diff --git a/wintable/new/coord.h b/wintable/new/coord.h
index e83e0dd..d42ab67 100644
--- a/wintable/new/coord.h
+++ b/wintable/new/coord.h
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ static struct rowcol clientCoordToRowColumn(struct table *t, POINT pt)
 	RECT r;
 	struct rowcol rc;
 	intptr_t i;
-	RECT colrect;
 
 	// initial values for the PtInRect() check
 	rc.row = -1;
@@ -59,9 +58,7 @@ static struct rowcol clientCoordToRowColumn(struct table *t, POINT pt)
 	pt.x += t->hscrollpos;
 	rc.column = 0;
 	for (i = 0; i < t->nColumns; i++) {
-		// TODO error check
-		SendMessage(t->header, HDM_GETITEMRECT, (WPARAM) i, (LPARAM) (&colrect));
-		pt.x -= colrect.right - colrect.left;
+		pt.x -= columnWidth(t, i);
 		// use <, not <=, here:
 		// assume r.left and t->hscrollpos == 0;
 		// given the first column is 100 wide,
@@ -92,7 +89,6 @@ static BOOL rowColumnToClientRect(struct table *t, struct rowcol rc, RECT *r)
 {
 	RECT client;
 	RECT out;			// don't change r if we return FALSE
-	RECT colrect;
 	LONG height;
 	intptr_t xpos;
 	intptr_t i;
@@ -114,18 +110,13 @@ static BOOL rowColumnToClientRect(struct table *t, struct rowcol rc, RECT *r)
 	// and again the columns are the hard part
 	// so we start with client.left - t->hscrollpos, then keep adding widths until we get to the column we want
 	xpos = client.left - t->hscrollpos;
-	for (i = 0; i < rc.column; i++) {
-		// TODO error check
-		SendMessage(t->header, HDM_GETITEMRECT, (WPARAM) i, (LPARAM) (&colrect));
-		xpos += colrect.right - colrect.left;
-	}
+	for (i = 0; i < rc.column; i++)
+		xpos += columnWidth(t, i);
 	// did we stray too far to the right? if so it's not visible
 	if (xpos >= client.right)		// >= because RECT.right is the first pixel outside the rectangle
 		return FALSE;
 	out.left = xpos;
-	// TODO error check
-	SendMessage(t->header, HDM_GETITEMRECT, (WPARAM) (rc.column), (LPARAM) (&colrect));
-	out.right = xpos + (colrect.right - colrect.left);
+	out.right = xpos + columnWidth(t, rc.column);
 	// and is this too far to the left?
 	if (out.right < client.left)		// < because RECT.left is the first pixel inside the rect
 		return FALSE;
diff --git a/wintable/new/draw.h b/wintable/new/draw.h
index f2f40ea..626f23f 100644
--- a/wintable/new/draw.h
+++ b/wintable/new/draw.h
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ static void drawCell(struct table *t, HDC dc, struct drawCellParams *p)
 static void draw(struct table *t, HDC dc, RECT cliprect, RECT client)
 {
 	intptr_t i, j;
-	RECT r;
 	int x = 0;
 	HFONT prevfont, newfont;
 	struct drawCellParams p;
@@ -76,9 +75,7 @@ static void draw(struct table *t, HDC dc, RECT cliprect, RECT client)
 		p.x = client.left - t->hscrollpos;
 		for (j = 0; j < t->nColumns; j++) {
 			p.column = j;
-			// TODO error check
-			SendMessage(t->header, HDM_GETITEMRECT, (WPARAM) j, (LPARAM) (&r));
-			p.width = r.right - r.left;
+			p.width = columnWidth(t, p.column);
 			drawCell(t, dc, &p);
 			p.x += p.width;
 		}
diff --git a/wintable/new/header.h b/wintable/new/header.h
index d0fe457..709f3d6 100644
--- a/wintable/new/header.h
+++ b/wintable/new/header.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ static void updateTableWidth(struct table *t)
 
 	t->width = 0;
 	// TODO count dividers?
+	// TODO use columnWidth()
 	for (i = 0; i < t->nColumns; i++) {
 		ZeroMemory(&item, sizeof (HDITEMW));
 		item.mask = HDI_WIDTH;
diff --git a/wintable/new/util.h b/wintable/new/util.h
index 470cef5..fd6166a 100644
--- a/wintable/new/util.h
+++ b/wintable/new/util.h
@@ -78,3 +78,14 @@ static void deselectFont(HDC dc, HFONT prevfont, HFONT newfont)
 		panic("error deselecting Table font from Table DC");
 	// doin't delete newfont here, even if it is the system font (see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd144925%28v=vs.85%29.aspx)
 }
+
+// and back to other functions
+
+static LONG columnWidth(struct table *t, intptr_t n)
+{
+	RECT r;
+
+	if (SendMessageW(t->header, HDM_GETITEMRECT, (WPARAM) n, (LPARAM) (&r)) == 0)
+		panic("error getting Table column width");
+	return r.right - r.left;
+}