Page layout parameters (LaTeX2e unofficial reference manual (November 2018))

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### 5.5 Page layout parameters

`\columnsep`
`\columnseprule`
`\columnwidth`

  The distance between the two columns, the width of a rule between the columns, and the width of the columns, when the document class option `twocolumn` is in effect (see Document class options). See \twocolumn.

`\headheight`

  Height of the box that contains the running head. The default in the `article`, `report`, and `book` classes is ‘`12pt`’, at all type sizes.

`\headsep`

  Vertical distance between the bottom of the header line and the top of the main text. The default in the `article` and `report` classes is ‘`25pt`’. In the `book` class the default is: if the document is set at 10pt then it is ‘`0.25in`’, and at 11pt and 12pt it is ‘`0.275in`’.

`\footskip`

  Distance from the baseline of the last line of text to the baseline of the page footer. The default in the `article` and `report` classes is ‘`30pt`’. In the `book` class the default is: when the type size is 10pt the default is ‘`0.35in`’, while at 11pt it is ‘`0.38in`’, and at 12pt it is ‘`30pt`’.

`\linewidth`

  Width of the current line, decreased for each nested `list` (see list). That is, the nominal value for `\linewidth` is to equal `\textwidth` but for each nested list the `\linewidth` is decreased by the sum of that list’s `\leftmargin` and `\rightmargin` (see itemize).

`\marginparpush`
`\marginsep`
`\marginparwidth`

  The minimum vertical space between two marginal notes, the horizontal space between the text body and the marginal notes, and the horizontal width of the notes.

  Normally marginal notes appear on the outside of the page, but the declaration `\reversemarginpar` changes that (and `\normalmarginpar` changes it back).

  The defaults for `\marginparpush` in both `book` and `article` classes are: ‘`7pt`’ if the document is set at 12pt, and ‘`5pt`’ if the document is set at 11pt or 10pt.

  For `\marginsep`, in `article` class the default is ‘`10pt`’ except if the document is set at 10pt and in two-column mode where the default is ‘`11pt`’.

  For `\marginsep` in `book` class the default is ‘`10pt`’ in two-column mode and ‘`7pt`’ in one-column mode.

  For `\marginparwidth` in both `book` and `article` classes, in two-column mode the default is 60% of `\paperwidth - \textwidth`, while in one-column mode it is 50% of that distance.

`\oddsidemargin`
`\evensidemargin`

  The `\oddsidemargin` is the extra distance between the left side of the page and the text’s left margin, on odd-numbered pages when the document class option `twoside` is chosen and on all pages when `oneside` is in effect. When `twoside` is in effect, on even-numbered pages the extra distance on the left is `evensidemargin`.

  LaTeX’s default is that `\oddsidemargin` is 40% of the difference between `\paperwidth` and `\textwidth`, and `\evensidemargin` is the remainder.

`\paperheight`

  The height of the paper, as distinct from the height of the print area. Normally set with a document class option, as in `\documentclass[a4paper]{article}` (see Document class options).

`\paperwidth`

  The width of the paper, as distinct from the width of the print area. Normally set with a document class option, as in `\documentclass[a4paper]{article}` (see Document class options).

`\textheight`

  The normal vertical height of the page body. If the document is set at a nominal type size of 10pt then for an `article` or `report` the default is ‘`43\baselineskip`’, while for a `book` it is ‘`41\baselineskip`’. At a type size of 11pt the default is ‘`38\baselineskip`’ for all document classes. At 12pt it is ‘`36\baselineskip`’ for all classes.

`\textwidth`

  The full horizontal width of the entire page body. For an `article` or `report` document, the default is ‘`345pt`’ when the chosen type size is 10pt, the default is ‘`360pt`’ at 11pt, and it is ‘`390pt`’ at 12pt. For a `book` document, the default is ‘`4.5in`’ at a type size of 10pt, and ‘`5in`’ at 11pt or 12pt.

  In multi-column output, `\textwidth` remains the width of the entire page body, while `\columnwidth` is the width of one column (see \twocolumn).

  In lists (see list), `\textwidth` remains the width of the entire page body (and `\columnwidth` the width of the entire column), while `\linewidth` may decrease for nested lists.

  Inside a minipage (see minipage) or `\parbox` (see \parbox), all the width-related parameters are set to the specified width, and revert to their normal values at the end of the `minipage` or `\parbox`.

`\hsize`

  This entry is included for completeness: `\hsize` is the TeX primitive parameter used when text is broken into lines. It should not be used in normal LaTeX documents.

`\topmargin`

  Space between the top of the TeX page (one inch from the top of the paper, by default) and the top of the header. The value is computed based on many other parameters: `\paperheight - 2in - \headheight - \headsep - \textheight - \footskip`, and then divided by two.

`\topskip`

  Minimum distance between the top of the page body and the baseline of the first line of text. For the standard classes, the default is the same as the font size, e.g., ‘`10pt`’ at a type size of 10pt.

Unofficial LaTeX2e reference manual