Command/startcolumnset

\startcolumnset ... \stopcolumnset

Summary

The environment \startcolumnset ... \stopcolumnset is used for material in columns.

Settings

\startcolumnset[...][...=...,...] ... \stopcolumnset
[...]	name
...=...,...	inherits from \setupcolumnset

Description

Start a column environment using the columnset mechanism.

Examples

Example 1

• \starttext
  \setuppapersize[A6,landscape]
  
  \definecolumnset[TwoColumns][n=2]
  
  \startcolumnset [TwoColumns]
    \startalignment[justified,verytolerant]
    \input knuth
    \blank
    \framed
      [frame=off,
       bottomframe=on,
       width=\textwidth,
       frameoffset=1mm,
       foregroundstyle=small,
      ]{\copyright\ Donald E. Knuth}
    \input zapf
    \blank
    \framed
      [frame=off,
       bottomframe=on,
       width=\textwidth,
       frameoffset=1mm,
       foregroundstyle=small,
      ]{\copyright\ Hermann Zapf}
    \stopalignment
  \stopcolumnset
  \stoptext
  

• 

Overlapping lines problems

Using columnsets may cause overlapping lines at the end of columns. To avoid this, \setuplayout[grid=yes] must be placed in the preamble of the document.

• \setuppapersize[A6,landscape]
  
  \definecolumnset[example][n=3,balancing=no]
  \definecolumnsetspan[wide][n=2]
  
  \setupexternalfigures[location=default]
  
  \setuplayout[grid=yes] % Without this, last lines in the first column overlap
  
  %
  
  \starttext
    \noheaderandfooterlines
  
    \startcolumnset[example]
      \startcolumnsetspan[wide]
        \externalfigure[hacker][width=60mm]
      \stopcolumnsetspan
  
      \input knuth
    \stopcolumnset
  \stoptext
  

• 

Empty lines problems

The new column set and mixed columns environments use grid snapping by default which can result in blank lines in the output. See the problem here:

• %\showboxes
  \setuppapersize[A6,landscape]
  
  \starttext
    \startcolumns[balance=no]
      \snaptogrid[]\hbox{\setstrut\begstrut Ward\endstrut}
      \samplefile{ward}
      \snaptogrid[]\hbox{\bf\setstrut\begstrut Ward\endstrut}
      \samplefile{ward}
    \stopcolumns
  \stoptext
  

• 

Two simple ways to get rid of the blank line are:

• to disable the strut for the section or
• to disable the grid snapping for the section.

See the solutions here:

• %\showboxes
  \setuppapersize[A6,landscape]
  
  \setuphead[section][before=,after=]
  \setuphead[section][style=bold]
  
  \define[1]\Sample
    {\begingroup
       \setuphead[section][#1]
       \section{Ward \doifsomething{#1}{\tttf [#1]}}
       \samplefile{ward}\par
     \endgroup}
  
  \starttext
    \startcolumns[balance=no]
      \Sample{}
      \Sample{style=}
      \Sample{strut=no}
      \Sample{grid=no}
    \stopcolumns
  \stoptext
  

• 

See also

• \definecolumnset
• \setupcolumnset
• page-cst.mkiv
• \startcolumns for an alternative column mechanism

Help from ConTeXt-Mailinglist/Forum

All issues with:

• \startcolumnset on the mailing list (all results)
• \startcolumnset on the mailing list (subject only)
• \startcolumnset on stack exchange
• \startcolumnset in ConTeXt's source