You can also play with the number of floats that appear on a single page, or the threshholds for sizes that bump to the next page, etc, etc.
I find that [htb] works best for me on average, with fine tuning done via minipages for custom placement on *final* format editing.
It takes some getting used to, but you really need to just go all zen about it until you are 100% done with the content. Just toss it all in there in an approximation, and you'll find that the standard defaults will give you pretty nice results out of the box.
This is very hard to control and predict. I've tried it and, very often, the figure appears randomly elswhere. I've found myself to tweak the text and the paragraphs spacement so the figure appears exactly where I want. Actually, I found myself "fighting" the system (LaTeX) too much. This isn't normal. I guess I'm trying to work the old way, the wrong way with LaTeX.
Kickaha said it very well, listen at what he said. If you find yourself fighting against LaTeX, you have got something wrong. This is not a word processor. You have to forget the old practices.
You should tweak the code only (almost) if you have underful \\vbox of overful \\hbox, in the messages of the console (you will see of course in the output what's wrong). Leave the compiler alone to do its trick, do yours in the content. Oh well, I said it: this is indeed a compiler, that's why it is not user friendly, that's why there is much learning (is C++ user friendly? Is C++ archaic? Not a very fair comparison, but not completely out of range). Tweaking code here and there in LaTeX, like you do in a usual word processor, will drive you nuts, guaranteed! As I said in previous posts, there is a reason why LaTeX acts on the layout the way it does. Keep in mind that LaTeX will try to do its best to produce the best output without violating typography rules in main document and equation text. On the other hand, text processing systems, in the class of MS Word, will encourage you to violate everything if you have no the knowledge of how to typeset correctly.
For the figures now: again, leave LaTeX to place them where it thinks it is better. If the figure does not appear where do you want to, why don't use the cross-referencing system to make a reference to it?
Example:
\\begin{figure}
\\begin{center}
you figure here
\\end{center}
\\caption{your caption}
\\label{fig:this_is_one_figure}
\\end{figure}
If you do this, there is no need to say things like "...see previous figure" or "...see next figure" or "...see figure in next page" and fight with the system to ensure the correct placing. You say simply, "...see figure \
ef{fig:this_is_one_figure}" and LaTeX will automatically put and invoke the correct number, regardless the placing.
Quote:
But then, what is the book template I should use ? I'm really confused here.
There is no a standard book template. You can perhaps find custom templates in the net, according to the needs. There is however a book class ( e.g. \\documentclass[11pt]{book} ), is not that what you are using? It will not do something magical, but it will number chapters, sections, equations, etc. according to book format.
For the figures now: again, leave LaTeX to place them where it thinks it is better. If the figure does not appear where do you want to, why don't use the cross-referencing system to make a reference to it?
Example:
\\begin{figure}
\\begin{center}
you figure here
\\end{center}
\\caption{your caption}
\\label{fig:this_is_one_figure}
\\end{figure}
If you do this, there is no need to say things like "...see previous figure" or "...see next figure" or "...see figure in next page" and fight with the system to ensure the correct placing. You say simply, "...see figure \
ef{fig:this_is_one_figure}" and LaTeX will automatically put and invoke the correct number, regardless the placing.
Of course cross-references are beautiful things, but sometimes you really want an image to appear immediately before or after a particular paragraph, to save the reader flicking back and forth between pages. This was the bind I found myself in.
But next time I'm using LaTeX I'll play with Kickaha's suggestions, for sure.
It's on pages 107-110 of Kopka and Daly, or 70-72 of Goossens et al.
I don't have those books. And I don't intend to buy one soon.
Please tell me ! It's the last question (ok, maybe the last one). I'm still in the process of deciding if I'll jump in the TeX system or not, even if I already wrote a 30 pages chapter of a full book. It's not clear yet I'll keep working on this system.
You know how I said that if you don't know what something is, to just try something obvious?
\\footnote{put text here}
See?
I hope you do stick with it, you're getting over the learning curve quickly.
Edit: It may not seem like it, but LaTeX is a lot like a Mac... it does things a little differently than you're used to, but if you just sit back for a moment and think "How would it make *sense* to do this?" you're usually right.
For people starting with LaTeX (and also for experienced LateX-ers) there is an excellent introduction to LaTeX called: The Not So Short Introduction to LATEX 2ε (used to be The Not So very Short Introduction to LATEX 2ε ...)
Comments
Really.
You can also play with the number of floats that appear on a single page, or the threshholds for sizes that bump to the next page, etc, etc.
I find that [htb] works best for me on average, with fine tuning done via minipages for custom placement on *final* format editing.
It takes some getting used to, but you really need to just go all zen about it until you are 100% done with the content. Just toss it all in there in an approximation, and you'll find that the standard defaults will give you pretty nice results out of the box.
Originally posted by Kali
This is very hard to control and predict. I've tried it and, very often, the figure appears randomly elswhere. I've found myself to tweak the text and the paragraphs spacement so the figure appears exactly where I want. Actually, I found myself "fighting" the system (LaTeX) too much. This isn't normal. I guess I'm trying to work the old way, the wrong way with LaTeX.
Kickaha said it very well, listen at what he said. If you find yourself fighting against LaTeX, you have got something wrong. This is not a word processor. You have to forget the old practices.
You should tweak the code only (almost) if you have underful \\vbox of overful \\hbox, in the messages of the console (you will see of course in the output what's wrong). Leave the compiler alone to do its trick, do yours in the content. Oh well, I said it: this is indeed a compiler, that's why it is not user friendly, that's why there is much learning (is C++ user friendly? Is C++ archaic? Not a very fair comparison, but not completely out of range). Tweaking code here and there in LaTeX, like you do in a usual word processor, will drive you nuts, guaranteed! As I said in previous posts, there is a reason why LaTeX acts on the layout the way it does. Keep in mind that LaTeX will try to do its best to produce the best output without violating typography rules in main document and equation text. On the other hand, text processing systems, in the class of MS Word, will encourage you to violate everything if you have no the knowledge of how to typeset correctly.
For the figures now: again, leave LaTeX to place them where it thinks it is better. If the figure does not appear where do you want to, why don't use the cross-referencing system to make a reference to it?
Example:
\\begin{figure}
\\begin{center}
you figure here
\\end{center}
\\caption{your caption}
\\label{fig:this_is_one_figure}
\\end{figure}
If you do this, there is no need to say things like "...see previous figure" or "...see next figure" or "...see figure in next page" and fight with the system to ensure the correct placing. You say simply, "...see figure \
ef{fig:this_is_one_figure}" and LaTeX will automatically put and invoke the correct number, regardless the placing.
But then, what is the book template I should use ? I'm really confused here.
There is no a standard book template. You can perhaps find custom templates in the net, according to the needs. There is however a book class ( e.g. \\documentclass[11pt]{book} ), is not that what you are using? It will not do something magical, but it will number chapters, sections, equations, etc. according to book format.
Originally posted by PB
For the figures now: again, leave LaTeX to place them where it thinks it is better. If the figure does not appear where do you want to, why don't use the cross-referencing system to make a reference to it?
Example:
\\begin{figure}
\\begin{center}
you figure here
\\end{center}
\\caption{your caption}
\\label{fig:this_is_one_figure}
\\end{figure}
If you do this, there is no need to say things like "...see previous figure" or "...see next figure" or "...see figure in next page" and fight with the system to ensure the correct placing. You say simply, "...see figure \
ef{fig:this_is_one_figure}" and LaTeX will automatically put and invoke the correct number, regardless the placing.
Of course cross-references are beautiful things, but sometimes you really want an image to appear immediately before or after a particular paragraph, to save the reader flicking back and forth between pages. This was the bind I found myself in.
But next time I'm using LaTeX I'll play with Kickaha's suggestions, for sure.
How do you make a footnote ?
Originally posted by Kickaha
It's on pages 107-110 of Kopka and Daly, or 70-72 of Goossens et al.
I don't have those books. And I don't intend to buy one soon.
Please tell me ! It's the last question (ok, maybe the last one). I'm still in the process of deciding if I'll jump in the TeX system or not, even if I already wrote a 30 pages chapter of a full book. It's not clear yet I'll keep working on this system.
You know how I said that if you don't know what something is, to just try something obvious?
\\footnote{put text here}
See?
I hope you do stick with it, you're getting over the learning curve quickly.
Edit: It may not seem like it, but LaTeX is a lot like a Mac... it does things a little differently than you're used to, but if you just sit back for a moment and think "How would it make *sense* to do this?" you're usually right.
Originally posted by Kickaha
You're going to kick yourself.
You know how I said that if you don't know what something is, to just try something obvious?
\\footnote{put text here}
See?
Damn, I just saw it as a small macro in TeXShop. It's already there.
It can be found here
Very useful. I have it always on my desk.
Heh. I even have a copy of it.
Originally posted by Kickaha
Ack! I'd totally forgotten about that little gem, thanks for reminding me.
The loria link I posted in page 2 of this thread had it already, along with a german and a french version too