diff --git a/libs/plugins/function.html_table.php b/libs/plugins/function.html_table.php
index 62d7410b..bdb222ba 100644
--- a/libs/plugins/function.html_table.php
+++ b/libs/plugins/function.html_table.php
@@ -15,12 +15,15 @@
  * Purpose:  make an html table from an array of data<br>
  * Input:<br>
  *         - loop = array to loop through
- *         - cols = number of columns
+ *         - cols = number of columns, comma separated list of column names
+ *                  or array of column names
  *         - rows = number of rows
  *         - table_attr = table attributes
+ *         - th_attr = table heading attributes (arrays are cycled)
  *         - tr_attr = table row attributes (arrays are cycled)
  *         - td_attr = table cell attributes (arrays are cycled)
  *         - trailpad = value to pad trailing cells with
+ *         - caption = text for caption element 
  *         - vdir = vertical direction (default: "down", means top-to-bottom)
  *         - hdir = horizontal direction (default: "right", means left-to-right)
  *         - inner = inner loop (default "cols": print $loop line by line,
@@ -46,12 +49,13 @@ function smarty_function_html_table($params, &$smarty)
     $table_attr = 'border="1"';
     $tr_attr = '';
     $td_attr = '';
-    $cols = 3;
+    $cols_count = 3;
     $rows = 3;
     $trailpad = '&nbsp;';
     $vdir = 'down';
     $hdir = 'right';
     $inner = 'cols';
+    $caption = '';
 
     if (!isset($params['loop'])) {
         $smarty->trigger_error("html_table: missing 'loop' parameter");
@@ -65,6 +69,19 @@ function smarty_function_html_table($params, &$smarty)
                 break;
 
             case 'cols':
+                if (is_array($_value) && !empty($_value)) {
+                    $cols = $_value;
+                    $cols_count = count($_value);
+                } elseif (!is_numeric($_value) && is_string($_value) && !empty($_value)) {
+                    $cols = explode(',', $_value);
+                    $cols_count = count($cols);
+                } elseif (!empty($_value)) {
+                    $cols_count = (int)$_value;
+                } else {
+                    $cols_count = $cols;
+                }
+                break;
+
             case 'rows':
                 $$_key = (int)$_value;
                 break;
@@ -74,11 +91,13 @@ function smarty_function_html_table($params, &$smarty)
             case 'hdir':
             case 'vdir':
             case 'inner':
+            case 'caption':
                 $$_key = (string)$_value;
                 break;
 
             case 'tr_attr':
             case 'td_attr':
+            case 'th_attr':
                 $$_key = $_value;
                 break;
         }
@@ -87,25 +106,40 @@ function smarty_function_html_table($params, &$smarty)
     $loop_count = count($loop);
     if (empty($params['rows'])) {
         /* no rows specified */
-        $rows = ceil($loop_count/$cols);
+        $rows = ceil($loop_count/$cols_count);
     } elseif (empty($params['cols'])) {
         if (!empty($params['rows'])) {
             /* no cols specified, but rows */
-            $cols = ceil($loop_count/$rows);
+            $cols_count = ceil($loop_count/$rows);
         }
     }
 
     $output = "<table $table_attr>\n";
 
+    if (!empty($caption)) {
+        $output .= '<caption>' . $caption . "</caption>\n";
+    }
+
+    if (is_array($cols)) {
+        $output .= "<thead><tr>\n";
+        for ($r=0; $r<$cols_count; $r++) {
+            $output .= '<th' . smarty_function_html_table_cycle('th', $th_attr, $r) . '>';
+            $output .= $cols[$r];
+            $output .= "</tr></th>\n";
+        }
+        $output .= "</thead>\n";
+    }
+
+    $output .= "<tbody>\n";
     for ($r=0; $r<$rows; $r++) {
         $output .= "<tr" . smarty_function_html_table_cycle('tr', $tr_attr, $r) . ">\n";
-        $rx =  ($vdir == 'down') ? $r*$cols : ($rows-1-$r)*$cols;
+        $rx =  ($vdir == 'down') ? $r*$cols_count : ($rows-1-$r)*$cols_count;
 
-        for ($c=0; $c<$cols; $c++) {
-            $x =  ($hdir == 'right') ? $rx+$c : $rx+$cols-1-$c;
+        for ($c=0; $c<$cols_count; $c++) {
+            $x =  ($hdir == 'right') ? $rx+$c : $rx+$cols_count-1-$c;
             if ($inner!='cols') {
                 /* shuffle x to loop over rows*/
-                $x = floor($x/$cols) + ($x%$cols)*$rows;
+                $x = floor($x/$cols_count) + ($x%$cols_count)*$rows;
             }
 
             if ($x<$loop_count) {
@@ -116,6 +150,7 @@ function smarty_function_html_table($params, &$smarty)
         }
         $output .= "</tr>\n";
     }
+    $output .= "</tbody>\n";
     $output .= "</table>\n";
     
     return $output;