Fix a `DataTable` crash and improve some docs (#100959)

examples/api/lib/material/data_table/data_table.0.dart

@@ -33,23 +33,29 @@ class MyStatelessWidget extends StatelessWidget {
     return DataTable(
       columns: const <DataColumn>[
         DataColumn(
-          label: Text(
+          label: Expanded(
+            child: Text(
               'Name',
               style: TextStyle(fontStyle: FontStyle.italic),
             ),
           ),
+        ),
         DataColumn(
-          label: Text(
+          label: Expanded(
+            child: Text(
               'Age',
               style: TextStyle(fontStyle: FontStyle.italic),
             ),
           ),
+        ),
         DataColumn(
-          label: Text(
+          label: Expanded(
+            child: Text(
               'Role',
               style: TextStyle(fontStyle: FontStyle.italic),
             ),
           ),
+        ),
       ],
       rows: const <DataRow>[
         DataRow(

packages/flutter/lib/src/material/data_table.dart

@@ -47,9 +47,14 @@ class DataColumn {
   /// [Icon] (typically using size 18), or a [Row] with an icon and
   /// some text.
   ///
-  /// By default, this widget will only occupy the minimal space. If you want
-  /// it to take the entire remaining space, e.g. when you want to use [Center],
-  /// you can wrap it with an [Expanded].
+  /// The [label] is placed within a [Row] along with the
+  /// sort indicator (if applicable). By default, [label] only occupy minimal
+  /// space. It is recommended to place the label content in an [Expanded] or
+  /// [Flexible] as [label] to control how the content flexes. Otherwise,
+  /// an exception will occur when the available space is insufficient.
+  ///
+  /// By default, [DefaultTextStyle.softWrap] of this subtree will be set to false.
+  /// Use [DefaultTextStyle.merge] to override it if needed.
   ///
   /// The label should not include the sort indicator.
   final Widget label;

packages/flutter/lib/src/rendering/table.dart

@@ -988,6 +988,7 @@ class RenderTable extends RenderBox {
   // cache the table geometry for painting purposes
   final List<double> _rowTops = <double>[];
   Iterable<double>? _columnLefts;
+  late double _tableWidth;
 
   /// Returns the position and dimensions of the box that the given
   /// row covers, in this render object's coordinate space (so the
@@ -1050,26 +1051,26 @@ class RenderTable extends RenderBox {
     if (rows * columns == 0) {
       // TODO(ianh): if columns is zero, this should be zero width
       // TODO(ianh): if columns is not zero, this should be based on the column width specifications
+      _tableWidth = 0.0;
       size = constraints.constrain(Size.zero);
       return;
     }
     final List<double> widths = _computeColumnWidths(constraints);
     final List<double> positions = List<double>.filled(columns, 0.0);
-    final double tableWidth;
     switch (textDirection) {
       case TextDirection.rtl:
         positions[columns - 1] = 0.0;
         for (int x = columns - 2; x >= 0; x -= 1)
           positions[x] = positions[x+1] + widths[x+1];
         _columnLefts = positions.reversed;
-        tableWidth = positions.first + widths.first;
+        _tableWidth = positions.first + widths.first;
         break;
       case TextDirection.ltr:
         positions[0] = 0.0;
         for (int x = 1; x < columns; x += 1)
           positions[x] = positions[x-1] + widths[x-1];
         _columnLefts = positions;
-        tableWidth = positions.last + widths.last;
+        _tableWidth = positions.last + widths.last;
         break;
     }
     _rowTops.clear();
@@ -1150,7 +1151,7 @@ class RenderTable extends RenderBox {
       rowTop += rowHeight;
     }
     _rowTops.add(rowTop);
-    size = constraints.constrain(Size(tableWidth, rowTop));
+    size = constraints.constrain(Size(_tableWidth, rowTop));
     assert(_rowTops.length == rows + 1);
   }
 
@@ -1181,7 +1182,7 @@ class RenderTable extends RenderBox {
     assert(_children.length == rows * columns);
     if (rows * columns == 0) {
       if (border != null) {
-        final Rect borderRect = Rect.fromLTWH(offset.dx, offset.dy, size.width, 0.0);
+        final Rect borderRect = Rect.fromLTWH(offset.dx, offset.dy, _tableWidth, 0.0);
         border!.paint(context.canvas, borderRect, rows: const <double>[], columns: const <double>[]);
       }
       return;
@@ -1216,7 +1217,7 @@ class RenderTable extends RenderBox {
       // The border rect might not fill the entire height of this render object
       // if the rows underflow. We always force the columns to fill the width of
       // the render object, which means the columns cannot underflow.
-      final Rect borderRect = Rect.fromLTWH(offset.dx, offset.dy, size.width, _rowTops.last);
+      final Rect borderRect = Rect.fromLTWH(offset.dx, offset.dy, _tableWidth, _rowTops.last);
       final Iterable<double> rows = _rowTops.getRange(1, _rowTops.length - 1);
       final Iterable<double> columns = _columnLefts!.skip(1);
       border!.paint(context.canvas, borderRect, rows: rows, columns: columns);

packages/flutter/test/material/data_table_test.dart

@@ -1855,4 +1855,42 @@ void main() {
     expect(tableBorder?.bottom.width, null);
     expect(tableBorder?.top.color, null);
   });
+
+  // Regression test for https://github.com/flutter/flutter/issues/100952
+  testWidgets('Do not crashes when paint borders in a narrow space', (WidgetTester tester) async {
+    const List<DataColumn> columns = <DataColumn>[
+      DataColumn(label: Text('column1')),
+      DataColumn(label: Text('column2')),
+    ];
+
+    const List<DataCell> cells = <DataCell>[
+      DataCell(Text('cell1')),
+      DataCell(Text('cell2')),
+    ];
+
+    const List<DataRow> rows = <DataRow>[
+      DataRow(cells: cells),
+      DataRow(cells: cells),
+    ];
+
+    await tester.pumpWidget(
+      MaterialApp(
+        home: Material(
+          child: Center(
+            child: SizedBox(
+              width: 117.0,
+              child: DataTable(
+                border: TableBorder.all(width: 2, color: Colors.red),
+                columns: columns,
+                rows: rows,
+              ),
+            ),
+          ),
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+
+    // Go without crashes.
+
+  });
 }