booktabs in Scissor LaTeX

The booktabs package works partly in Scissor LaTeX: \toprule, \midrule and \bottomrule work, while \cmidrule and \addlinespace are accepted but left out, and all rules have the same thickness.

What the package does

booktabs gives tables a calm, open look: a few horizontal lines of different weights and no vertical lines. Its commands replace \hline at the top, under the header and at the bottom of a table.

You load it in the preamble with \usepackage{booktabs}.

What works here

Command	In Scissor LaTeX	Notes
`\toprule`	Works	Drawn as a full-width line.
`\midrule`	Works	Same thickness as `\toprule`.
`\bottomrule`	Works	Same thickness as `\toprule`.
`\cmidrule{2-3}`	Left out	No line is drawn and no message is shown. Trims like `(lr)` are read and dropped too.
`\addlinespace`	Left out	The rows keep their normal spacing.
`\specialrule{w}{a}{b}`	Partly	Drawn as a normal full-width line; the width and spacing are ignored.

Examples

A results table with the three rules:

Top, middle and bottom rules

LaTeXPreamble: \usepackage{booktabs}Open in editor

\begin{tabular}{lrr}
\toprule
Method & Time (s) & Error \\
\midrule
Baseline & 44.0 & 0.31 \\
Improved & 12.5 & 0.08 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}

A grouped header usually has a \cmidrule under the group name. Here the code compiles, and the group name stays, but the partial line under it is not drawn:

\cmidrule is left out

LaTeXPreamble: \usepackage{booktabs}Open in editor

\begin{tabular}{lcc}
\toprule
       & \multicolumn{2}{c}{Score} \\
\cmidrule(lr){2-3}
Name   & Test 1 & Test 2 \\
\midrule
Erika Mustermann & 44 & 47 \\
Hans Mustermann  & 39 & 42 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}

Compatibility

From a TeX installation to here: every booktabs command is accepted, so your document opens and typesets. Expect plain full-width rules of one weight, and no partial rules.
From here to a TeX installation: documents written here compile there unchanged, and the rules get their usual weights and spacing.

The full manual is on CTAN: ctan.org/pkg/booktabs. For writing tables in general, see Tables in LaTeX.

See also Tables, multirow and the LaTeX table generator.

Every example on this page is typeset by Scissor LaTeX when the site is built. Last updated 2026-11-06.