+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                threecolumns                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
Abbreviation:  ã|\thcã%
 
Parameters:    ã|noneã%
 
    ã|Description:ã%
The  \threecolumns markup  formats text  in  three identical  width columns.
Column  widths,  gutters and  margins  are calculated  automatically.    The
default column width is 31% of  the galleywidth (hsize).  The default gutter
between each column is 3.5% of the galleywidth.
    The Flexible format (the default)  allows the user to use single column,
two column,  and three  column text interchangeably  on the  current page by
entering one of  the markup choices at  the desired point in the  text.  The
flexible format will balance the text columns whenever the number of columns
changes.
    For  example,  if  the author  changes  the  multiple  column format  by
typing a  different markup TEXT1  will automatically balance  the columns it
is  currently processing  and change  to a  new number  of  columns.   These
instructions can be inserted at any point on the page.
    The author may  want to handle tables and other  large blocks of text by
returning to a single column  for the table by typing \onecolumn immediately
before the table and returning to two or three column formatting immediately
after the table.
    All  running head,  running  foot, and  inserts are  printed  across the
full single  column width that  prints across the  top of  the current page.
Footnotes will be printed across the full width at the bottom of the page.
 
    ã|Example:ã%
\threecolumns
\nin Hebrew is called a Semitic language because it has
its roots in Shem, one of the sons of Noah.
Viewing Jerusalem as its center, it is related to the
northern, rougher Aramaic, and to the southern, more
polished Arabic. It has a freshness, simplicity and
power that few modern languages possess. Bounds of the
ancient Semitic tongue were approximately the
Mediterranean Sea on the west, the Euphrates and Tigris
Rivers on the easy, the mountains
of Armenia on the north,
and the coast of Arabia on the south. Consider the first
character, N . . .
 
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                             |
| Hebrew    is       rougher            approximately.                        |
| called             Aramaic,           the Mediter-                          |
| a    Semitic       and  to the        ranean   Sea                          |
| language           southern,          on the west,                          |
| because            more    pol-       the Euphrates.                        |
| it  has  its       ished  Ara-        and   Tigris                          |
| roots     in       bic.     It        Rivers    on                          |
| Shem,    one       has       a        the    easy,                          |
| of the  sons       freshness, sim-    the mountains.                        |
| of     Noah.       plicity and        of   Armenia                          |
| Viewing            power   that       on the north,.                        |
| Jerusalem          few   modern       and the coast.                        |
| as its  cen-       languages pos      Arabia on                             |
| ter,  it  is       sess.  Bounds      the   south.                          |
| related   to       of  the an-        Consider the                          |
| the   north-       cient Semitic      first  char-                          |
| ern,               tongue  were       acter, N                              |
|                                                                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
 
    ã|Notes:ã%
To change the  column width or the gutter  width, use the \multicolumnformat
markup.
    You   cannot   specify  \threecolumns   inside   of   \vbox,   \drawbox,
\paragraphbox,  or  a  floating  \figure (non  floating  figures,  \nofloat,
are ok).
    If you  want footnotes  and figures  to print  in one column  instead of
across both columns, use the \fixedformat markup.