10.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell17.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Info Driver:"); cell17.ColumnSpan = 7; TableRow row11 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell18 = row11.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell18.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Remarks:"); cell18.ColumnSpan = 7; TableRow row12 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell19 = row12.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell19.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Customs:"); cell19.ColumnSpan = 1; TableCell cell20 = row12.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell20.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Procedure:"); cell20.ColumnSpan = 4; TableCell cell21 = row12.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell21.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Info:"); cell21.ColumnSpan = 2; TableRow row13 = table.Rows.AddTableRow(); TableCell cell22 = row13.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell22.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Arrical/Date/Time:"); cell22.ColumnSpan = 1; TableCell cell23 = row13.Cells.AddTableCell(); cell23.Blocks.AddBlock().InsertText(new FontFamily("Helvetica"), FontStyles.Normal, FontWeights.Normal, "Date/Stamp/Signature:"); cell23.ColumnSpan = 6; return table; } ``` The code snippet produces the following result: ![Achieved Table design](https://www.telerik.com/document-processing-libraries/documentation/assets/cd628ec86cb9cd1965025414b8d59dff/achieved-table-design.png) When using the `ColumnSpan` functionality, pay attention to two important things: * The rows that contain cells with `ColumnSpan` must contain fewer text blocks. For example, if `ColumnSpan` is 4, you need to insert four fewer text blocks for this row. Skip adding the text block for the cells that participate in the `ColumnSpan` functionality. * For a column to exist and have a calculated width, it must contain at least one cell with content among the rows within the table. ## See Also * [Tables in RadPdfProcessing](https://www.telerik.com/document-processing-libraries/documentation/libraries/radpdfprocessing/editing/table/overview) * [TableCell](https://www.telerik.com/document-processing-libraries/documentation/libraries/radpdfprocessing/editing/table/tablecell)