<cols> (Column Definitions)

This element specifies the set of columns defined for this section in the document.

example: 
<w:cols w:equalWidth="0">
  <w:col w:w="2640" w:space="720"/>
  <w:col w:w="6000"/>
</w:cols>

The <cols> element defines the set of columns defined for this section, which because @equalWidth is 0, are defined by the number of <col> elements contained in the column definition. In this case, the first column is 2,640 twentieths of a point wide (as 2640/1440ths of an inch equals 1.83 inches) with one-half of an inch space after, and the second column is 6,000 twentieths of a point wide (4.16 inches). ]

Based on the presence of the @equalWidth attribute, a consumer shall render the columns using:

  • If @equalWidth is true, then the columns are defined using the data stored as attributes of the <cols> element (defined below).

  • If @equalWidth is false, then the columns are defined using the presence and data on each child <col> element (§2.6.3).

Parent Elements

<sectPr> (§2.6.17); <sectPr> (§2.6.18); <sectPr> (§2.6.19)

Child Elements

Subclause

<col> (Single Column Definition)

§2.6.3

Attributes

Description

<equalWidth> (Equal Column Widths)

Specifies whether all text columns in the current section are of equal width.

If this attribute is present and its value is set to true, on, or 1, then all columns for this text section are of an equal width and are calculated as follows:

  • Take width of page (from margin to margin)

  • Divide by number of columns specified in @num attribute

  • For each column, leave space after as defined in the @space attribute

  • Remaining width of each column is the text column width.

If this attribute is present and its value is set to false, off, or 0, then all columns for this text section are of different widths and are defined by each <col> element as follows:

  • Each <col> element defines a single column

  • Each @w attribute defines the text column width

  • Each @space attribute defines the space after the text column

<w:cols w:num="3" w:space="1440"
  w:equalWidth="1">
  <w:col w:w="2880" w:space="2880" />
  <w:col w:w="2880" w:space="1440" />
  <w:col w:w="2880" />
</w:cols>

This set of columns has a @equalWidth value set to 1, therefore the <col> elements are ignored, and there are three equally sized columns (@num value of 3), each with one inch (@space value of 1440 twentieths of a point) of space after. ]

The possible values for this attribute are defined by the ST_OnOff simple type (§2.18.67).

<num> (Number of Equal Width Columns)

Specifies the number of text columns in the current section.

If all columns are not of equal width (the @equalWidth attribute is not set), then this element is ignored, and the number of columns is defined by the number of <col> elements defined under the <cols> element.

<w:cols w:num="3" w:space="1440"
  w:equalWidth="1">
  …
</w:cols>

This set of columns has a @equalWidth value set to 1, therefore there are three equally sized columns, as the @num attribute has a value of 3. ]

The possible values for this attribute are defined by the ST_DecimalNumber simple type (§2.18.16).

<sep> (Draw Line Between Columns)

Specifies if a vertical line is drawn between each of the text columns in this section.

If set to true, on, or 1, then a vertical line shall be drawn in the center of the spacing between each column in this section.

[Example: Consider a section with column information defined as follows:

<w:cols w:sep="1">
  …
</w:cols>

This set of columns has a @sep value set to 1, therefore there shall be a vertical line separating each column in this section. ]

The possible values for this attribute are defined by the ST_OnOff simple type (§2.18.67).

<space> (Spacing Between Equal Width Columns)

Specifies the spacing between text columns in the current section.

If all columns are not of equal width (the @equalWidth attribute is not set), then this element is ignored, and the spacing after columns is defined by the @space attribute on each of the <col> elements defined under the <cols> element.

<w:cols w:num="3" w:space="1440"
  w:equalWidth="1">
  …
</w:cols>

This set of columns has a @equalWidth value set to 1, therefore there are three equally sized columns, each with one inch (@space value of 1440 twentieths of a point) of space after. ]

The possible values for this attribute are defined by the ST_TwipsMeasure simple type (§2.18.105).

The following XML Schema fragment defines the contents of this element:

<complexType name="CT_Columns">
	<sequence minOccurs="0">
	<element name="col" type="CT_Column" maxOccurs="45"/>
	</sequence>
	<attribute name="equalWidth" type="ST_OnOff" use="optional"/>
	<attribute name="space" type="ST_TwipsMeasure" use="optional"/>
	<attribute name="num" type="ST_DecimalNumber" use="optional"/>
	<attribute name="sep" type="ST_OnOff" use="optional"/>
</complexType>