--- title: "Column" language: "en" type: "Symbol" summary: "Column[{expr1, expr2, ...}] is an object that formats with the expri arranged in a column, with expr1 above expr2, etc. Column[list, alignment] aligns each element horizontally in the specified way. Column[list, alignment, spacing] leaves the specified number of x-heights of spacing between successive elements." keywords: - column of objects - column alignment - stacking of objects - vertical stacking - vertical collection - stacked output - vertical output - BoxColumn - Table - Vector - vertcat canonical_url: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Column.html" source: "Wolfram Language Documentation" related_guides: - title: "Grids & Tables" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/GridsAndTables.en.md" - title: "Layout & Tables" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/LayoutAndTables.en.md" - title: "Computation with Structured Datasets" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/ComputationWithStructuredDatasets.en.md" - title: "Palettes" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/Palettes.en.md" - title: "Notebook Formatting & Styling" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/NotebookFormattingAndStyling.en.md" - title: "Mathematical Typesetting" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/MathematicalTypesetting.en.md" - title: "User Interface Structuring & Layout" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/UserInterfaceStructuringAndLayout.en.md" - title: "Data Visualization" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/DataVisualization.en.md" - title: "Automated Reports" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/AutomatedReports.en.md" - title: "Basic Input & Output in Programs" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/BasicInputAndOutputInPrograms.en.md" related_workflows: - title: "Make a Grid of Output Data" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/MakeAGridOfOutputData.en.md" - title: "Create a Palette" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/CreateAPalette.en.md" related_functions: - title: "GraphicsColumn" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsColumn.en.md" - title: "Row" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Row.en.md" - title: "Multicolumn" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Multicolumn.en.md" - title: "Grid" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Grid.en.md" - title: "Labeled" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Labeled.en.md" - title: "InsertLinebreaks" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/InsertLinebreaks.en.md" related_tutorials: - title: "Tables and Matrices" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/TextualInputAndOutput.en.md#28366" - title: "Grids, Rows, and Columns" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/GridsRowsAndColumnsOverview.en.md" - title: "String‐Oriented Output Formats" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/TextualInputAndOutput.en.md#1899" - title: "Formatted Output" link: "https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/TextualInputAndOutput.en.md#6589676" --- # Column Column[{expr1, expr2, …}] is an object that formats with the expri arranged in a column, with expr1 above expr2, etc. Column[list, alignment] aligns each element horizontally in the specified way. Column[list, alignment, spacing] leaves the specified number of x-heights of spacing between successive elements. ## Details and Options * Possible alignments are: | | | | :----- | :----------------------------------------- | | Center | centered | | Left | left justified (default) | | Right | right justified | | "c" | align on the character "c" | | {h, v} | separate horizontal and vertical alignment | * ``Column[…]`` formats as a column in ``StandardForm``, ``TraditionalForm``, and ``OutputForm``. * In ``InputForm``, ``Column[…]`` formats literally as ``Column[…]``. * ``First[col]`` extracts the list that makes up a column. * The ``expri`` can be expressions of any kind, including graphics and controls. * You can enter text as an element of a ``Column`` by giving it as a string. You can use ``Text["string"]`` or ``Style["string", "style"]`` to specify a particular style. * The following options can be given: | | | | | :---------------- | :--------------- | :--------------------------------------------- | | Alignment | {Left, Baseline} | horizontal and vertical alignment of items | | Background | None | what background colors to use | | BaselinePosition | Automatic | what to align with a surrounding text baseline | | BaseStyle | {} | base style specifications for the column | | DefaultElement | "∖[Placeholder]" | what element to insert in an empty item | | Dividers | {} | where to draw divider lines in the column | | Frame | None | where to draw frames in the column | | FrameStyle | Automatic | style to use for frames | | ItemSize | Automatic | width and height of each item | | ItemStyle | None | individual styles for items | | Spacings | Automatic | horizontal and vertical spacings | * Common settings for ``Frame`` include: | | | | :--- | :------------------------------------ | | None | no frame | | True | frame around the whole column | | All | frame around every item in the column | * ``Column[list, alignment]`` is equivalent to ``Column[list, Alignment -> alignment]``. * ``Column[list, alignment, spacing]`` corresponds to the setting ``Spacings -> spacing``. * ``Background`` and ``ItemStyle`` can be lists giving settings for each item in the column. * Settings for the options ``Alignment``, ``Background``, ``Frame``, ``ItemSize``, and ``ItemStyle`` can be given as follows to apply separately to successive items in the column: | | | | :------------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | {s1, s2, …, sn} | use s1 through sn, then use defaults | | {{c}} | use c in all cases | | {{c1, c2}} | alternate between c1 and c2 | | {{c1, c2, …}} | cycle through all ci | | {s, {c}} | use s, then repeatedly use c | | {s1, {c}, sn} | use s1, then repeatedly use c, but use sn at the end | | {s1, s2, …, {c1, c2, … }, sm, … , sn} | use the first sequence of si at the beginning, then cyclically use the ci, then use the last sequence of si at the end | | {s1, s2, …, {}, sm, …, sn} | use the first sequence of si at the beginning and the last sequence at the end | | {i1 -> v1, i2 -> v2, …} | specify what to use at positions ik | | {spec, rules} | use rules to override specifications in spec | * With settings of the form ``{s1, s2, …, {…}, sm, …, sn}``, if there are more ``si`` specified than items in the column, ``si`` from the beginning are used for the first items, and ones from the end are used for the last items. * Settings such as ``Alignment``, ``Background``, and ``Frame`` can effectively be specified for individual items in the column using ``Item``. * With the default setting ``ItemSize -> Automatic``, ``Column`` will break elements across multiple lines if necessary. * ``Column`` will not change the size of graphics or other objects that have explicit ``ImageSize`` settings. * For a column of ``n`` elements, ``Dividers`` and ``Spacings`` can specify settings for the ``n + 1`` gaps between elements, starting before the first element and ending after the last element. * Settings for ``Dividers`` and ``Spacings`` can have the following forms: | | | | :------------- | :----------------------------------------------------- | | spec | apply spec to all gaps between items | | {specx, specy} | apply speci to successive horizontal and vertical gaps | * The ``speci`` can have the same forms as for ``Alignment``, ``Background``, and other item-oriented options. * The following settings can be used for ``BaselinePosition`` : | | | | :------- | :---------------------------------------------- | | Axis | axis of the middle row in the column (default) | | Baseline | baseline of the middle row in the column | | Bottom | bottom of the whole column | | Center | halfway from top to bottom | | Top | top of the whole column | | {i, pos} | position pos in element i | * The settings for ``BaseStyle`` are appended to the default style typically given by the ``"Column"`` style in the current stylesheet. --- ## Examples (26) ### Basic Examples (2) Display as a column: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 12, 123, 1234}] Out[1]= 1 12 123 1234 ``` --- Center each element: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 12, 123, 1234}, Center] Out[1]= 1 12 123 1234 ``` ### Scope (4) Add a frame around the column: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22, 333, 4444}, Frame -> True] Out[1]= 1 22 333 4444 ``` --- Set the background: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22, 333, 4444}, Background -> Pink] Out[1]= 1 22 333 4444 ``` --- Use alternating background colors: ```wl In[1]:= Column[Table[n!, {n, 20, 25}], Background -> {{LightRed, Pink}}, Frame -> True] Out[1]= 2432902008176640000 51090942171709440000 1124000727777607680000 25852016738884976640000 620448401733239439360000 15511210043330985984000000 ``` --- Set the item size for line breaking: ```wl In[1]:= e = Expand[(x + y) ^ 10]; f = TrigExpand[Sin[9 x]]; In[2]:= Column[{e, f}, ItemSize -> {20, Automatic}, Frame -> All] Out[2]= x^10 + 10 x^9 y + 45 x^8 y^2 + 120 x^7 y^3 + 210 x^6 y^4 + 252 x^5 y^5 + 210 x^4 y^6 + 120 x^3 y^7 + 45 x^2 y^8 + 10 x y^9 + y^10 9 Cos[x]^8 Sin[x] - 84 Cos[x]^6 Sin[x]^3 + 126 Cos[x]^4 Sin[x]^5 - 36 Cos[x]^2 Sin[x]^7 + Sin[x]^9 ``` ### Options (19) #### Alignment (1) Align within the column: ```wl In[1]:= Table[Column[{1, 22, 333}, Alignment -> a], {a, {Left, Center, Right}}] Out[1]= {1 22 333, 1 22 333, 1 22 333} ``` #### Background (1) Change the overall background color: ```wl In[1]:= Table[Column[{1, 22, 333}, Background -> c], {c, {LightRed, LightGreen, Pink}}] Out[1]= {1 22 333, 1 22 333, 1 22 333} ``` Change the background color of an individual row: ```wl In[2]:= Column[{1, 22, 333}, Background -> {LightRed, LightGreen, Pink}] Out[2]= 1 22 333 ``` Alternate the background color: ```wl In[3]:= Column[{1, 22, 333, 4444}, Background -> {{LightRed, Pink}}, Frame -> True] Out[3]= 1 22 333 4444 ``` #### BaselinePosition (1) Align the column with surrounding text: ```wl In[1]:= Row[Table[Column[{1, 22, 333}, BaselinePosition -> p, Frame -> True], {p, {Top, Center, Bottom}}], "xxx"] Out[1]= Row[{Column[{1, 22, 333}, BaselinePosition -> Top, Frame -> True], Column[{1, 22, 333}, BaselinePosition -> Center, Frame -> True], Column[{1, 22, 333}, BaselinePosition -> Bottom, Frame -> True]}, "xxx"] ``` #### Dividers (5) Draw all dividers: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22, 333}, Dividers -> All] Out[1]= 1 22 333 ``` --- Only draw exterior dividers: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22, 333}, Dividers -> True] Out[1]= 1 22 333 ``` --- Draw only interior dividers: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22, 333}, Dividers -> Center] Out[1]= 1 22 333 ``` --- Draw custom dividers: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22}, Dividers -> {None, {1 -> Red, 2 -> Green, 3 -> Blue}}] Out[1]= 1 22 ``` Use negative-position indices: ```wl In[2]:= Column[{1, 22}, Dividers -> {None, {-3 -> Red, -2 -> Green, -1 -> Blue}}] Out[2]= 1 22 ``` --- Draw outer column dividers: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22}, Dividers -> {{1 -> Red, 2 -> Blue}, None}] Out[1]= 1 22 ``` Use negative-position indices: ```wl In[2]:= Column[{1, 22}, Dividers -> {{-2 -> Red, -1 -> Blue}, None}] Out[2]= 1 22 ``` #### Frame (3) Frame all elements: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22, 333}, Frame -> All] Out[1]= 1 22 333 ``` --- Frame only the exterior: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22, 333}, Frame -> True] Out[1]= 1 22 333 ``` --- Frame specific elements: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22, 333}, Frame -> {None, True, True}] Out[1]= 1 22 333 ``` #### FrameStyle (1) Set the style for the frame: ```wl In[1]:= Table[Column[{1, 22, 333}, Frame -> True, FrameStyle -> s], {s, {Orange, Thick, Dashed, Directive[Orange, Thick, Dashed]}}] Out[1]= {1 22 333, 1 22 333, 1 22 333, 1 22 333} ``` #### ItemSize (2) Control the size of an item and possibly force linewrapping: ```wl In[1]:= Table[Column[{1, 22, 333}, ItemSize -> {w, h}, Frame -> True], {h, {1, 2, 3}}, {w, {4, 8, 12}}]//Grid Out[1]= | | | | | -------- | -------- | -------- | | 1 22 333 | 1 22 333 | 1 22 333 | | 1 22 333 | 1 22 333 | 1 22 333 | | 1 22 333 | 1 22 333 | 1 22 333 | ``` --- By setting ``ItemSize``, the content will have a line break: ```wl In[1]:= t = StringJoin@Riffle[Table["text", {10}], " "]; In[2]:= e = Expand[(x + y) ^ 10]; In[3]:= Column[{e, t}, ItemSize -> {20, Automatic}, Frame -> All] Out[3]= x^10 + 10 x^9 y + 45 x^8 y^2 + 120 x^7 y^3 + 210 x^6 y^4 + 252 x^5 y^5 + 210 x^4 y^6 + 120 x^3 y^7 + 45 x^2 y^8 + 10 x y^9 + y^10 "text text text text text text text text text text" ``` #### ItemStyle (4) Change the overall style: ```wl In[1]:= Table[Column[{1, 22, 333}, ItemStyle -> s], {s, {Blue, Gray, Purple}}] Out[1]= {1 22 333, 1 22 333, 1 22 333} ``` --- Change the style for a specific element: ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 22, 333}, ItemStyle -> {1 -> Purple, 2 -> Red, 3 -> Bold}] Out[1]= 1 22 333 ``` --- Dynamically change the element being styled: ```wl In[1]:= Slider[Dynamic[x], {1, 3, 1}] Out[1]= Slider[Dynamic[x], {1, 3, 1}] In[2]:= Column[{1, 22, 333}, ItemStyle -> {Dynamic[x] -> Large}] Out[2]= 1 22 333 ``` --- Dynamically change the style of a specific element: ```wl In[1]:= Slider[Dynamic[x]] Out[1]= Slider[Dynamic[x]] In[2]:= Column[{1, 22, 333}, ItemStyle -> {3 -> Hue[Dynamic[x]]}] Out[2]= 1 22 333 ``` #### Spacings (1) Change the spacing between elements: ```wl In[1]:= Table[Column[{1, 22, 333}, Spacings -> s, Frame -> True], {s, {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}}] Out[1]= {1 22 333, 1 22 333, 1 22 333, 1 22 333, 1 22 333, 1 22 333} ``` ### Properties & Relations (1) ``Column`` is a special case of ``Grid`` : ```wl In[1]:= Column[{1, 12, 123}] Out[1]= 1 12 123 In[2]:= Grid[Transpose[{{1, 12, 123}}], Alignment -> Left] Out[2]= | | | :-- | | 1 | | 12 | | 123 | ``` ## See Also * [`GraphicsColumn`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/GraphicsColumn.en.md) * [`Row`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Row.en.md) * [`Multicolumn`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Multicolumn.en.md) * [`Grid`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Grid.en.md) * [`Labeled`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Labeled.en.md) * [`InsertLinebreaks`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/InsertLinebreaks.en.md) ## Tech Notes * [Tables and Matrices](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/TextualInputAndOutput.en.md#28366) * [Grids, Rows, and Columns](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/GridsRowsAndColumnsOverview.en.md) * [String‐Oriented Output Formats](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/TextualInputAndOutput.en.md#1899) * [Formatted Output](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/tutorial/TextualInputAndOutput.en.md#6589676) ## Related Guides * [Grids & Tables](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/GridsAndTables.en.md) * [Layout & Tables](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/LayoutAndTables.en.md) * [Computation with Structured Datasets](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/ComputationWithStructuredDatasets.en.md) * [`Palettes`](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/Palettes.en.md) * [Notebook Formatting & Styling](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/NotebookFormattingAndStyling.en.md) * [Mathematical Typesetting](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/MathematicalTypesetting.en.md) * [User Interface Structuring & Layout](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/UserInterfaceStructuringAndLayout.en.md) * [Data Visualization](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/DataVisualization.en.md) * [Automated Reports](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/AutomatedReports.en.md) * [Basic Input & Output in Programs](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/BasicInputAndOutputInPrograms.en.md) ## Related Workflows * [Make a Grid of Output Data](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/MakeAGridOfOutputData.en.md) * [Create a Palette](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/workflow/CreateAPalette.en.md) ## Related Links * [An Elementary Introduction to the Wolfram Language: Displaying Lists](https://www.wolfram.com/language/elementary-introduction/04-displaying-lists.html) * [An Elementary Introduction to the Wolfram Language: Layout and Display](https://www.wolfram.com/language/elementary-introduction/37-layout-and-display.html) ## History * [Introduced in 2007 (6.0)](https://reference.wolfram.com/language/guide/SummaryOfNewFeaturesIn60.en.md)