Graphics, Figures & Tables ⇒ Graphics Location

[Epideme90]

When using a float environment - how exactly does LaTeX decide, where *looks nice* for your picture - i can't seem to find any rhyme or reason other than it has an affinity for sticking it at the top of the next page for me.

[Stefan Kottwitz]

Some rules for floating objects, let's say restrict to figures as you mean:

• obey given placement options
• float to possibly later position, but not to earlier
• don't make the page too full
• keep the order of figures

Some rules for style, by default, which can be changed - if nothing matches, figures can be placed on dedicated float pages:

• not more than 3 figures on a text page
• not more than 2 figures at the top
• not more than 1 figure at the bottom
• a figure cannot cover more than 80 % of a text page
• a figure can be at the top, only if it's not higher than 70 % of the text height
• a figure can be at the bottom, only if it's not higher than 30 % of the text height

Those values are good defaults for books, but can easily be redefined.

You see, the page top is somehow preferred.

Stefan

[Epideme90]

Ah right - that's actually really useful to know. Thank you.