How to create vertical and horizontal dotted lines in a matrix?

Question

Similar to this question, I am trying to output a similar matrix with dotted line instead of dashed line.

Is there anyway to do this?
I also try to use these three packages:

usepackage{tabularx}
usepackage{longtable}
usepackage{arydshln}

I also like to learn how to implement this in documentclass{revtex4}, in addition to using in documentclass{article}. As far as we know that arydshln may not be compatible with revtex4 or revtex4-1 as far as I tried.

I encounter a problem like this post. And I add arydshln after the tabularx; but it cannot compile successfully, but only output errors. Could someone offer any hints or some resolutions?

The answer needs not to be complete. Thank you for your help!!!

Gonzalo Medina · Accepted Answer

Since revtex4 seems to be incompatible with the arydshln package, here's an option using TikZ:

documentclass[aps,prl,twocolumn,nofootinbib,superscriptaddress,floatfix]{revtex4}
usepackage{tikz}
usetikzlibrary{matrix}

begin{document}

[
Biggl(mkern-5mu
begin{tikzpicture}[baseline=-.65ex]
matrix[
  matrix of math nodes,
  column sep=1ex,
] (m)
{
B & C 
D & E 
};
draw[dotted]
  ([xshift=0.5ex]m-1-1.north east) -- ([xshift=0.5ex]m-2-1.south east);
draw[dotted]
  (m-1-1.south west) -- (m-1-2.south east);
node[above,text depth=1pt] at (m-1-1.north) {$scriptstyle r$};  
node[above,text depth=1pt] at (m-1-2.north) {$scriptstyle n-r$};
node[left,overlay] at ([xshift=-1.2ex]m-1-1.west) {$scriptstyle r$};
node[left,overlay] at ([xshift=-1.2ex]m-2-1.west) {$scriptstyle n-r$};
end{tikzpicture}mkern-5mu
Biggr)
]

end{document}

Werner · Answer

You can adjust the dash and gap of the hdashline by modifying the lengths dashlinedash and dashlinegap:

documentclass{article}
usepackage{tabularx}
usepackage{arydshln,leftidx,mathtools}

setlength{dashlinedash}{.4pt}
setlength{dashlinegap}{.8pt}

begin{document}
[
  leftidx{_{m-r}^{phantom{m-r}llap{$scriptstyle r$}}}{left( begin{array}{c:c}
    smash{overset{r}{B}} & mathclap{smash{overset{n-r}{C}}} 
    hdashline
    D & E
  end{array} right)}{}
]

noindent
begin{tabularx}{linewidth}{X:X}
  hdashline
  ABC & DEF 
  hdashline
end{tabularx}
end{document}

The default for both of the lengths is 4pt.

Steven B. Segletes · Answer

This uses a stacking approach.  This answer is helping me to think of ways to automate dotted/dashed lines as part of stacks, which in this MWE, had to be done very manually.

documentclass{article}
usepackage[usestackEOL]{stackengine}
usepackage{graphicx}
stackMath
% DASHED LINE OF SPECIFIED LENGTH
% From morsburg at http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/12537/
% how-can-i-make-a-horizontal-dashed-line/12553#12553
defdashfill{cleadershbox to .5em{rule{.4ex}{.4pt}}hfill}
newcommanddashline[1]{hbox to #1{dashfillhfil}}
newlengthtmplen
begin{document}
[
strutshortanchors{F}defstackalignment{r}setstackgap{S}{5pt}
stackanchor[15pt]{{}^r}{{}_{m-r}}
defstackalignment{c}
stackon[1pt]{
  left(raisebox{2pt}{%
  savestack{num}{$~B~,$}tmplen=wdnumcontentrelax%
  stackunder{stackon{dashline{tmplen}}{num}}{D;}%
  rotatebox{90}{kern-1.1baselineskipdashline{2.5baselineskip}}%
  savestack{num}{$,~C~$}tmplen=wdnumcontentrelax%
  stackunder{stackon{dashline{tmplen}}{num}}{,E}}%
  right)
}{%
  ~~{}_r~,~_{n-r}%
}
]
end{document}

F. Pantigny · Answer

The package nicematrix has features to that directly.
documentclass{article}
usepackage{nicematrix}

begin{document}

NiceMatrixOptions{code-for-first-row = scriptstyle,code-for-first-col = scriptstyle }

$A = begin{pNiceArray}{c:c}[first-row, first-col, columns-width=auto]
    & r & n-r 
r   & B & C 
hdottedline
m-r & D & E 
end{pNiceArray}$

end{document}

How to create vertical and horizontal dotted lines in a matrix?

4 Answers

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question