Fixed width column in HTML table with table-layout=auto

Question

When an HTML table has it's table-layout set to auto its columns are auto-sized. Given this scenario is there a way to keep specific columns fixed width? I've tried using CSS width - doesn't seem to have any effect.

Answer 1

You can do this using CSS if you use nth-child

CSS:

.table {
    table-layout:auto
}
td, th {
    border: 1px solid #999;
    padding: 0.5rem;
}
.table1 th:nth-child(1), .table1 td:nth-child(1) {
    width: 200px; /*becomes 218px with padding*/
    background: hsl(150, 50%, 50%);
}

HTML:

<h3>table 1</h3>

<table class="table1">
    <thead>
        <tr>
            <th>Column 1</th>
            <th>Column 2</th>
            <th>Column 3</th>
        </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td>I'm 218px wide!</td>
            <td>00001</td>
            <td>Blue</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>I'm 218px wide!</td>
            <td>00002</td>
            <td>Red</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>I'm 218px wide!</td>
            <td>00003</td>
            <td>Green</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>

<p>&#160;</p>

<h3>table 2</h3>

<table>
    <thead>
        <tr>
            <th>Column 1</th>
            <th>Column 2</th>
            <th>Column 3</th>
        </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td>I'm 118px wide!</td>
            <td>00001</td>
            <td>Blue</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>I'm 118px wide!</td>
            <td>00002</td>
            <td>Red</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>I'm 118px wide!</td>
            <td>00003</td>
            <td>Green</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>

Here is a demo: http://jsfiddle.net/3dyhE/2/

Answer 2

use min-width instead of width:

<table style="table-layout: auto">
  <tr>
    <td style="min-width: 200px">some cell 200px width</td>
    <td>other cell, auto width</td>
    <td>other cell, auto width</td>
    <td>other cell, auto width</td>
    <td>other cell, auto width</td>
  </tr>
</table>