diff --git a/humanTable.go b/humanTable.go
index 09c9ff2..6c94a60 100644
--- a/humanTable.go
+++ b/humanTable.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package cobol
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 )
 
 // TODO: make this more generic
@@ -15,33 +16,38 @@ import (
 
 // returns the line and the Sprintf fmt string
 func StandardTableRow(sizes []int, args []string) (string, string) {
-	var fmtline string
-	var line string
+	var fmts []string
+	var parts []string
 	for i, si := range sizes {
 		var cell string
 		var sfmt string
-		if si == 0 {
-			sfmt = "%-s "
+		if si < 0 {
+			sfmt = "%-s"
+		} else if si == 0 {
+			sfmt = "%-8.8s"
 		} else {
 			sfmt = "%-" + fmt.Sprintf("%d", si) + "." + fmt.Sprintf("%d", si) + "s "
 		}
-		fmtline += sfmt
+		fmts = append(fmts, sfmt)
 		if len(args) > i {
 			val := args[i]
 			cell = fmt.Sprintf(sfmt, val)
-			line += cell
+			parts = append(parts, cell)
 		} else {
 			break
 		}
 	}
 
+	// todo: change pad based on total size(?)
+	line := strings.Join(parts, "  ")
+
 	var small int
 	if len(line) > WIDTH {
 		small = WIDTH
 	} else {
 		small = len(line) - 3
 	}
-	return line[0:small], fmtline
+	return line[0:small], strings.Join(fmts, " ")
 }
 
 func StandardTableSize5(sizes []int, args []string) string {
diff --git a/tablePB.go b/tablePB.go
index 2705a45..98aa6db 100644
--- a/tablePB.go
+++ b/tablePB.go
@@ -23,23 +23,30 @@ func PrintTable(pb *guipb.Table) {
 		log.Info("grid.Id =", pb.Grid.Id)
 	}
 
-	if pb.Height < 4 {
-		pb.Height = 4
-	}
 	var h int = 0
 	var w int = 0
+	var HEIGHT int
+	if pb.Height == 0 {
+		HEIGHT = 4
+	}
+	log.Info("pb.Height", pb.Height, HEIGHT)
 	var args []string
 	var sizes []int
 	for _, name := range pb.Order {
-		arg, attr := getColAttr(pb, name)
+		arg, attr, tmp := getColAttr(pb, name)
+		HEIGHT = tmp
 		args = append(args, arg)
-		sizes = append(sizes, int(attr.Width))
+		if attr.Width == 0 {
+			sizes = append(sizes, 8)
+		} else {
+			sizes = append(sizes, int(attr.Width))
+		}
 	}
-	sizes = []int{24, 5, 8, 32, 13, 4, 4, 4, 4}
+	// sizes = []int{24, 5, 8, 32, 13, 4, 4, 4, 4}
 	header, _ := StandardTableRow(sizes, args)
 	log.Info(header)
 
-	for i := range pb.Height {
+	for i := range HEIGHT {
 		var cells []string
 		for _, name := range pb.Order {
 			if val, ok := getTableCell(pb, name, int(i)); ok {
@@ -108,34 +115,34 @@ func getTableCell(t *guipb.Table, name string, row int) (string, bool) {
 	return "", false
 }
 
-func getColAttr(t *guipb.Table, name string) (string, *guipb.ColAttr) {
+func getColAttr(t *guipb.Table, name string) (string, *guipb.ColAttr, int) {
 	// find the Column that matches the "name"
 	for _, r := range t.StringCols {
 		if name != r.Header.Name {
 			continue
 		}
-		return r.Header.Name, r.Attr
+		return r.Header.Name, r.Attr, len(r.Vals)
 	}
 	for _, r := range t.ButtonCols {
 		if name != r.Header.Name {
 			// log.Info("skip string row:", r.Header.Name, "!=", name)
 			continue
 		}
-		return r.Header.Name, r.Attr
+		return r.Header.Name, r.Attr, len(r.Vals)
 	}
 	for _, r := range t.IntCols {
 		if name != r.Header.Name {
 			// log.Info("skip string row:", r.Header.Name, "!=", name)
 			continue
 		}
-		return r.Header.Name, r.Attr
+		return r.Header.Name, r.Attr, len(r.Vals)
 	}
 	for _, r := range t.TimeCols {
 		if name != r.Header.Name {
 			// log.Info("skip sint row:", r.Header.Name, "!=", name)
 			continue
 		}
-		return r.Header.Name, r.Attr
+		return r.Header.Name, r.Attr, len(r.Vals)
 	}
-	return "", nil
+	return "", nil, 0
 }