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first time on StackExchange. I am trying to insert an image in a specific place using Lyx, but the options I need seem to be mutually exclusive. If I add a figure float with the image inside, and click to change the settings of the float, I can't choose "Span Columns" if I have chosen "Here definitely" in the placement options. This is a two-column Book (Standard class). In this situation the image is in the exact right spot, but the second column's text goes right through the image as if it wasn't even there.

If I select "Span Columns" I can't position the image where I wan't to, as "Here definitely" isn't an option I can select. In this case, no text flows through the image, but it is placed on the next page, which doesn't look right for the document.

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

I exported from Lyx and deleted what I thought was extraneous to create this mwe. I hope this is correct.

\documentclass[twocolumn]{book}
\usepackage[letterpaper]{geometry}
\geometry{verbose,tmargin=0.8in,bmargin=1in,lmargin=0.9in,rmargin=0.8in,columnsep=0.3in}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\begin{document}
\chapter{The First Chapter}
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics{exampleimage}
\end{figure*}
\lipsum[1-11]
\end{document}
Darren
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    to span both columns the float needs to move to top of page so neither h nor H can be used. How would you expect them to work? two-column floats always appear on the earliest on the next page, but you can move it earlier in the source so it is set on the page that you need. – David Carlisle Jun 24 '18 at 12:04
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    Welcome to TeX.SX! Could you show us a mwe? - Maybe related Displaying a wide figure in a two-column document – Bobyandbob Jun 24 '18 at 12:09
  • @Bobyandbob I am working up an mwe right now. First time doing this so I am trying to figure things out. – Darren Jun 24 '18 at 12:46
  • @DavidCarlisle I naively expected them to appear where I placed them. I thought I would be able to go through the placement options to accomplish that. The graphic needs to be right under the chapter title (where it is placed). If I put it on the previous page, it gets put on its own page by itself. – Darren Jun 24 '18 at 12:54
  • Is the chapter title one column or two column? If the chapter title spans both columns, it should be possible to put the image there, but not as a float. If the title spans only one column, that's a very different matter. – cfr Jun 24 '18 at 13:03
  • @cfr I just changed the chapter title to a long sentence and it does span both columns in the book class apparently. – Darren Jun 24 '18 at 13:24
  • Are you OK changing the input to get the result you want? For example, using a special macro such as \chapterwithimage{}{} or something to specify the chapter title and image? If so, I think this should be possible because it should be possible to use an amended version of the \chapter macro which will include the image along with the title. – cfr Jun 24 '18 at 13:35
  • Everyone asking me questions got me a little ways out of my Lyx comfort zone, which allowed me to discover an answer that worked: https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/368103/165647 – Darren Jun 24 '18 at 13:42

1 Answers1

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I discovered a solution that works for me which is to use the cuted package and put the graphic in a strip, not a float. This gives me exactly the output I was expecting originally.

I found the answer here: https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/368103/165647

\documentclass[twocolumn]{book}
\usepackage[letterpaper]{geometry}
\geometry{verbose,tmargin=0.8in,bmargin=1in,lmargin=0.9in,rmargin=0.8in,columnsep=0.3in}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\usepackage{cuted}
\begin{document}
\chapter{The First Chapter}
\begin{strip}
\includegraphics{exampleimage}
\end{strip}
\lipsum[1-11]
\end{document}

To use this solution in LyX go to Document, Settings..., LaTeX Preamble. Add \usepackage{cuted} to the text box on its own line.

Back in the document go to Insert, TeX Code. Add \begin{strip} to the little red box. Insert your picture as normal, then go to Insert, TeX Code. Add \end{strip} to the little red box.

Darren
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