--- loncom/xml/lontable.pm	2010/11/01 10:52:09	1.14
+++ loncom/xml/lontable.pm	2010/11/18 17:12:14	1.15
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 #  Generating TeX tables.
 #
-# $Id: lontable.pm,v 1.14 2010/11/01 10:52:09 foxr Exp $
+# $Id: lontable.pm,v 1.15 2010/11/18 17:12:14 raeburn Exp $
 # 
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
@@ -684,6 +684,9 @@ sub add_cell {
     
     if (defined($config)) {
 	foreach my $key (keys(%$config)) {
+            if ($key eq 'colspan') {
+                next if ($config->{$key} == 0);
+            }
 	    $cell->{$key} = $config->{$key};
 	}
     }
@@ -900,7 +903,7 @@ sub generate {
 		} else {
 		    $cw = $default_width;
 		}
-		my $cw = $cw * $cells->[$cell]->{'colspan'};
+		$cw = $cw * $cells->[$cell]->{'colspan'};
 		$col_align = "p{$cw $colunits}";
 		$contents = $embeddedAlignStart . $contents .  $embeddedAlignEnd;
 	    }