[comp.text.tex] midinsert

neumann@FUNCTION.MPS.OHIO-STATE.EDU ("Walter D. Neumann") (03/11/91)

Although the TeXbook explicitely denies the possibility, inserts
floated with the \midinsert command often get inserted out of order in
the final document.  Does anyone know a good way of avoiding this,
short of editing the file to move the offending \midinsert when it
happens?
 
 
--
 Walter Neumann                     Email:       neumann@mps.ohio-state.edu
 Department of Mathematics                       neumann@ohstpy.bitnet
 Ohio State University              Fax: 614-292-3639 to Neumann, Math Dept
 Columbus, OH 43210          Tel: (614)-292-4886(office) 292-4975(messages)

eijkhout@s41.csrd.uiuc.edu (Victor Eijkhout) (03/12/91)

neumann@FUNCTION.MPS.OHIO-STATE.EDU ("Walter D. Neumann") writes:

>Although the TeXbook explicitely denies the possibility, inserts
>floated with the \midinsert command often get inserted out of order in
>the final document.

Let's be careful about claiming bugs in TeX. The book claims
that inserts will never get out of order. So what's the story
about \midinsert? That it's not an insert.

It is a macro that tests if there is sufficient space
for placing the material right where it stands, and
if not, it generates a \topinsert.
The trouble is (the way I understand it) that the
macro allows for some whitespace below and above the
inserted thing, but a topinsrt has only space below.
So maybe what you want to insert does not fit
with space above and below, but only by a small margin.
It then gets converted to a topinsert
and suddenly it does fit. But unfortunately out of order.

>  Does anyone know a good way of avoiding this,
>short of editing the file to move the offending \midinsert when it
>happens?

Dig in the macro and make it more intelligent.
Sorry, I have not done this. Yet :-)

Victor.