modify: Modify column headers, footnotes, and spanning headers

In gtsummary: Presentation-Ready Data Summary and Analytic Result Tables

Modify column headers, footnotes, and spanning headers

Description

These functions assist with modifying the aesthetics/style of a table.

• modify_header() update column headers

• modify_spanning_header() update/add spanning headers

The functions often require users to know the underlying column names. Run show_header_names() to print the column names to the console.

Usage

modify_header(x, ..., text_interpret = c("md", "html"), quiet, update)

modify_spanning_header(
  x,
  ...,
  text_interpret = c("md", "html"),
  level = 1L,
  quiet,
  update
)

remove_spanning_header(x, columns = everything(), level = 1L)

show_header_names(x, show_hidden = FALSE, include_example, quiet)

Arguments

x	(gtsummary) A gtsummary object
...	dynamic-dots Used to assign updates to headers and spanning headers. Use modify_*(colname='new header') to update a single column. Using a formula will invoke tidyselect, e.g. modify_*(all_stat_cols() ~ "**{level}**"). The dynamic dots allow syntax like modify_header(x, !!!list(label = "Variable")). See examples below. Use the show_header_names() to see the column names that can be modified.
text_interpret	(string) String indicates whether text will be interpreted with gt::md() or gt::html(). Must be "md" (default) or "html". Applies to tables printed with {gt}.
update, quiet
level	(integer) An integer specifying which level to place the spanning header.
columns	(tidy-select) Columns from which to remove spanning headers.
show_hidden	(scalar logical) Logical indicating whether to print hidden columns as well as printed columns. Default is FALSE.
include_example

Value

Updated gtsummary object

tbl_summary(), tbl_svysummary(), and tbl_cross()

When assigning column headers and spanning headers, you may use {N} to insert the number of observations. tbl_svysummary objects additionally have {N_unweighted} available.

When there is a stratifying ⁠by=⁠ argument present, the following fields are additionally available to stratifying columns: {level}, {n}, and {p} ({n_unweighted} and {p_unweighted} for tbl_svysummary objects)

Syntax follows glue::glue(), e.g. all_stat_cols() ~ "**{level}**, N = {n}".

tbl_regression()

When assigning column headers for tbl_regression tables, you may use {N} to insert the number of observations, and {N_event} for the number of events (when applicable).

Author(s)

Daniel D. Sjoberg

Examples

# create summary table
tbl <- trial |>
  tbl_summary(by = trt, missing = "no", include = c("age", "grade", "trt")) |>
  add_p()

# print the column names that can be modified
show_header_names(tbl)

# Example 1 ----------------------------------
# updating column headers
tbl |>
  modify_header(label = "**Variable**", p.value = "**P**")

# Example 2 ----------------------------------
# updating headers add spanning header
tbl |>
  modify_header(all_stat_cols() ~ "**{level}**, N = {n} ({style_percent(p)}%)") |>
  modify_spanning_header(all_stat_cols() ~ "**Treatment Received**")

gtsummary documentation built on Aug. 9, 2025, 1:08 a.m.