create neat nested tables with M2Doc

Question

Hello medini users,

I would like to know how to create neat nested tables with M2Doc.

Sometimes, we need to create a table like this

from such data structure like this

I saw some M2Doc examples using nested for loop in a cell of the table to achieve this.

However, with this approach, users can't change the width of the columns easily. If you change the width of the header row, the width of the data remains the same.

How can I get rid of this?

medini_1063548292 · Answer

Hi Ka-Lip, thanks for the update! Anyways I forgot to mention one alternative solution how to apply merge of generated table => using XWPF classes. You can create your table in the m2doc using m:for m:endfor statements as in your last reply Key here would be to make sure that the number of rows(outer table) is equal to all rows that will be in the nested table levels ( lvl 2 in your case). * wrap the table generation within the m:template renderTable(t:String) .....yyour m2doc Table construction code m:endtemplate * create custom scripted service functions ( perform vertical /horizontal merge, other utilities) could look lie this * // $EXPERIMENTAL$ var imports = new JavaImporter( bind("org.apache.poi", "org.openxmlformats.schemas.wordprocessingml.x2006.main.STMerge", false), bind("org.apache.poi", "org.apache.poi.xwpf.usermodel.XWPFDocument", false) ); var services = ({ /** * * @returns this services object */ wordSvcs: function () { return this; } , /** * @param {XWPFTable} table * indexes (zero based) * @param {Number} colIndex - target column * @param {Number} startRow -start Vmerge ro * @param {Number} endRow- end */ mergeCellsVertically4: function (table, colIndex, startRow, endRow) { var ctTbl = table.getCTTbl(); var ctRows = ctTbl.getTrList(); for (var rowIndex = startRow; rowIndex <= endRow && rowIndex < ctRows.size(); rowIndex++) { var ctRow = ctRows.get(rowIndex); if (ctRow.sizeOfTcArray() > colIndex) { var cell = ctRow.getTcArray(colIndex); var tcPr = cell.isSetTcPr() ? cell.getTcPr() : cell.addNewTcPr(); var vMerge = tcPr.isSetVMerge() ? tcPr.getVMerge() : tcPr.addNewVMerge(); vMerge.setVal(rowIndex === startRow ? imports.STMerge.RESTART : imports.STMerge.CONTINUE); } } }, /** * @param {XWPFTable} table * indexes (zero based) * @param {Number} rowIndex - integer == target row * @param {Number} startCol - integer == start h merge * @param {Number} endCol - integer */ mergeCellsHorizontally4: function mergeCellsHorizontally(table, rowIndex, startCol, endCol) { var ctTbl = table.getCTTbl(); var ctRows = ctTbl.getTrList(); if (rowIndex < ctRows.size()) { var ctRow = ctRows.get(rowIndex); if (ctRow.sizeOfTcArray() > startCol) { var cell = ctRow.getTcArray(startCol); var tcPr = cell.isSetTcPr() ? cell.getTcPr() : cell.addNewTcPr(); var gridSpan = tcPr.isSetGridSpan() ? tcPr.getGridSpan() : tcPr.addNewGridSpan(); gridSpan.setVal(java.math.BigInteger.valueOf(endCol - startCol + 1)); for (var i = endCol; i > startCol; i--) { if (ctRow.sizeOfTcArray() > i) { ctRow.removeTc(i); } } } } } }); services; * use eval() service, call on the m2doc template result, inject the word services object ( as p2) {m: ''.renderTable(). eval('var tables = self.getBody().getTables() //get first table, merge vertically (1st column, 3 rows), utilize custom service stored in p2 p2.mergeCellsVertically4(tables[0],0,0,2); //return body == XWPFDocument self.getBody(); ', ''.wordSvcs() )} And the resulting generated word Trick here is the fact that m2doc template returns and m2doc Java object ( Generation Results ) with XWPFDocument contained as a body ( accessed via self.getBody()) this was a simply example to merge cells but one can utilize all POI funcitons to customize the borders, visuals , crate paragraphs,t ables, hyperlinks ,.... as in regular XWPFDocument class Apache POI Word Tutorial So in other words more customization than the current m2doc MTable, MElement,... offers. PS: I wtried to use a plain XWPFDocument() instance to create soem docnent but encountered org.apache.xmlbeans.impl.values.XmlValueDisconnectedException issues.I did not investigated further. So for the time being an arbitrary m2doc template call is necessary to modify the generated document thorugh eval() service wihout any issues. Marian

medini_1064887566 · Answer

Hi Marian,

Thank you for guiding the direction.

Nils gave me a hint about getVMerge() is defined in MTable. I will have a look into it and keep you updated if any progress.

M2Doc/plugins/org.obeonetwork.m2doc/src/org/obeonetwork/m2doc/element/MTable.java at 4.0.0 · ObeoNetwork/M2Doc

Without using external service, I have this now. Not perfect but reached the bare minimum.

from

Thank you very much again!

Best regards,

Ka-lip

medini_1063548292 · Answer

Hi Ka-Lip,

No easy way. At least no native support in word/m2doc templating

The report generation Natively places tables inside of the tables as detached objects. so resizing the parent table columns will not reflect in the contained tables.

Only way is to create table by yourself dynamically using some scripting

* ) crate a HTML Table elements as a string => converting into MTable elements via .fromHTMLString() +> limitation that a local HTML css is not yet fully supported (planned in some of the m2doc very recent releases only) so css based formmatting can only be by done through external css file
* ) create a service functions that would dynamically create mtable rows, cells an some basic utility functions ( merge, ... ) => also some limitations in terms of borders etc.

It was summarizedin  sysML Table in m2Doc
I have managed to put together some  preliminary scripted service prototyping allowing me to use the MTbale objects inside the AQL. I got inspiration from  Using Javascript arrays from profile properties in M2Doc by Nils.
Marian