Title/Heading/Row-Align Multi-Column Tables

Question

File under: Frame Annoyances, with a limited hacky work-around
In the two-column format we commonly work in, we often need a table that is column-wide, but may flow into multiple colums.
The problem is that the continuation heading (and TableTitle, if used), never align with the starting heading/title. This is because the continuations start at top of column, whereas the table itself starts (by "Anywhere" default) below the anchor line (presumed to be "In Column" for this discussion)..
OK, what if we change Table > Table Designer [Basic] Start to:
Top of Column: Oops, that becomes top of next column, leaving the anchor text column-widowed (but it gave me an idea).
Top of Page: Oops, that becomes top of next page, leaving the anchor text page-widowed.
Float: No effect
OK, what if we change the anchor text Format > Paragraph > Para Designer [Pagination] Format to:
[Pagination] Across All Columns (AAC): Oops, table appears only in left column on all pages, or;
[Basic] Space & Line Spacing, including negative values, appears to have no effect. Using a tiny font only minimizes the problem, and doesn't cure it.
I thought I had figured out how to solve this at one time, but could not recall it. I'm posting this in part to solicit some simpler solution. Web searching found only one solid candidate solution, and it was, of course, 404. Perhaps Frame versions later than the FM7/Win and FM7.1/Unix that I routinely use have enhancements to address this.
We normally just sidestep the problem by using an AAC format and a table that spans the page, with a fake center gutter, simulating a multi-column flow. But in a recent case, I wanted a real single-column-wide table of variable length (due to conditional rows and expected future growth), but I wanted the headings to align across columns. The table did fit on a single page, which is a limitation of the following hack.
Hack: This example presumes a normal 2-column page text frame that is 7.5in wide with a 0.24in gutter (3.63in columns), and table that needs no more than one page. It works for 3- and 4-column layouts as well.
Use an AAC anchored frame text line.
Create a full page width (7.5in) anchored frame (which can be Below, Top of Col, as desired).
Create a text frame inside the anchored frame. This frame is:
one more than your standard page (3-column for this example)
Same gutter size (0.24in for this example).
Initially draw the text frame to fit inside the the anchored frame, so you can easily grab it.
Make sure the default (anchored table) paragraph format of the first column is "In Column".
Use Graphics > Object Properties to adjust the inside text frame:
Set Width: to your standard text frame total width plus 1 column and 1 gutter (11.37in for this example).
Set Offsets: to 0 and 0 (this will push the rightmost column out of sight for the moment).
Insert your table at the anchored table text of the inside text frame.
In Table Designer, set Start: to Top of Column (this pushes the start of table to column 2).
Select the internal text frame again.
Set Offset From: Left: to negative one column + one gutter (-3.87in for this example).
The table now appears to start in page column one, and flows to additional columns with heading alignment.
This worked perfectly for my recent requirement. In fact, I used a 3-column layout (4 actual) for the text frame inside the anchored frame. Some math is required, sorry .

Answer 1

I'm not sure if I followed that correctly, but if I read it right, you
have a single-column table that spans multiple columns, and the issue is
that the first column does not butt up against the top of the text
frame, while the additional columns do. You want the table in all
columns to butt up against the top of the text frame so that they are even.
If that is the case, the solution is this:
1. Create a paragraph format called "TableAnchor" in the Paragraph
Designer. Assign it with a negative Space Below of -12.0 pt, "Fixed"
line spacing, "Start Anywhere.," "In Column." Assign the font size as
12.0 pt.
2. Create your table format. Give it a Space Above of 12.0 pt.
3. Then, always insert your table into its own, empty TableAnchor
paragraph. You will get the alignment you seek.
NOTES: Anywhere I said "12.0 pt," you can use a different font size-- as
long as you use the same number in each place. You may also want to
create a TableAnchorAAC paragraph format, which is identical except for
the Across All Columns setting, to hold tables that span multiple columns.
I hope I understood the question correctly and was of help.