# Column

Describes one column within a table or grid.

### Description

The column element defines one column within a grid. If an element references a column that does not exist, then BIRT creates the column implicitly as a variable-width column.

The developer defines columns to aid in report layout. Each column has the following properties:

- Width: a column can be variable width or fixed width.
- Style: a column can use the style defined for the grid as a whole, or can define a separate style. The developer uses this to create a distinct border around the column, use a different background color, etc.
- Alignment: how to align items with the column: left, center or right.

Each column definition element defines one or more adjacent columns in the table. The column definition section is optional. If not provided, BIRT ERD computes the set of columns from the table bands, as described below.

### XML Summary

### See Also

## repeat

The number of adjacent columns described by this element.

### Description

A table often has a series of columns with an identical format. For example, an accounting report may display debits in one column and credits in another. This property is a convenience to allow defining the column attributes once, and apply them to a set of adjacent columns.

### See Also

## width

The width of the column.

### Description

The width of the column. The width can be omitted. If so, BIRT automatically computes the width based on the content of the table.

Widths can be absolute (1 inch) or relative (20%). Widths are entered using the CSS dimension system. See the discussion of Dimensions in the ROM Overview Specification for details.

### See Also

## style

Name of the style applied to this column.

### Description

Column provides many style properties. The style properties are defined in the ROM Styles Specification. A column can inherit its style properties from a parent element, from a named style, or from a style that identifies the context in which the item appears. This property provides the name of the shared style to use.

This item can also set the value of style properties. Properties set on this element "override" those inherited from a parent element or a shared style.

### See Also

Style element in the ROM Styles Specification.