#LyX 1.3 created this file. For more info see http://www.lyx.org/
\lyxformat 221
\textclass article
\begin_preamble
\usepackage{dcolumn}
\newcolumntype{d}[1]{D{.}{.}{#1}}
\end_preamble
\language english
\inputencoding latin1
\fontscheme default
\graphics default
\paperfontsize default
\spacing single
\papersize Default
\paperpackage a4
\use_geometry 0
\use_amsmath 0
\use_natbib 0
\use_numerical_citations 0
\paperorientation portrait
\secnumdepth 3
\tocdepth 3
\paragraph_separation indent
\defskip medskip
\quotes_language english
\quotes_times 2
\papercolumns 1
\papersides 1
\paperpagestyle default

\layout Title

A Better Decimal-Alignment Solution
\layout Standard

An alternative way to have decimal alignment in tables is through the dcolumn
 package.
 Add the following to the LateX preamble:
\layout LyX-Code


\backslash 
usepackage{dcolumn} 
\layout LyX-Code


\backslash 
newcolumntype{d}[1]{D{.}{.}{#1}}
\layout Standard

To have a column decimally aligned, enter in the 
\family sans 
Special Column Alignment
\family default 
 box of the 
\family sans 
Table extra
\family default 
 form the following:
\layout LyX-Code

d{number of decimals of the data}
\layout Standard

In the following table we entered 
\family typewriter 
d{4}
\family default 
:
\layout Standard
\added_space_top 0.3cm \added_space_bottom 0.3cm \align center 

\begin_inset  Tabular
<lyxtabular version="3" rows="5" columns="2">
<features>
<column alignment="center" valignment="top" width="0pt">
<column alignment="right" valignment="top" leftline="true" width="0pt" special="d{4}">
<row bottomline="true">
<cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" usebox="none">
\begin_inset Text

\layout Standard

Expression
\end_inset 
</cell>
<cell multicolumn="1" alignment="center" valignment="top" bottomline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
\begin_inset Text

\layout Standard

Value 
\end_inset 
</cell>
</row>
<row>
<cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" usebox="none">
\begin_inset Text

\layout Standard

\end_inset 
</cell>
<cell multicolumn="1" alignment="right" valignment="top" leftline="true" usebox="none">
\begin_inset Text

\layout Standard

3.1416
\end_inset 
</cell>
</row>
<row>
<cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" usebox="none">
\begin_inset Text

\layout Standard

\end_inset 
</cell>
<cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
\begin_inset Text

\layout Standard

36.462
\end_inset 
</cell>
</row>
<row>
<cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" usebox="none">
\begin_inset Text

\layout Standard

\end_inset 
</cell>
<cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
\begin_inset Text

\layout Standard

80663.
\end_inset 
</cell>
</row>
<row>
<cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" usebox="none">
\begin_inset Text

\layout Standard

\end_inset 
</cell>
<cell alignment="center" valignment="top" topline="true" leftline="true" usebox="none">
\begin_inset Text

\layout Standard

1.3402e18
\end_inset 
</cell>
</row>
</lyxtabular>

\end_inset 


\layout Standard

To create extra column space just increase the number of decimals in 
\family typewriter 
d{}
\family default 
.
 Setting the multicolumn attribute for a single cell makes it insensitive
 to the decimal alignment which comes in handy as well.
 A drawback of this method is that math mode is not allowed in a column
 with decimal alignment except if the multicolumn attribute is set.
\layout Standard

This method offers the same flexibility as the 
\family typewriter 
dcolumn
\family default 
 package.
 One could, for example, change the alignment separator, and have different
 alignment separators for different columns by defining multiple column
 types in the preamble.
 The syntax is as follows: 
\layout LyX-Code

D{inputsep}{outputsep}{decimal places}
\layout Standard

The interested reader is directed towards the 
\family typewriter 
dcolumn
\family default 
 package documentation for more details.
\the_end
