Sstrhsrtj

I have a node style I would like to apply to many (but not all) the cells/columns/rows of a matrix of nodes. Currently, for every column or cell that I want the style to apply to, I declare the style as:

column 2/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

column 3/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

column 4/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

column 5/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

row 3 column 2/.style={my node style},

row 3 column 3/.style={my node style},

row 3 column 4/.style={my node style},

row 3 column 5/.style={my node style},

row 3 column 6/.style={my node style},

It would be more convenient if I could write something like

column 2 to 5/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

row 3 column 2 to 5/.style={my node style},

row 4 column 2 to 5/.style={my node style},

or even better (for the last two)

cell 3 2 to cell 4 5/.style={my node style},

Here's a MWE where such keys would improve readability of the code

documentclass[border=6pt]{standalone}



usepackage{amsmath}

newcommandabs[1]{lvert#1rvert}



usepackage{tikz}

usetikzlibrary{calc}

usetikzlibrary{matrix}

usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}



tikzset{%%

  >=Stealth,

  my node style/.style={%%

    minimum width=dimexpr0.60in+12ptrelax,

    minimum height=dimexpr0.30cm+12ptrelax,

    outer sep=0pt,

    draw},

  }



begin{document}



begin{tikzpicture}



  matrix (TBL) [%%

                 matrix of nodes,

                 nodes={%%

                   align=center,

                   inner sep=0pt,

                   anchor=center},

                 column 2/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

                 column 3/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

                 column 4/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

                 column 5/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

                 row 3 column 2/.style={my node style},

                 row 3 column 3/.style={my node style},

                 row 3 column 4/.style={my node style},

                 row 3 column 5/.style={my node style},

                 row 3 column 6/.style={my node style},

                ]

  {

                        & {$(-infty,-2)$}               & {$(-2,-1)$}                     & {$(-1,1)$}                    & {$(1,2)$}                       & {$(2,infty)$}                 \[2pt]

   {$abs{x^{2}-1}=,$} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1 $} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}   & |[my node style]| {$1-x^{2}$} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}   & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}  \[-0.4pt]

   {$abs{x^{2}-4}=,$} &                   {$x^{2}-4 $} &                   {$4-x^{2}$}   &                   {$4-x^{2}$} &                   {$4-x^{2}$}   &                   {$x^{2}-4$}  \[2pt]

   {$g(x) =$}           & |[my node style]| {$ 3 $ }     & |[my node style]| {$ 2x^{2}-5$} & |[my node style]| {$ -3 $}    & |[my node style]| { $2x^{2}-5$} & |[my node style]| {$ 3 $}      \

  };



end{tikzpicture}



end{document}

Note: I'm also trying to avoid having to declare the style explicitly in each cell where I want it to apply as in rows 2 and 4 of the above example.

UPDATE

I've tried adding the following to my preamble

tikzset{%%

    column thepgfmatrixcurrentcolumnspace to thepgfmatrixcurrentcolumn/.try,

  }

but when I try to call it as in:

begin{tikzpicture}



  matrix (TBL) [%%

                 matrix of nodes,

                 nodes={%%

                   align=center,

                   inner sep=0pt,

                   anchor=center},

                 column 2/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

                 column 3/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

                 column 4/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

                 column 5/.style={column sep=-0.4pt},

                 row 3 column 2/.style={my node style},

                 row 3 column 3/.style={my node style},

                 row 3 column 4/.style={my node style},

                 row 3 column 5/.style={my node style},

                 row 3 column 6/.style={my node style},

                 column 2 to 5/.style={red},

                ]

  {

                        & {$(-infty,-2)$}               & {$(-2,-1)$}                     & {$(-1,1)$}                    & {$(1,2)$}                       & {$(2,infty)$}                 \[2pt]

   {$abs{x^{2}-1}=,$} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1 $} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}   & |[my node style]| {$1-x^{2}$} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}   & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}  \[-0.4pt]

   {$abs{x^{2}-4}=,$} &                   {$x^{2}-4 $} &                   {$4-x^{2}$}   &                   {$4-x^{2}$} &                   {$4-x^{2}$}   &                   {$x^{2}-4$}  \[2pt]

   {$g(x) =$}           & |[my node style]| {$ 3 $ }     & |[my node style]| {$ 2x^{2}-5$} & |[my node style]| {$ -3 $}    & |[my node style]| { $2x^{2}-5$} & |[my node style]| {$ 3 $}      \

  };



end{tikzpicture}

There is no apparent effect.

You can use the /.list handler for repeated settings. Also you can wrap them around for more complicated cases but here are two actions for simple use.

documentclass[tikz,border=5pt]{standalone}

usetikzlibrary{calc,matrix,arrows.meta}



defabs#1{|#1|}

tikzset{

  foo1/.style={column #1/.style={column sep=-0.4pt}},

  foo2/.style={row 3 column #1/.style={nodes=my node style}},

  >=Stealth,

  my node style/.style={%%

    minimum width=0.60in+12pt,

    minimum height=0.30cm+12pt,

    outer sep=0pt,

    draw},

  }





begin{document}

begin{tikzpicture}



  matrix (TBL) [%%

                 matrix of nodes,

                 nodes={%%

                   align=center,

                   inner sep=0pt,

                   anchor=center},

  foo1/.list={2,...,5},

  foo2/.list={3,...,5}

                ]

  {

                        & {$(-infty,-2)$}               & {$(-2,-1)$}                     & {$(-1,1)$}                    & {$(1,2)$}                       & {$(2,infty)$}                 \[2pt]

   {$abs{x^{2}-1}=,$} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1 $} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}   & |[my node style]| {$1-x^{2}$} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}   & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}  \[-0.4pt]

   {$abs{x^{2}-4}=,$} &                   {$x^{2}-4 $} &                   {$4-x^{2}$}   &                   {$4-x^{2}$} &                   {$4-x^{2}$}   &                   {$x^{2}-4$}  \[2pt]

   {$g(x) =$}           & {$ 3 $ }                       & {$ 2x^{2}-5$}                   & {$ -3 $}                      & { $2x^{2}-5$}                   & {$ 3 $}      \

  };

end{tikzpicture}

end{document}

This isn't quite the solution that I want, but it does kind of achieve the effect I want.

Using the etoolbox package, I define two macros: foreachcell and foreachcolumn

usepackage{etoolbox}

makeatletter

newcommandforeachcell{ae@foreach@cell}

defae@foreach@cell from (#1,#2) to (#3,#4) do #5{%%

  defaecol{#2}%%

  defaerow{#1}%%

  whileboolexpr{ not ( test { ifnumcomp{aecol}{=}{#4}} and test{ifnumcomp{aerow}{=}{#3}} ) }

  {

    #5

    edefaecol{numbernumexpraecol+1relax}

    ifnumaecol>#4relax

      edefaerow{numbernumexpraerow+1relax}

      edefaecol{#2}

    fi

  }

}

newcommandforeachcolumn{ae@foreach@col}

defae@foreach@col from #1 to #2 do #3{%%

  defaecol{#1}%%

  whileboolexpr{ test {ifnumcomp{aecol}{<}{#2}} or test{ifnumcomp{aecol}{=}{#2}} }

  { #3

    edefaecol{numbernumexpraecol+1relax}

  }}

makeatother

Then in a MWE:

documentclass[border=6pt]{standalone}



usepackage{amsmath}

newcommandabs[1]{lvert#1rvert}



usepackage{etoolbox}



usepackage{tikz}

usetikzlibrary{calc}

usetikzlibrary{matrix}

usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}



makeatletter

newcommandforeachcell{ae@foreach@cell}

defae@foreach@cell from (#1,#2) to (#3,#4) do #5{%%

  defaecol{#2}%%

  defaerow{#1}%%

  whileboolexpr{ not ( test { ifnumcomp{aecol}{=}{#4}} and test{ifnumcomp{aerow}{=}{#3}} ) }

  {

    #5

    edefaecol{numbernumexpraecol+1relax}

    ifnumaecol>#4relax

      edefaerow{numbernumexpraerow+1relax}

      edefaecol{#2}

    fi

  }

}

newcommandforeachcolumn{ae@foreach@col}

defae@foreach@col from #1 to #2 do #3{%%

  defaecol{#1}%%

  whileboolexpr{ test {ifnumcomp{aecol}{<}{#2}} or test{ifnumcomp{aecol}{=}{#2}} }

  { #3

    edefaecol{numbernumexpraecol+1relax}

  }}

makeatother



foreachcell from (2,2) to (4,6) do

{tikzset{row aerowspace column aecol/.style={my node style}}}



foreachcolumn from 2 to 5 do 

{tikzset{column aecol/.style={column sep=4pt}}}



tikzset{%%

  >=Stealth,

  my node style/.style={%%

    minimum width=dimexpr0.60in+12ptrelax,

    minimum height=dimexpr0.30cm+12ptrelax,

    outer sep=0pt,

    draw},

  }



begin{document}



begin{tikzpicture}



  matrix (TBL) [%%

                 matrix of nodes,

                 nodes={%%

                   align=center,

                   inner sep=0pt,

                   anchor=center},

                ]

  {

                        & {$(-infty,-2)$}               & {$(-2,-1)$}                     & {$(-1,1)$}                    & {$(1,2)$}                       & {$(2,infty)$}                 \[2pt]

   {$abs{x^{2}-1}=,$} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1 $} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}   & |[my node style]| {$1-x^{2}$} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}   & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}  \[-0.4pt]

   {$abs{x^{2}-4}=,$} &                   {$x^{2}-4 $} &                   {$4-x^{2}$}   &                   {$4-x^{2}$} &                   {$4-x^{2}$}   &                   {$x^{2}-4$}  \[2pt]

   {$g(x) =$}           & |[my node style]| {$ 3 $ }     & |[my node style]| {$ 2x^{2}-5$} & |[my node style]| {$ -3 $}    & |[my node style]| { $2x^{2}-5$} & |[my node style]| {$ 3 $}      \

  };



end{tikzpicture}



end{document}

I get the desired output (except that draw does not take effect as I would like).

It would be nice to do this as keys. So, I'll not accept my own solution until someone shows how to effectively create the desired keys.

The problem with defining keys (as I attempted to do in the update to my question) is that this needs to be initialized (or so it seems to me) within deftikz@common@matrix@code in tikz@do@matrix. I don't want to rewrite all of that. And I'm not savvy enough with patching to understand how to patch this to embed my desired keys in there.

Here's a solution that works basically the way you suggest. In order to avoid having to hack the definition of the tikz matrix code to make it respond to extra styles, I define a custom handler, called .matrix style used like: row 2 to 3 column 2 to 4/.matrix style={blue}. The row and column can come in either order, either can be omitted and it's possible to have just one number rather than a range. For instance the following are all valid:

row 2 to 3 column 2 to 4/.matrix style={...}

row 2 to 3 column 2/.matrix style={...}

column 2 to 3 row 3/.matrix style={...}

row 2 to 3/.matrix style={...}

column 4 row 2/.matrix style={...}

Because I apparently have too much time on my hands, I wrote both a plain tex version and an expl3 version.

First the plain tex version:

makeatletter

defmatrixstyle@ifempty#1{ifx$#1$expandafter@firstoftwoelseexpandafter@secondoftwofi}



defmatrixstyle@expectword#1#2{matrixstyle@expectword@#1nill{#2}}

defmatrixstyle@expectword@#1#2nill#3{%

    @ifnextchar{#1}{%

        matrixstyle@ifempty{#2}{%

            defnext{#3}%

        }{%

            defnext{matrixstyle@expectword@#2nill{#3}}%

        }%

        expandafternext@gobble

    }{%

        matrixstyle@expectword@fail

    }%

}



defmatrixstyle@expectword@fail#1.{PackageError{matrix style}{Unexpected row/column specifier "pgfkeyscurrentname"}{}}





pgfkeys{/handlers/.matrix style/.code={pgfkeys{pgfkeyscurrentpath/.matrix code=pgfkeysalso{#1}}}}



pgfkeys{/handlers/.matrix code/.code={

        edefpgfkeyscurrentkey{pgfkeyscurrentpath}%

        pgfkeys@split@path

        edefmatrixstyle@thepath{pgfkeyscurrentpath}%

        defmatrixstyle@thestyle{#1}%

        edeftemp{noexpandmatrixstyle@parsepgfkeyscurrentname.}%

        temp

    }

}



defmatrixstyle@parse{%

    letmatrixstyle@columnminempty%

    letmatrixstyle@rowminempty%

    matrixstyle@parse@

}



defmatrixstyle@parse@{%

    @ifnextchar.{%

        expandaftermatrixstyle@finish@rows@gobble

    }{%

        @ifnextchar{c}{%

            matrixstyle@expectword{column}{deftype{column}matrixstyle@parse@range@grab{matrixstyle@parse@range@min}}%

        }{%

            matrixstyle@expectword{row}{deftype{row}matrixstyle@parse@range@grab{matrixstyle@parse@range@min}}%

        }%

    }

}



newcounttempcount

newcounttempcountb

defmatrixstyle@parse@range@grab#1{afterassignment#1tempcount=numexpr}

defmatrixstyle@parse@range@min{%

    expandafteredefcsname matrixstyle@type minendcsname{thetempcount}%

    expandafteredefcsname matrixstyle@type maxendcsname{thetempcount}%

    @ifnextchar{t}{%

        matrixstyle@expectword{to}{matrixstyle@parse@range@grab{matrixstyle@parse@range@max}}%

    }{%

        matrixstyle@parse@

    }

}



defmatrixstyle@parse@range@max{%

    expandafteredefcsname matrixstyle@type maxendcsname{thetempcount}%

    matrixstyle@parse@

}



defmatrixstyle@finish@rows{%

    letmatrixstyle@possiblespacespace

    ifxmatrixstyle@rowminempty

        letmatrixstyle@possiblespaceempty

        letmatrixstyle@rowtextempty

        matrixstyle@finish@columns

    else

        tempcount=matrixstyle@rowminrelax

        loop

            edefmatrixstyle@rowtext{row thetempcount}%

            % Loops don't nest correctly because they both use the same iterate command

            % either the inner loop needs to be in a scope, which won't work for us

            % or we need to save the value of iterate

            letmatrixstyle@saveiterateiterate

            matrixstyle@finish@columns

            letiteratematrixstyle@saveiterate

            advancetempcount1relax

        unlessifnumtempcount>matrixstyle@rowmaxrepeat

    fi

}



defmatrixstyle@finish@columns{%

    ifxmatrixstyle@columnminempty

        letmatrixstyle@possiblespaceempty

        letmatrixstyle@columntextempty

        matrixstyle@finish@key

    else

        tempcountb=matrixstyle@columnminrelax

        loop

            edefmatrixstyle@columntext{column thetempcountb}%

            matrixstyle@finish@key

            advancetempcountb1relax

        unlessifnumtempcountb>matrixstyle@columnmaxrepeat

    fi

}



defmatrixstyle@finish@key{%

    edeftemp{

        matrixstyle@thepath/%

           matrixstyle@rowtext matrixstyle@possiblespace matrixstyle@columntext

              /.code={unexpandedexpandafter{matrixstyle@thestyle}}%

    }%

    expandafterpgfkeysexpandafter{temp}

}

Here's the expl3 version.

usepackage{expl3}



makeatletter

pgfkeys{/handlers/.matrix style/.code={pgfkeys{pgfkeyscurrentpath/.matrix code=pgfkeysalso{#1}}}}



pgfkeys{/handlers/.matrix code/.code={

        edefpgfkeyscurrentkey{pgfkeyscurrentpath}%

        pgfkeys@split@path

        matrixstyle@parse{#1}

    }

}

makeatother



ExplSyntaxOn

makeatletter

def matrixstyle@parse { matrixstyle_parse:n }

makeatother



tl_new:N l_matrixstyle_path_tl

tl_new:N l_matrixstyle_style_tl

tl_new:N l_matrixstyle_type_tl

tl_new:N l_matrixstyle_possible_space_tl



tl_new:N l_matrixstyle_columntext_tl

tl_new:N l_matrixstyle_columnmin_tl

tl_new:N l_matrixstyle_columnmax_tl



tl_new:N l_matrixstyle_rowtext_tl

tl_new:N l_matrixstyle_rowmin_tl

tl_new:N l_matrixstyle_rowmax_tl



cs_new:Nn matrixstyle_expectword:nn {

    matrixstyle_expectword_aux:wn #1 q_stop { #2 }

}



cs_gset:Npn use_i_delimit_by_period:nw #1 #2 . { #1 } 



cs_new:Npn matrixstyle_expectword_aux:wn #1 #2 q_stop #3 {

    peek_meaning_remove_ignore_spaces:NTF { #1 } {

        tl_if_empty:nTF { #2 } {

            #3

        }{

            matrixstyle_expectword_aux:wn #2 q_stop { #3 }

        }

    }{ % An error. Escape out and throw an error.

        use_i_delimit_by_period:nw { PackageError{matrix style}{Unexpected row/column specifier "pgfkeyscurrentname"}{} }

    }

}





cs_new:Nn matrixstyle_parse:n {

    tl_clear:N l_matrixstyle_columnmin_tl

    tl_clear:N l_matrixstyle_rowmin_tl

    tl_set:Nn l_matrixstyle_style_tl { #1 }%

    tl_set:Nx l_matrixstyle_path_tl { pgfkeyscurrentpath }%

    use:x { exp_not:N matrixstyle_parse_aux: pgfkeyscurrentname . }

}



cs_new:Npn matrixstyle_parse_aux: {

    peek_meaning_remove_ignore_spaces:NTF . {

        matrixstyle_finish_rows:

    }{

        peek_meaning_ignore_spaces:NTF { c }{

            matrixstyle_expectword:nn { column } {

                tl_set:Nn l_matrixstyle_type_tl {column}

                matrixstyle_parse_rangegrab:nw { matrixstyle_parse_rangemin: }

            }%

        }{%

            matrixstyle_expectword:nn { row }{

                tl_set:Nn l_matrixstyle_type_tl {row}

                matrixstyle_parse_rangegrab:nw { matrixstyle_parse_rangemin: }

            }%

        }%

    }

}



newcounttempcount

cs_new:Npn matrixstyle_parse_rangegrab:nw #1 {

    afterassignment #1

    tempcount = int_eval:w

}



cs_new:Nn matrixstyle_parse_rangemin: {

    tl_set:co { l_matrixstyle_ tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_type_tl min_tl }{ thetempcount }%

    tl_set:co { l_matrixstyle_ tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_type_tl max_tl }{ thetempcount }

    peek_meaning_ignore_spaces:NTF { t }{

        matrixstyle_expectword:nn { to }{

            matrixstyle_parse_rangegrab:nw { matrixstyle_parse_rangemax: }

        }%

    }{%

        matrixstyle_parse_aux:

    }

}



cs_new:Nn matrixstyle_parse_rangemax: {

    tl_set:co { l_matrixstyle_ tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_type_tl max_tl }{ thetempcount }

    matrixstyle_parse_aux:

}



cs_new:Nn matrixstyle_finish_rows: {%

    tl_set_eq:NN l_matrixstyle_possible_space_tl c_space_tl

    tl_if_empty:NTF l_matrixstyle_rowmin_tl {

        tl_clear:N l_matrixstyle_possible_space_tl

        tl_clear:N l_matrixstyle_rowtext_tl

        matrixstyle_finish_columns:

    } {

        int_step_inline:nnn

            { tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_rowmin_tl }

            { tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_rowmax_tl }

            {

                tl_set:Nn l_matrixstyle_rowtext_tl { row ~ ##1 }

                matrixstyle_finish_columns:

            }

    }

}



cs_new:Nn matrixstyle_finish_columns: {%

    tl_if_empty:NTF  l_matrixstyle_columnmin_tl {

        tl_clear:N l_matrixstyle_possible_space_tl

        tl_clear:N l_matrixstyle_columntext_tl

        matrixstyle_finish_key:

    } {

        int_step_inline:nnn

            { tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_columnmin_tl }

            { tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_columnmax_tl }

            {

                tl_set:Nn l_matrixstyle_columntext_tl { column ~ ##1 }

                matrixstyle_finish_key:

            }

    }

}



makeatletter

cs_new:Nn matrixstyle_finish_key: {

    exp_args:Nx pgfkeys

        {   tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_path_tl /

            tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_rowtext_tl

            tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_possible_space_tl

            tl_use:N l_matrixstyle_columntext_tl

        /. code = { exp_not:o { l_matrixstyle_style_tl } } } 

}

makeatother

ExplSyntaxOff

The plain tex version in use:

documentclass[border=6pt]{standalone}



usepackage{amsmath}

newcommandabs[1]{lvert#1rvert}



usepackage{tikz}

usetikzlibrary{calc}

usetikzlibrary{matrix}

usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}





makeatletter

defmatrixstyle@ifempty#1{ifx$#1$expandafter@firstoftwoelseexpandafter@secondoftwofi}



defmatrixstyle@expectword#1#2{matrixstyle@expectword@#1nill{#2}}

defmatrixstyle@expectword@#1#2nill#3{%

    @ifnextchar{#1}{%

        matrixstyle@ifempty{#2}{%

            defnext{#3}%

        }{%

            defnext{matrixstyle@expectword@#2nill{#3}}%

        }%

        expandafternext@gobble

    }{%

        matrixstyle@expectword@fail

    }%

}



defmatrixstyle@expectword@fail#1.{PackageError{matrix style}{Unexpected row/column specifier "pgfkeyscurrentname"}{}}





pgfkeys{/handlers/.matrix style/.code={pgfkeys{pgfkeyscurrentpath/.matrix code=pgfkeysalso{#1}}}}



pgfkeys{/handlers/.matrix code/.code={

        edefpgfkeyscurrentkey{pgfkeyscurrentpath}%

        pgfkeys@split@path

        edefmatrixstyle@thepath{pgfkeyscurrentpath}%

        defmatrixstyle@thestyle{#1}%

        edeftemp{noexpandmatrixstyle@parsepgfkeyscurrentname.}%

        temp

    }

}



defmatrixstyle@parse{%

    letmatrixstyle@columnminempty%

    letmatrixstyle@rowminempty%

    matrixstyle@parse@

}



defmatrixstyle@parse@{%

    @ifnextchar.{%

        expandaftermatrixstyle@finish@rows@gobble

    }{%

        @ifnextchar{c}{%

            matrixstyle@expectword{column}{deftype{column}matrixstyle@parse@range@grab{matrixstyle@parse@range@min}}%

        }{%

            matrixstyle@expectword{row}{deftype{row}matrixstyle@parse@range@grab{matrixstyle@parse@range@min}}%

        }%

    }

}



newcounttempcount

newcounttempcountb

defmatrixstyle@parse@range@grab#1{afterassignment#1tempcount=numexpr}

defmatrixstyle@parse@range@min{%

    expandafteredefcsname matrixstyle@type minendcsname{thetempcount}%

    expandafteredefcsname matrixstyle@type maxendcsname{thetempcount}%

    @ifnextchar{t}{%

        matrixstyle@expectword{to}{matrixstyle@parse@range@grab{matrixstyle@parse@range@max}}%

    }{%

        matrixstyle@parse@

    }

}



defmatrixstyle@parse@range@max{%

    expandafteredefcsname matrixstyle@type maxendcsname{thetempcount}%

    matrixstyle@parse@

}



defmatrixstyle@finish@rows{%

    letmatrixstyle@possiblespacespace

    ifxmatrixstyle@rowminempty

        letmatrixstyle@possiblespaceempty

        letmatrixstyle@rowtextempty

        matrixstyle@finish@columns

    else

        tempcount=matrixstyle@rowminrelax

        loop

            edefmatrixstyle@rowtext{row thetempcount}%

            % Loops don't nest correctly because they both use the same iterate command

            % either the inner loop needs to be in a scope, which won't work for us

            % or we need to save the value of iterate

            letmatrixstyle@saveiterateiterate

            matrixstyle@finish@columns

            letiteratematrixstyle@saveiterate

            advancetempcount1relax

        unlessifnumtempcount>matrixstyle@rowmaxrepeat

    fi

}



defmatrixstyle@finish@columns{%

    ifxmatrixstyle@columnminempty

        letmatrixstyle@possiblespaceempty

        letmatrixstyle@columntextempty

        matrixstyle@finish@key

    else

        tempcountb=matrixstyle@columnminrelax

        loop

            edefmatrixstyle@columntext{column thetempcountb}%

            matrixstyle@finish@key

            advancetempcountb1relax

        unlessifnumtempcountb>matrixstyle@columnmaxrepeat

    fi

}



defmatrixstyle@finish@key{%

    edeftemp{

        matrixstyle@thepath/%

           matrixstyle@rowtext matrixstyle@possiblespace matrixstyle@columntext

              /.code={unexpandedexpandafter{matrixstyle@thestyle}}%

    }%

    expandafterpgfkeysexpandafter{temp}

}





begin{document}



tikzset{%%

  my node style/.style={%%

    minimum width=dimexpr0.60in+12ptrelax,

    minimum height=dimexpr0.30cm+12ptrelax,

    outer sep=0pt,

    draw},

  }



begin{tikzpicture}



  matrix (TBL) [%%

                 matrix of nodes,

                 nodes={%%

                   align=center,

                   inner sep=0pt,

                   anchor=center},

                     column 2 to 3 row 2 to 3/.matrix style={blue}

                ]

  {

                        & {$(-infty,-2)$}               & {$(-2,-1)$}                     & {$(-1,1)$}                    & {$(1,2)$}                       & {$(2,infty)$}                 \[2pt]

   {$abs{x^{2}-1}=,$} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1 $} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}   & |[my node style]| {$1-x^{2}$} & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}   & |[my node style]| {$x^{2}-1$}  \[-0.4pt]

   {$abs{x^{2}-4}=,$} &                   {$x^{2}-4 $} &                   {$4-x^{2}$}   &                   {$4-x^{2}$} &                   {$4-x^{2}$}   &                   {$x^{2}-4$}  \[2pt]

   {$g(x) =$}           & |[my node style]| {$ 3 $ }     & |[my node style]| {$ 2x^{2}-5$} & |[my node style]| {$ -3 $}    & |[my node style]| { $2x^{2}-5$} & |[my node style]| {$ 3 $}      \

  };



end{tikzpicture}



end{document}