[texhax] interesting two column problem --- alter macro def/placement at top of column

[William Adams]

Okay, I've got rather interesting requirements for a two-column  
minitoc at the beginning of the sections of a journal I'm working on:

- normal layout is first head sits above the two columns, something  
like:

[head]
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx

but if a head is at the top of the second column, it should float up  
to match the first:

[head] [head]
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx

and if there's a lot of text, then the text in the second column  
should start flush with the head:

[head] xxxxx
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx  xxxxx
  xxxxx

I'm not seeing anything which would handle this semi-automatically,  
so I'm working on a macro set to make it happen. The obvious thing  
would be to build the columns in the macro, doing the math to  
determine where to break and applying the appropriate changes at that  
time, but I'm wondering if it wouldn't be more interesting and  
generally useful to try to add this as a feature to multicol --- the  
typeset .dtx does mention extensions.

So, I guess my questions are:

- did I miss something on CTAN which already does this?
- would it be better to try to work this out as a muticol extension /  
add-on or as a separate package?
- If as a separate package any suggestions for a name or more general  
description?

Now that I think about it, the obvious thing to try would be to put  
everything into raised boxes and set the amount of the raise when  
needed for the right-hand column, but I'm having a hard time  
envisioning how to get multicol to insert the change only for the  
right-hand column.

Has there been any discussion about adding an expansion feature which  
only happens after the page is made up and which would then have  
access to the vertical position on the page?

Thanks!

William

-- 
William Adams
senior graphic designer
Fry Communications



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