I'm trying to typeset a book. It has two columns, and some floating diagrams. My problem is that the floats aren't going where I want them to and I can't work out how to fix it. My input source looks something like: \startcolumnset[foo] \subject{Blah} aaaa aaaa aaaa aaaa aaaa aaaa aaaa \placefigure[here]{First diagram} {\externalfigure[diagram1.jpg][width=2.3in]} bbbb bbbb bbbb bbbb bbbb bbbb bbbb \placefigure[here]{Second diagram} {\externalfigure[diagram2.jpg][width=2.3in]} cccc cccc cccc cccc cccc cccc cccc \placefigure[here]{Third diagram} {\externalfigure[diagram3.jpg][width=2.3in]} dddd dddd dddd dddd dddd dddd dddd What I expect to get out is a page something like this (excuse the ASCII graphics): +-----------------------------------------+ | | | Blah cccc cccc cccc | | ---- cccc cccc cccc | | cccc cccc | | aaaa aaaa aaaa | | aaaa aaaa aaaa +--------------+ | | aaaa | ############ | | | | ############ | | | +--------------+ | ############ | | | | ############ | | ############ | | | | ############ | | ############ | | | | ############ | | ############ | | | +--------------+ | ############ | | | First diagram | ############ | | | +--------------+ | | bbbb bbbb bbbb Third diagram | | bbbb bbbb bbbb | | bbbb bbbb dddd dddd dddd | | dddd dddd dddd | | +--------------+ dddd dddd dddd | | | ############ | dddd dddd dddd | | | ############ | dddd dddd dddd | | | ############ | dddd dddd dddd | | +--------------+ dddd dddd | | Second diagram | | | | cccc cccc cccc | | cccc cccc cccc | | | +-----------------------------------------+ What I'm actually getting out is this: +-----------------------------------------+ | | | Blah +--------------+ | | ---- | ############ | | | | ############ | | | aaaa aaaa aaaa | ############ | | | aaaa aaaa aaaa +--------------+ | | aaaa Second diagram | | | | +--------------+ +--------------+ | | | ############ | | ############ | | | | ############ | | ############ | | | | ############ | | ############ | | | +--------------+ | ############ | | | First diagram | ############ | | | | ############ | | | bbbb bbbb bbbb | ############ | | | bbbb bbbb bbbb | ############ | | | bbbb bbbb +--------------+ | | Third diagram | | cccc cccc cccc | | cccc cccc cccc dddd dddd dddd | | cccc cccc cccc dddd dddd dddd | | cccc cccc cccc dddd dddd dddd | | cccc cccc dddd dddd | | | | dddd dddd dddd | | dddd dddd dddd | | dddd dddd dddd | | | +-----------------------------------------+ Even though there is sufficient space in the first column, the second float is always being moved up to the top of the second column. I've tried pretty much every combination of here, force and always as the location keyword for the \placefloat, but it doesn't make any difference. Any idea what I can do to get the placement I want? The deadline for going to press is rapidly approaching and I'm getting a little concerned! Thanks, Tet