From r-package-skills
Use when code loads or uses flextable (library(flextable), flextable::), creating formatted tables for Word (.docx), PowerPoint (.pptx), HTML, or PDF in R, or needing merged cells and conditional formatting
npx claudepluginhub arthurgailes/r-package-skills --plugin r-package-skillsThis skill uses the workspace's default tool permissions.
**flextable creates publication-quality tables that render consistently across Word, PowerPoint, HTML, and PDF.**
Formats LaTeX tables using tabularray for fixed-width columns, precise alignment, complex layouts, and overflow troubleshooting. Supports migration from tabular, tabularx, longtable, booktabs.
R style guide covering naming conventions, spacing, layout, and function design best practices. Use when writing R code.
Share bugs, ideas, or general feedback.
flextable creates publication-quality tables that render consistently across Word, PowerPoint, HTML, and PDF.
Core principle: Separate data from display. Build from a data.frame, then layer formatting declaratively using selectors.
Read references/API.md before writing code.
references/API.md - Complete function referencereferences/overview.md - Core concepts and workflowreferences/formatting.md - Styling and appearancereferences/layout.md - Structure and mergingreferences/selectors.md - Targeting cells for formattingreferences/output.md - Rendering to different formatsUse flextable when:
Consider alternatives:
| Task | Function |
|---|---|
| Create table | flextable(df) |
| Format numbers | colformat_double(), colformat_int() |
| Bold/italic/color | bold(), italic(), color() |
| Background color | bg() |
| Merge cells | merge_v(), merge_h(), merge_at() |
| Add header | add_header_row() |
| Auto-size | autofit() |
| Apply theme | theme_vanilla(), theme_zebra() |
| Save to Word | save_as_docx() |
| Save to PowerPoint | save_as_pptx() |
library(flextable)
# Create -> format -> output
ft <- flextable(head(mtcars, 5)) |>
colformat_double(digits = 1) |>
# Conditional formatting with formula selectors
color(i = ~ mpg > 20, j = "mpg", color = "darkgreen") |>
bold(i = ~ mpg > 20, j = "mpg") |>
# Spanning header
add_header_row(
values = c("Performance", "Engine", "Transmission"),
colwidths = c(2, 4, 5)
) |>
theme_vanilla() |>
autofit()
save_as_docx(ft, path = "table.docx")
Target cells for formatting:
# Row selector (formula)
bold(ft, i = ~ cyl == 6)
# Column selector
bg(ft, j = ~ mpg + hp, bg = "lightgray")
# Part selector
bold(ft, part = "header")
See references/selectors.md for details on multi-content cells, mini charts, output-specific notes.
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Theme doesn't format new header | Apply theme AFTER add_header_row() |
autofit() overflows margins | Use set_table_properties(layout = "autofit") |
height() has no effect | Set hrule(rule = "exact") first |
| Formula selectors fail in header | Use integer indices for header rows |
| Images missing in Word | Use officedown::rdocx_document() |
| PDF ignores padding | Use ft.tabcolsep chunk option |
add_header_row values wrong | One value per span; colwidths sum to ncol |
See references/ for: