\documentclass[a4paper]{article}
% \usepackage{times}
\usepackage{easytable}%

\let\package\texttt % so \package{foo} comes out in \tt
\let\envname\textsf % so \envname{foo} comes out as \sf

\newbox\tempbox

\def\BOX{%
    \setbox\tempbox\hbox\bgroup
    \begin{minipage}{0.9\textwidth}
}
\def\endBOX{%
    \end{minipage}
    \egroup
    \par\bigskip
    \begin{center}
        \fboxsep=10pt\fbox{\box\tempbox}
    \end{center}
    \bigskip\par
}

\title{The package \package{easytable}}
\author{Enrico Bertolazzi\\\\
  Laboratorio di Matematica Applicata\\
  Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile ed Ambientale\\
  Universit\`a degli Studi di Trento\\
  Mesiano, Trento, Italy\\\\
  \texttt{bertolaz@ing.unitn.it}}

\date{}

\begin{document}
\maketitle
\begin{abstract}
The \package{easytable} package is 
a macro package for writing tables, with equal column widths 
or equal rows heights or both, with various
kinds of rules~(lines) between rows and columns. It
uses an array/tabular-like syntax. 
\end{abstract}

\tableofcontents


\section{Some examples with \package{easytable}}
Load the package in the usual way:
\begin{BOX}
\begin{verbatim}
   \documentclass{article}
   .
   .
   \usepackage[thinlines,thiklines]{easytable}
   .
   .
\end{verbatim}
\end{BOX}
The options \texttt{thinlines}, and \texttt{thiklines} are self explanatory.
\package{easytable} provides the \envname{TAB}~environment which is a
simple re-implementation of the
array/tabular environment, with some limitation and some additional features.
The syntax is
\begin{BOX}
\begin{verbatim}
   \begin{TAB}`(x)'`[2pt]'`{cc...c}'`{cc...c}'
      a & b & ... & n \\
   .
   \end{TAB}
\end{verbatim}
\end{BOX}
\begin{description}
\item[(x)] is an optional parameter, if present it specify if you want to 
balance the rows or the column or both, as this table shows:
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline
value of $x$ & effect \\
\hline
\verb+r+ & equal rows heights \\
\verb+c+ & equal column widths  \\
\verb+b+ & equal rows heights and equal column widths \\
\verb+e+ & equal rows heights and column widths \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}

\item[]\verb+[2pt]+ an optional parameter that specify
the amount of extra space around the item 
in the \envname{TAB} environment. The default is \verb+2pt+.
\item[the first] \verb+`{cc...c}'+ is the definition of the columns
and their alignment. The possible alignment for
the columns are:
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline
\verb+c+ & centering \\
\verb+l+ & flush left \\
\verb+r+ & flush right \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\item[the second] \verb+`{cc...c}'+ is the
definition of the rows their alignment.
The possible alignment for
the rows are:
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline
\verb+c+ & centering \\
\verb+t+ & flush top \\
\verb+b+ & flush bottom \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{description}
It is possible to produce rules between columns or rows as this 
example shows:
\begin{BOX}
\begin{verbatim}
\begin{center}
   \begin{TAB}(b){|l:cr|}{|t;cb|}
     1 & 1 & 1 \\
     1 & dummy & 1 \\
     1 & 1 & 1 
   \end{TAB} \\
   \begin{TAB}(b){|r:cl|}{|b;ct|}
     1 & 1 & 1 \\
     1 & dummy & 1 \\
     1 & 1 & 1 
   \end{TAB}
\end{center}
\end{verbatim}
\end{BOX}
which produce the following output:
\begin{BOX}
\begin{center}
   \begin{TAB}(b){|l:cr|}{|t;cb|}
     1 & 1 & 1 \\
     1 & dummy & 1 \\
     1 & 1 & 1 
   \end{TAB} \\
   \begin{TAB}(b){|r:cl|}{|b;ct|}
     1 & 1 & 1 \\
     1 & dummy & 1 \\
     1 & 1 & 1 
   \end{TAB}
\end{center}
\end{BOX}
The available rules for the rows and columns are
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline
nothing  & no rule \\
\verb+|+ & solid line \\
\verb+:+ & dash line \\
\verb+;+ & dot-dash line \\
\verb+.+ & dotted line \\
\verb+0+ & solid line with size $1/5$ of normal line \\
\verb+1+ & solid line with size $1/4$ of normal line \\
\verb+2+ & solid line with size $1/3$ of normal line \\
\verb+3+ & solid line with size $1/2$ of normal line \\
\verb+4+ & equivalent to \verb+|+ \\
\verb+5+ & solid line with size $2$ times of normal line \\
\verb+6+ & solid line with size $3$ times of normal line \\
\verb+7+ & solid line with size $4$ times of normal line \\
\verb+8+ & solid line with size $5$ times of normal line \\
\verb+9+ & solid line with size $6$ times of normal line \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
The main feature of the \envname{TAB}~environment
is that it is reentrant:
\begin{BOX}
\begin{verbatim}
\begin{center}
\fbox{\begin{TAB}{0c.c9}{|c.c|}
     1 & 2 \\
     3 & \begin{TAB}{c:c}{c:c}
              a & b \\
              c & d
         \end{TAB}
   \end{TAB}}
\end{center}
\end{verbatim}
\end{BOX}
which produces
\begin{BOX}
\begin{center}
\fbox{\begin{TAB}{0c.c9}{|c.c|}
     1 & 2 \\
     3 & \begin{TAB}{c:c}{c:c}
              a & b \\
              c & d
         \end{TAB}
   \end{TAB}}
\end{center}
\end{BOX}

\section{Some example with balancing}
Here it is showed the effect of various balancing
\begin{BOX}
\begin{verbatim}
\begin{center}
   \begin{TAB}{|c|c|c|}{|c|c|c|}
       1 & 22 & 333 \\
       $\frac{1}{2}$ & 1 & 1 \\
       $\frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}}$ & 1 & 1
   \end{TAB}
   \hfil
   \begin{TAB}(r){|c|c|c|}{|c|c|c|}
       1 & 22 & 333 \\
       $\frac{1}{2}$ & 1 & 1 \\
       $\frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}}$ & 1 & 1
   \end{TAB}
   \hfil
   \begin{TAB}(c){|c|c|c|}{|c|c|c|}
       1 & 22 & 333 \\
       $\frac{1}{2}$ & 1 & 1 \\
       $\frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}}$ & 1 & 1
   \end{TAB} \\
   \begin{TAB}(b){|c|c|c|}{|c|c|c|}
       1 & 22 & 333 \\
       $\frac{1}{2}$ & 1 & 1 \\
       $\frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}}$ & 1 & 1
   \end{TAB}
   \hfil
   \begin{TAB}(e){|c|c|c|}{|c|c|c|}
       1 & 22 & 333 \\
       $\frac{1}{2}$ & 1 & 1 \\
       $\frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}}$ & 1 & 1
   \end{TAB}
\end{center}
\end{verbatim}
\end{BOX}
which produce:
\begin{BOX}
\begin{center}
   \begin{TAB}{|c|c|c|}{|c|c|c|}
       1 & 22 & 333 \\
       $\frac{1}{2}$ & 1 & 1 \\
       $\frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}}$ & 1 & 1
   \end{TAB}
   \hfil
   \begin{TAB}(r){|c|c|c|}{|c|c|c|}
       1 & 22 & 333 \\
       $\frac{1}{2}$ & 1 & 1 \\
       $\frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}}$ & 1 & 1
   \end{TAB}
   \hfil
   \begin{TAB}(c){|c|c|c|}{|c|c|c|}
       1 & 22 & 333 \\
       $\frac{1}{2}$ & 1 & 1 \\
       $\frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}}$ & 1 & 1
   \end{TAB} \\
   \begin{TAB}(b){|c|c|c|}{|c|c|c|}
       1 & 22 & 333 \\
       $\frac{1}{2}$ & 1 & 1 \\
       $\frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}}$ & 1 & 1
   \end{TAB}
   \hfil
   \begin{TAB}(e){|c|c|c|}{|c|c|c|}
       1 & 22 & 333 \\
       $\frac{1}{2}$ & 1 & 1 \\
       $\frac{1}{\frac{1}{2}}$ & 1 & 1
   \end{TAB}
\end{center}
\end{BOX}
\section{An example with size}
This example shows the use of various size rule in \envname{TAB} 
environment:
\begin{BOX}
\begin{verbatim}
\begin{center}
  \begin{TAB}(e)[5pt]{0c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8c9}
                      {0c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8c9}
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & *
   \end{TAB}
\end{center}
\end{verbatim}
\end{BOX}
which produce
\begin{BOX}
\begin{center}
  \begin{TAB}(e)[5pt]{0c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8c9}
                     {0c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8c9}
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * \\
   * & * & * & * & * & * & * & * & *
   \end{TAB}
\end{center}
\end{BOX}

\section{An example with reentrance}
This example shows a slightly more complex (reentrant)
definition in 
which the \envname{TAB}~environment is used:
\begin{BOX}
\begin{verbatim}
\def\rec(#1){\expandafter\recurse#1-\end}
\def\recurse#1#2\end{%
\if\noexpand#1-\def\next##1##2{}%
\else\let\next=\recursea\fi%
\expandafter\next{#1}{#2}%
}%
\def\recursea#1#2{%
\bgroup\ignorespaces%
\begin{TAB}(e)[0pt]{0c1c2c3}{4c5c6c7}%
$#1$&$#1$&\rec(#2)\\%
$#1$&$#1$&$#1$\\%
\rec(#2)&$#1$&$#1$%
\end{TAB}%
\egroup%
}
\begin{center}
  \recurse\clubsuit\diamondsuit\heartsuit\end
\end{center}
\end{verbatim}
\end{BOX}
It produces the following output:
\typeout{This example can take a while to compile on small machine, please wait...}
\def\rec(#1){\expandafter\recurse#1-\end}
\def\recurse#1#2\end{%
\if\noexpand#1-\def\next##1##2{}%
\else\let\next=\recursea\fi%
\expandafter\next{#1}{#2}%
}%
\def\recursea#1#2{%
\bgroup\ignorespaces%
\begin{TAB}(e)[0pt]{0c1c2c3}{4c5c6c7}%
$#1$&$#1$&\rec(#2)\\%
$#1$&$#1$&$#1$\\%
\rec(#2)&$#1$&$#1$%
\end{TAB}%
\egroup%
}
\begin{center}
  \recurse\clubsuit\diamondsuit\heartsuit\end
\end{center}
\typeout{...thanks, I have done}

\section{Another example with reentrance}
The same example without balance
\begin{BOX}
\begin{verbatim}
\def\rec(#1){\expandafter\recurse#1-\end}
\def\recurse#1#2\end{%
\if\noexpand#1-\def\next##1##2{}%
\else\let\next=\recursea\fi%
\expandafter\next{#1}{#2}%
}%
\def\recursea#1#2{%
\bgroup\ignorespaces%
\begin{TAB}[0pt]{0c1c2c3}{4c5c6c7}%
$#1$&$#1$&\rec(#2)\\%
$#1$&$#1$&$#1$\\%
\rec(#2)&$#1$&$#1$%
\end{TAB}%
\egroup%
}
\begin{center}
  \recurse\clubsuit\diamondsuit\heartsuit\end
\end{center}
\end{verbatim}
\end{BOX}
It produces the following output:
\typeout{This example can take a while to compile on small machine, please wait...}
\def\rec(#1){\expandafter\recurse#1-\end}
\def\recurse#1#2\end{%
\if\noexpand#1-\def\next##1##2{}%
\else\let\next=\recursea\fi%
\expandafter\next{#1}{#2}%
}%
\def\recursea#1#2{%
\bgroup\ignorespaces%
\begin{TAB}[0pt]{0c1c2c3}{4c5c6c7}%
$#1$&$#1$&\rec(#2)\\%
$#1$&$#1$&$#1$\\%
\rec(#2)&$#1$&$#1$%
\end{TAB}%
\egroup%
}
\begin{center}
  \recurse\clubsuit\diamondsuit\heartsuit\end
\end{center}
\typeout{...thanks, I have done}

\end{document}