The Need for Left and Right Stub Columns

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 66 views

Introduction

When working with tables, it's common to encounter situations where additional information is required to better understand the data. One such scenario is when you need to display row labels and their groupings in multiple languages. In this article, we'll explore the possibility of creating stub columns on both sides of a table using the gt package in R. This feature would be particularly useful in situations where an additional language describes the row labels and their groupings.

Background

The gt package is a powerful tool for creating beautiful and informative tables in R. It provides a wide range of features, including the ability to create stub columns, which are columns that contain additional information about the data. However, the current implementation of stub columns in gt only allows for a single stub column on the left side of the table. This limitation can be overcome by styling the last columns as a workaround, but this approach has its own set of limitations.

The Need for Left and Right Stub Columns

In many cases, having a stub column on both sides of a table can be beneficial. For instance, when working with data that has row labels and their groupings in multiple languages, it would be helpful to have a stub column on the left side to display the English labels and another stub column on the right side to display the corresponding Arabic labels. This would enable users to easily compare the data across different languages.

Current Workaround

One possible workaround for creating a stub column on both sides of a table is to style the last columns as a workaround. This can be achieved by using the tab_stubhead() function to create a stub column on the left side and then styling the last columns to match the desired appearance. However, this approach has its own set of limitations, including the need to manually style the last columns and the potential for inconsistencies in the table layout.

Proposed Solution

To overcome the limitations of the current implementation, we propose the addition of a new feature to the gt package that allows for the creation of stub columns on both sides of a table. This feature would enable users to easily create tables with multiple stub columns, making it easier to display complex data in a clear and concise manner.

Implementation

To implement this feature, we would need to modify the gt package to include a new function that allows for the creation of stub columns on both sides of a table. This function would take into account the existing stub column on the left side and add a new stub column on the right side. The new stub column would be styled to match the existing stub column, ensuring a consistent appearance throughout the table.

Example Use Case

To demonstrate the proposed solution, let's consider an example use case where we have a table with row labels and their groupings in multiple languages. We want to create a table with a stub column on the left side to display the English labels and another stub column on the right side to display the corresponding Arabic labels.

library(gt) ; library(tidyverse) ; library(countrycode)

countrypops |> 
  filter(year == 2022,
         country_code_3 %in% c("DZA","BHR","COM","DJI","EGY","IRQ","JOR","KWT",
                               "LBN","LBY","MRT","MAR","OMN","PSE","QAT","SAU",
                               "SOM","SDN","SYR","TUN","ARE","YEM")) |> 
  mutate(continent_en = countrycode(country_code_3, "iso3c", "un.region.name"),
         continent_ar = ifelse(continent_en == "Africa", "أفريقيا", "آسيا")) |> 
  select(country_en = country_name, continent_en, population, country_ar = country_code_3, continent_ar) |> 
  arrange(desc(population)) |> 
  group_by(continent_en) |> 
  mutate(continent_ar = ifelse(row_number() == 1, continent_ar, "")) |> 
  ungroup() |> 
  gt(rowname_col = "country_en",
     groupname_col = "continent_en",
     row_group_as_column = TRUE) |> 
  tab_stubhead(label = "Continent") |> 
  fmt_country(columns = country_ar, locale = "ar") |> 
  fmt_number(columns = population, decimals = 1, suffixing = TRUE) |> 
  cols_label(
    population = "Population (2022)",
    country_ar = "",
    continent_ar = "قارة"
  ) |> 
  sub_missing(columns = "country_ar", missing_text = "") |> 
  tab_header(title = "Countries belonging to the League of Arab States") |> 
  tab_source_note(source_note = "Source: World Bank") |> 
  tab_options(
    column_labels.font.weight = "bold",
    stub_row_group.font.weight = "bold",
    data_row.padding = px(3)
  ) |> 
  tab_style(
    style = cell_text(weight = "bold"),
    locations = cells_body(columns = continent_ar)
  ) |> 
  tab_style(
    style = cell_borders(sides = "left", color = "#d8d4d4", weight = px(2)),
    locations = cells_body(columns = c(country_ar,continent_ar))
  ) |>
  tab_style(
    style = cell_borders(sides = "bottom", color = "#FFFFFF"),
    locations = cells_body(columns = "continent_ar")
  )

Conclusion

Q: What are stub columns, and why are they useful?

A: Stub columns are columns that contain additional information about the data in a table. They are useful because they provide context and clarity to the data, making it easier to understand and analyze.

Q: Why is it necessary to have left and right stub columns?

A: Having left and right stub columns is necessary because it allows users to easily compare data across different languages or categories. For example, in a table with row labels and their groupings in multiple languages, having a stub column on the left side to display the English labels and another stub column on the right side to display the corresponding Arabic labels would be very helpful.

Q: How do I create a stub column on the left side of a table using the gt package?

A: To create a stub column on the left side of a table using the gt package, you can use the tab_stubhead() function. This function takes into account the existing stub column on the left side and adds a new stub column on the right side.

Q: Can I customize the appearance of the stub columns?

A: Yes, you can customize the appearance of the stub columns using the tab_style() function. This function allows you to specify the style of the stub columns, including the font weight, color, and padding.

Q: How do I add a new stub column on the right side of a table using the gt package?

A: To add a new stub column on the right side of a table using the gt package, you can use the tab_stubhead() function with the label argument set to the desired label for the new stub column.

Q: Can I use the gt package to create tables with multiple stub columns?

A: Yes, you can use the gt package to create tables with multiple stub columns. The tab_stubhead() function allows you to add multiple stub columns to a table, and the tab_style() function allows you to customize the appearance of the stub columns.

Q: How do I troubleshoot issues with stub columns in the gt package?

A: To troubleshoot issues with stub columns in the gt package, you can check the documentation for the tab_stubhead() and tab_style() functions to ensure that you are using them correctly. You can also try using the debug() function to step through the code and identify any errors.

**Q: Can I use the gt package to create tables with stub columns and other