[OS X TeX] tabular error?

[Ross Moore]

> using
> 
> \begin{tabular}{||}
> \hline   &  &  \\
>     &  &  \\
>     &  &  \\
> \hline
> \end{tabular}
> 
> I always get
> 
> missing # inserted in alignment preamble.
> 
> why?

You haven't said how to align the columns.
e.g.
   \begin{tabular}{|ccc|} 
or
  \begin{tabular}{||lll}
etc.

so TeX is looking for information that isn't there.

Since it always parses left-to-right, it will be thinking
that you want a double-vertical line at the left-hand edge,
of a column aligned ???? .
Saying just
   \begin{tabular}{||l}   is *not* enough; for then you will
get errors later on trying to put more than one cell in a row.
You *must* specify the alignment of *all* cell columns.

Hope this helps,

	Ross

> 
> cheers
> christoph
> 
> 
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