--- loncom/xml/londefdef.pm	2010/08/20 21:20:24	1.403.4.2
+++ loncom/xml/londefdef.pm	2010/11/18 18:07:02	1.403.4.4
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 # Tags Default Definition Module 
 #
-# $Id: londefdef.pm,v 1.403.4.2 2010/08/20 21:20:24 raeburn Exp $
+# $Id: londefdef.pm,v 1.403.4.4 2010/11/18 18:07:02 raeburn Exp $
 # 
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
@@ -2702,17 +2702,26 @@ sub tag_check {
 #
 
 sub cell_config_hash {
-    my ($align, $rowspan, $colspan) = @_;
+    my ($align, $rowspan, $colspan, $width) = @_;
+    if ($rowspan ne '') {
+        $rowspan =~ s/^\s+|\s+$//g;
+    }
+    if ($colspan ne '') {
+        $colspan =~ s/^\s+|\s+$//g;
+    }
     my %config;
     if ($align ne '') {
 	$config{'halign'} = $align;
     }
-    if ($colspan ne "") {
+    if (($colspan =~ /^\d+$/) && ($colspan > 0)) {
 	$config{'colspan'} = $colspan;
     }
-    if ($rowspan ne '') {
+    if (($rowspan =~ /^\d+$/) && ($rowspan > 0)) {
 	$config{'rowspan'} = $rowspan;
     }
+    if ($width ne '') {
+        $config{'width'} = $width;
+    }
     return \%config;
 }
  
@@ -2724,11 +2733,11 @@ sub start_td_tex {
     # attributes, but empty of text.  end_td_tex will
     # fetch the contents from the recursive parse and
     # fill the cell with them:
-    my $align   = &Apache::lonxml::get_param('align', $parstack, $safeeval, undef, 1);
-    my $rowspan = &Apache::lonxml::get_param('rowspan', $parstack, $safeeval, undef, 1);
-    my $colspan = &Apache::lonxml::get_param('colspan', $parstack, $safeeval, undef, 1);
-
-    my $config = &cell_config_hash($align, $rowspan, $colspan);
+    my $align   = &Apache::lonxml::get_param('align', $parstack, $safeeval);
+    my $rowspan = &Apache::lonxml::get_param('rowspan', $parstack, $safeeval);
+    my $colspan = &Apache::lonxml::get_param('colspan', $parstack, $safeeval);
+    my $width   = &Apache::lonxml::get_param('TeXwidth', $parstack, $safeeval);
+    my $config = &cell_config_hash($align, $rowspan, $colspan, $width);
 
     my $table = $Apache::londefdef::table[-1];
     $table->add_cell('', $config);