How to put two column figure in one column text environment

[f***@yahoo.com]

Hi, everyone:
I am using Latex 2e on a WinXP system. My report is a one column style.
I have several small figures that I want to put them in a two column in
the text. I have searched this newsgroup without the answer I need. I
know the following command can do two column figure.


\twocolumn
\begin{figure*}[htbp]
% figure file here

\end{figure*}
\onecolumn



The problem is that the small two-column figure will occupy one new
whole page. This is not what I like. And, the page before the figures
has a lot of blank space.

I want to know if the one column text can be followed with two column
figure right away? Then, one column text continues after the two column
figures? I am new to Latex.

Thanks.

[Morten Høgholm]

Post by f***@yahoo.com
I am using Latex 2e on a WinXP system. My report is a one column style.
I have several small figures that I want to put them in a two column in
the text. I have searched this newsgroup without the answer I need. I

What did you search for? It's good to know if one wants to add keywords to
the FAQ or other places.

Post by f***@yahoo.com
know the following command can do two column figure.
\twocolumn
\begin{figure*}[htbp]
% figure file here
\end{figure*}
\onecolumn

No, the "figure*" environment creates a float spanning two columns when in
twocolumn-mode.

Post by f***@yahoo.com
The problem is that the small two-column figure will occupy one new
whole page. This is not what I like. And, the page before the figures
has a lot of blank space.
I want to know if the one column text can be followed with two column
figure right away? Then, one column text continues after the two column
figures? I am new to Latex.

It sounds to me like you somehow got the impression that the figure
environment can only contain one graphics file and that's it. Fortunately
that is not the case. If you want two small figures side by side all you
need to do is something like this:

\begin{figure}
\centering
\begin{minipage}{.5\linewidth}
\centering
\includegraphics{file-a}
\caption{The caption for a}\label{fig:a}
\end{minipage}%
\begin{minipage}{.5\linewidth}
\centering
\includegraphics{file-b}
\caption{The caption for b}\label{fig:b}
\end{minipage}
\end{figure}

For more examples see "Using Imported Graphics in LaTeX2e" at
<ftp://cam.ctan.org/tex-archive/info/epslatex.pdf>. Note that if you ever
feel like using the subfigure package mentioned there, choose the subfig
package instead. Same author, much better interface to the rest of the
LaTeX world.

[David Lloyd Geering]

Post by f***@yahoo.com
I am using Latex 2e on a WinXP system. My report is a one column style.
I have several small figures that I want to put them in a two column in
the text. I have searched this newsgroup without the answer I need. I
know the following command can do two column figure.
\twocolumn
\begin{figure*}[htbp]
% figure file here
\end{figure*}
\onecolumn
The problem is that the small two-column figure will occupy one new
whole page. This is not what I like. And, the page before the figures
has a lot of blank space.
I want to know if the one column text can be followed with two column
figure right away? Then, one column text continues after the two column
figures? I am new to Latex.
Thanks.

Use the multicol package. When you use the \twocolumn cs, LaTeX must
start a new page. If you only want to embed two columns within one
column, you can do it like so:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{multicol}

\begin{document}

This is one column

\begin{multicol}{2}
This is two columns

\begin{figure*}[htbp]
\end{figure*}
\end{multicol}

\end{document}

[Gianluca Pignalberi]

Hi,

Post by David Lloyd Geering

Post by f***@yahoo.com
I am using Latex 2e on a WinXP system. My report is a one column style.
I have several small figures that I want to put them in a two column in
the text. I have searched this newsgroup without the answer I need. I
know the following command can do two column figure.
\twocolumn
\begin{figure*}[htbp]
% figure file here
\end{figure*}
\onecolumn
The problem is that the small two-column figure will occupy one new
whole page. This is not what I like. And, the page before the figures
has a lot of blank space.
I want to know if the one column text can be followed with two column
figure right away? Then, one column text continues after the two column
figures? I am new to Latex.
Thanks.

Use the multicol package. When you use the \twocolumn cs, LaTeX must
start a new page. If you only want to embed two columns within one
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{multicol}
\begin{document}
This is one column
\begin{multicol}{2}
This is two columns
\begin{figure*}[htbp]
\end{figure*}
\end{multicol}
\end{document}

caveat: afaik multicol package allows you to include _only_ figure*
(starred floating bodies), and not single-columned figures.
Gianluca

[Dr Engelbert Buxbaum]

Post by f***@yahoo.com
I am using Latex 2e on a WinXP system. My report is a one column style.
I have several small figures that I want to put them in a two column in
the text. I have searched this newsgroup without the answer I need.

check out the subfig-package.

Post by f***@yahoo.com
I know the following command can do two column figure.
\twocolumn
\begin{figure*}[htbp]

the [htbp] bit is probably redundant