Problem with Alignment in Grid

Question

Further to the problem noted in Grid - Item - Alignment to decimal problem I feel that the Alignment below should be decimal for the lower right and centre for the left and top headings. You will note that the top headings have also been decimal aligned.

heads = "head_" <> ToString[#] & /@ Range[4];
cols = "col_" <> ToString[#] & /@ Range[4];
data = Join[{Join[{"Table Name"}, heads]}, Join[{#},
             RandomReal[{-5, 20}, 4]] & /@ cols];

Grid[data, Frame -> All, FrameStyle -> Directive[Thin, Gray],
     Background -> {Yellow, 1 -> LightGray, 1 -> LightGray},
     Alignment ->  {".",    1 -> Center,    1 -> Center.  }]

You will note that the Alignment entries mimic the Background entries but the result is not satisfactory. The "head_1" is not center aligned but has also been aligned on the decimal point.

I have been searching for a solution to this without success and so a solution would be most welcome.

Answer 1

You can wrap row and column headers with Item and use the option Alignment -> Center:

heads = Item["head_" <> ToString[#], Alignment -> Center] & /@ Range[4];
cols = Item["col_" <> ToString[#], Alignment -> Center] & /@ Range[4];
data = Join[{Join[{"Table Name"}, heads]}, Join[{#}, RandomReal[{-5, 20}, 4]] & /@ cols];

Grid[data, Frame -> All, FrameStyle -> Directive[Thin, Gray], 
 Background -> {Yellow, 1 -> LightGray, 1 -> LightGray}, 
 Alignment -> {"."}]