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Publication content

1 Introduction

Introduction to the LaTeX2web help

LaTeX for the non mathematician

Convert Word documents to LaTeX

FAQ

Dev Log

2 Using LaTeX2Web

2.1 Browse documents

Document layout

Search LaTeX2Web

Navigating in publications

2.2 Publish documents

The LaTeX2Web workflow

The LaTeX2Web source code editor

The Inline Editor

Ace editor default shorcuts.

Search engines and social media

Discussions

Control access to your documents

Create publications

Images in LaTeX2Web

3 LaTeX Reference

Introduction to the LaTeX reference

C.1 Commands and environments

C.3 Sentences and Paragraphs

C.4 Sectioning and Table of contents

C.5 Classes, Packages and Page Styles

C.6 Displayed Paragraphs

C.7 Mathematical Formulas

C.8 Definitions, Numbering, and Programming

C.9 Figures and Other Floating Bodies

C.10 Lining It Up in Columns

C.11 Moving Information Around

C.12 Line and Page Breaking

C.13 Lengths, Spaces, and Boxes

C.15 Font selection

4 Packages

5 Classes

Beamer

AASTeX

6 Beyond LaTeX

The LaTeX2Web grid system

7 Web basics

HTML primer

Styling and CSS

First published on Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 and last modified on Wednesday, Sep 10, 2025

I am normally hidden by the status bar

LaTeX2Web columns

François Chaplais

1 Remove columns, replace columns

The minipage environment, as well as many LaTeX packages, makes it possible to create columns in a LaTeX document.

However, these present serious flaws when it comes to Web publishing.

Quite commonly, the dimensions of columns determined by physical dimensions, which makes no sense in responsive design.
In other cases, the dimension of the column is determined by a ratio with respect to the text width. While this removes the dependance w/r to physical units, it still has a flawed design in mobile-friendly web publishing. So, maybe 4 columns will be nice on a large computer display; however, the layout will fail on mobile.

The solution is to remove the LaTex columns, and replace them by responsive columns available in LaTeX2Web.

2 The LaTeX2Web `columns` environment

2.1 Syntax

The LaTeX2Web columns has the following syntax:

\begin{columns}[number of columns]
\begin{col}[column span]
Content of first column.
\end{col}
\begin{col}[column span]
Content of second column.
\end{col}
\end{columns}

As you can see, each col environment encapsulates the content of each column.

2.1.1 First case: the `number of columns` optional parameter is set

The columns are responsive and have the following behavior:

for devices the size of a tablet, the maximum number of colums is 2
for devices the size of a smartphone, the maximum number of colums is 1

For larger devices, the layout is first determined by the value of the optional parameter number of columns.

if the parameter is auto, the row is divided into columns of equal width
if the parameter is an integer \( n\) , there are \( n\) columns of equal width per row. If the total number of columns if higher than \( n\) , the comlumns will wrap to the next row
if the parameter does not fit the two prevous cases, it considered as undetermined (see below)

2.1.2 Second case: the `number of columns` optional parameter is not specified

Let us consider now the case where the number of columns per row is undefined. Then, each column determines its own witdh by an integer parameter, within a span of \( 12\) . This integer is the optional parameter column span of the col environment. It states that, for a vitual division of the content width into \( 12\) equal parts, the current column will span across column span sections of this division.

For instance, a parameter of \( 4\) will correspond to one third of the width, since \( 12/4=3\) .

On mobile devices, the behavior is modified, and each columns has a full width.

2.2 Examples

Each example is within a latexDiv, using the example code available on the latexDiv tutorial.

2.2.1 Columns of equal width

Content of first column.

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Content of second column.

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Content of third column.

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2.2.2 Columns of equal width with a maximum number of columns

Here the number of columns parameter of the columns environment is set to 2. Columns are of equal width, but there is at most 2 columns per row.

Content of first column.

Content of second column.

Content of third column.

2.2.3 Each column sets its own width

Here the number of columns parameter of the columns environment not specified. It is the optional parameter od the col environment that sets its width. In the example below, there are 3 columns (as before), as the values of the parameter is, for each column:

the first column has a span of 8, meaning it takes two thirds of the width
the second column has a span of 4, meaning it takes on third of the width
the width is not specified for the last column

Content of first column.

Content of second column.

Content of third column.

1 Introduction

2 Using LaTeX2Web

2.1 Browse documents

2.2 Publish documents

3 LaTeX Reference

4 Packages

5 Classes

6 Beyond LaTeX

7 Web basics

Collapse and expand sections

Cross-references and related material

Discussions

Publications

1 Introduction

2 Using LaTeX2Web

2.1 Browse documents

2.2 Publish documents

3 LaTeX Reference

4 Packages

5 Classes

6 Beyond LaTeX

7 Web basics

Table of contents

Discussion: create topic login to participate.

1 Remove columns, replace columns

2 The LaTeX2Web columns environment

2.1 Syntax

2.1.1 First case: the number of columns optional parameter is set

2.1.2 Second case: the number of columns optional parameter is not specified

2.2 Examples

2.2.1 Columns of equal width

2.2.2 Columns of equal width with a maximum number of columns

2.2.3 Each column sets its own width

2 The LaTeX2Web `columns` environment

2.1.1 First case: the `number of columns` optional parameter is set

2.1.2 Second case: the `number of columns` optional parameter is not specified