latex-notes/multiple_columns.md

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Multiple Columns

To make an entire document render in two columns, just pass the twocolumn parameter to the document class:

\documentclass[twocolumn]{article}

To achieve finer control over multiple columns, use the multicol package. (Extended documentation is here.) Just add the following to the document's preamble:

\usepackage{multicol}

The basic use is:

\begin{multicols}{3}

Lorem ipsum

\end{multicols}

To include a section which is not multiple columns, enclose that text in square brackets:

\begin{multicols}{3}

[
This line will not be in multiple columns
]

This line and all remaining text will be in three columns.

\end{multicols}

Column Separation

The distance between the columns is controlled by \columnsep in the \setlength parameter in the document's preamble:

\setlength{\columnsep}{0.5in}

Unbalanced Columns

By default, the multicol package will do its best to balance all the columns. If you want unbalanced columns, then use multicols* instead:

\begin{multicols*}{3}

This text will have unbalanced columns.

Lorem ipsum.
\end{multicols}

Column Rules

To insert a vertical line between columns, pass \columnseprule to the \setlength parameter in the document's preamble:

\setlength{columnseprule}{1pt}
\def\columnseprulecolr{\color{blue}}

In order to add colors, be sure to use the color package by adding the following to the document's preamble:

\usepackage{color}