[texhax] problem with floats in two column

[Robin Fairbairns]

> When I try to include an eps image using \begin{figure*} in \twocolumn
> job, by default the image is placed at top of the NEXT page.
> 
> I want to fix the figure at the bottom of the same page where i am
> refering it.
> 
> I gone through the faq and also tried using "stfloats, midfloat,
> fixltx2e, dblfloatfix" packages, but can't bring the float to bottom
> of the current page.

the output routine decides, when it sets up a new page 2-column page,
whether that page is going to have floats at its bottom.  this is an
inevitable consequence of the way latex's 2-column works :-(

if latex _knows_about_ the float before it starts the page, then
stfloats ought to do the right thing.

so, put the figure declaration _before_ the last paragraph on the
previous page.

note the unfortunate corollaries of this:

a: you can't have a double-column float at the bottom of the first page.
b: if you also have single-column floats, they're likely to get tangled
   up with the numbering restrictions (particularly if you also use
   dblfloatfix)

> Also please suggest me, to typeset a 2 column job with lots of floats
> spaning to single column, which way is best, is it \twocolumn or
> "multicols" package.

twocolumn, of course, since multicols doesn't do single-column floats.