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Re: SetOptions with Column

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg64509] Re: SetOptions with Column
  • From: Paul Abbott <paul at physics.uwa.edu.au>
  • Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 06:29:10 -0500 (EST)
  • Organization: The University of Western Australia
  • References: <dt49ib$3k3$1@smc.vnet.net>
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

In article <dt49ib$3k3$1 at smc.vnet.net>,
 Rob Munger <rob.munger at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I am trying to use Mathematica to typeset homework assignments. I'm trying 
> to use GridBoxes to format multi-line equations of the following sort:
> a = b
>   = c
>   = d
>   = e
>   = f

I assume that this is a GridBox of the form

Cell[BoxData[
    FormBox[GridBox[{
          {"\[Placeholder]"},
          {"\[Placeholder]"},
          {"\[Placeholder]"}
          }], TraditionalForm]], "Input"]

where you have filled the placeholders, and not just a mult-line 
expression?

> Because I use formulas like this a lot, it would be nice if I could get 
> Mathematica to make the default alignment for the columns of GridBoxes to be 
> "Left," instead of "Center." 

I too do this all the time. Actually, I think what you really want to do 
is get alignment of = (actually, I prefer to use "\[LongEqual]" instead 
of = since the latter evaluates to Set whereas the former evaluates to 
Equal -- which is the mathematical meaning required here).

Here is an example:

Cell[BoxData[
    FormBox[GridBox[{
          {
            RowBox[{
              RowBox[{
              "\[LeftAngleBracket]", "P", "\[RightAngleBracket]"}], 
              "\[LongEqual]", 
              RowBox[{
                FractionBox["1", "2"], 
                SubscriptBox["\[ScriptCapitalI]", "max"], 
                SubscriptBox["V", "max"], " ", 
                RowBox[{"(", 
                  RowBox[{
                    UnderscriptBox[
                      UnderscriptBox[
                        RowBox[{"cos", "(", "\[Phi]", ")"}], 
                        "\[UnderBrace]"], "constant"], "-", 
                    UnderscriptBox[
                      UnderscriptBox[
                        RowBox[{"cos", "(", 
                          RowBox[{
                            RowBox[{"2", "\[Omega]", " ", "t"}], "-", 
                            "\[Phi]"}], ")"}], "\[UnderBrace]"], 
                      RowBox[{
                      "Averages", " ", "to", " ", "0", " ", "over", 
                        " ", "T"}]]}], ")"}]}]}]},
          {
            RowBox[{"\[LongEqual]", 
              RowBox[{
                FractionBox["1", "2"], 
                SubscriptBox["\[ScriptCapitalI]", "max"], 
                SubscriptBox["V", "max"], 
                RowBox[{"cos", "(", "\[Phi]", ")"}]}]}]},
          {
            RowBox[{"\[LongEqual]", 
              RowBox[{
                OverscriptBox["\[ScriptCapitalI]", "~"], 
                OverscriptBox["V", "~"], 
                RowBox[{"cos", "(", "\[Phi]", ")"}]}]}]},
          {
            RowBox[{"\[LongEqual]", 
              RowBox[{
                OverscriptBox[
                  StyleBox["\[ScriptCapitalI]",
                    FontWeight->"Bold"], "~"], 
                StyleBox["\[CenterDot]",
                  FontWeight->"Bold"], 
                OverscriptBox[
                  StyleBox["V",
                    FontWeight->"Bold"], "~"]}]}]}
          }], TraditionalForm]], "DisplayFormula",
  GridBoxOptions->{ColumnAlignments->{"\[LongEqual]"},
  ColumnLines->True}]

> However, when I try to use SetOptions to 
> accomplish this, I get:
> 
> In:
> SetOptions[GridBox,ColumnAlignments->{Left}]
> Options[GridBox,ColumnAlignments]
> 
> Out:
> {ColumnAlignments->{Center}}
> 
> In:
> SetOptions[GridBox,ColumnAlignments->Left]
> Options[GridBox,ColumnAlignments]
> 
> Out:
> {ColumnAlignments->{Center}}

Select the Cell (though actually modifying the StyleSheet of the 
Notebook to make this automatic for all cells of the same type -- such 
as DisplayFormula or NumberedEquation -- is better) and open the Option 
Inspector. Show option values for selection and modify ColumnAlignments 
to be "=" (or "\[LongEqual]").

Cheers,
Paul

_______________________________________________________________________
Paul Abbott                                      Phone:  61 8 6488 2734
School of Physics, M013                            Fax: +61 8 6488 1014
The University of Western Australia         (CRICOS Provider No 00126G)    
AUSTRALIA                               http://physics.uwa.edu.au/~paul


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