What does [t] and [ht] mean?

Question

I would appreciate if someone could tell me difference between [t] and [ht] in the following example? I don't see a difference in the output pdf file.

\begin{figure}[ht]
...
\end{figure}

and

\begin{figure}[t]
...
\end{figure}

score 202 · Accepted Answer · edited Nov 09 '22 at 19:42

202

These are optional parameters to fine tune the placement of tables and figures, with the following meaning:

h, here
t, top
b, bottom
p, page of float

and LaTeX will try to honour the placement with respect to the actual place, the top or bottom of the page, or a separate page of floats coming immediately after the present insertion point. For example, when using ht LaTeX will try to put the figure at the insertion point, then on the top of the next page if it happens to violate its typesetting rules.

You may also force LaTeX to "insist" on these specifications by adding an exclamation mark (!) before the placement parameters, e.g. \begin{figure}[!htb]. Additionally, per @WillRobertson's comment:

Note that the ! means that LaTeX will ignore certain other restrictions for placement (e.g., number of floats on a page; maximum size of bottom floats, etc.); it will not always help and should be used sparingly.

edited Nov 09 '22 at 19:42

Kraigolas

148

answered Jan 10 '11 at 18:32

chl

8,890

28

Note that the ! means that LaTeX will ignore certain other restrictions for placement (e.g., number of floats on a page; maximum size of bottom floats, etc.); it will not always help and should be used sparingly. – Will Robertson Jan 11 '11 at 02:08
2

Must the ! be before the parameters, or can it be in the end too? – Jonas Stein Dec 14 '12 at 03:42
1

@JonasStein Usually, before. – chl Dec 14 '12 at 12:52
14

The order of the arguments doesn't actually matter. See How to influence the position of float environments like figure and table in LaTeX? for "the full story" on float placement. – Torbjørn T. Apr 11 '13 at 22:03
1

@chl What do you mean by the "insertion point" ? is it where you have the code for figure in the latex or is it something foreseen by latex when it lays-out the content? – OAH Jan 15 '16 at 20:17
2

@OAH Yes, I meant the place when one put the float in the flow of the document. – chl Jan 17 '16 at 11:03
[Related] This is also very helpful: How to use the placement options t, h with figures?. Specially knowing the placement options default to [tbp]. – Eduardo Reis May 04 '21 at 09:26
"[p], page of float" should probably be reworded because I first thought it meant "put float on the same page as nearby text", but it really means "put float on a new page uniquely created for floats only." – Mateen Ulhaq Apr 23 '22 at 01:25

score 14 · Answer 2 · 2011-01-10T18:41:33.843

14

there will be no difference, because your documentclass will change it anyway to ht, which means place the floating object here or, if it is not possible depending to the parameter setting of the lenghts and counters, put it on the top of the next page. For [!ht] the parameter setting will be ignored and you can have for example 20 floats on one page. Without a h in your parameter the float can also appear on the top of the current page.

edited Jan 10 '11 at 18:41

answered Jan 10 '11 at 18:35

19

[ht] differs from [h] in that it allows top of current page (latex only changes h to ht after the page that the float is on) – David Carlisle Apr 11 '13 at 21:59

What does [t] and [ht] mean?

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