julian@uhunix2.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Julian Cowley) (05/07/91)
Here's a question for all you output routine hackers out there. I'm trying to write a double-format output routine that can handle column-wide footnotes and can balance columns when two-column mode ends. Usually double columns are handled in one of two ways: a) using a \lr switch like in Chapter 23 of the TeXbook, or b) setting \vsize to 2\vsize and using \vsplit to get the columns. When using method a), footnotes can easily be handled since TeX allocates the space for the footnotes automatically within the column. The problem with this method is that it makes it hard to balance the columns when two-column mode ends, since the right column begins with \topskip glue; when the material from the left column is added to the right column, the \topskip glue interferes with the baselines. Unless there is a tricky way to convert the \topskip glue into \baselineskip glue, I don't think there is much hope with this method. Ok, why not use method b), which makes it much easier to balance the columns? Well, then it is impossible to tell which column the footnote came from, since the output routine gets called only after both columns of text have been read in. Surely this problem must have been handled before. Any suggestions? Julian Cowley / U. of Hawaii at Manoa | "Don't use footnotes in your julian@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu | books, Don." -- Jill Knuth
Damian.Cugley@prg.ox.ac.uk (Damian Cugley) (05/10/91)
> From: Julian Cowley <julian@uhunix2.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu> > Message-Id: <12904@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu> > I'm trying to write a double-format output routine that can > handle column-wide footnotes and can balance columns when > two-column mode ends. [...] > Ok, why not use method b), which makes it much easier to balance > the columns? Well, then it is impossible to tell which column > the footnote came from, since the output routine gets called only > after both columns of text have been read in. > Surely this problem must have been handled before. Any suggestions? Either put all footnotes in the righthand column (which can be rationalized as the better solution) or make them span both columns (which is what multicol.sty does -- ugly!) or try to convince everybody that endnotes are a better idea... Seriously, I am not aware of any method for placing notes at the bottom of their respective columns except by using the \lr switch style of output routine. Maybe someone will come up with a way to record the unbalancedness of the final page in a an "aux" file and read that in on the *next* TeX run to figure out how to balance the last page...! ---- Damian Cugley -------------------------------- pdc@prg.ox.ac.uk --- Computing Laboratory, 11 Keble Rd, Oxford OX1 3QD Great Britain ------------------------------------------------------------------------ malvern-request@prg.ox.ac.uk "share and enjoy"