def choose_column(tab, choices=['id','number'], raise_exception=True):
    """
    Find first column in a table from a list of choices
    
    Parameters
    ----------
    tab : `astropy.table.Table`
        Table
    
    choices : list of str
        Column choices
    
    raise_exception : bool
        Raise an exception if no columns found among `choices`.  Otherwise, 
        return empty string
    
    Returns
    -------
    col : str
        First element of `choices` found in columns of `tab`
        
    """

    for ch in choices:
        if ch in tab.colnames:
            return ch
    
    # If here, then no choices found
    if raise_exception:
        raise KeyError(f'No columns found from {choices}')
    else:
        return None