\environment math-layout \startcomponent math-spacing \startchapter[title=Vertical spacing] The low level way to input inline math in \TEX\ is \starttyping $ e = mc^2 $ \stoptyping while display math can be entered like: \starttyping $$ e = mc^2 $$ \stoptyping The inline method is still valid, but for display math the \type {$$} method should not be used. This has to do with the fact that we want to control spacing in a consistent way. In \CONTEXT\ the vertical spacing model is rather stable although in \MKIV\ the implementation is quite different. It has always been a challenge to let this mechanism work well with space round display formulas. This has to do with the fact that (in the kind of documents that we have to produce) interaction with already present spacing is somewhat tricky. Of course much can be achieved in \TEX\ but in \CONTEXT\ we need to have control over the many mechanisms that can interact. Given the way \TEX\ handles space around display math there is no real robust solution possible that gives visually consistent space in all cases so that is why we basically disable the existing spacing model. Disabling is easier in \LUATEX\ and recent versions of \MKIV\ have been adapted to that. In pure \TEX\ what happens is this: \startbuffer $$ x $$ \stopbuffer \typebuffer \par \start \showboxes \getbuffer \par \stop A horizontal box (visualized by the thin rule on its baseline) get added which triggers a baselineskip. Then the formula is put below it. We can get rid of that box with \type {\noindent}: \startbuffer \noindent $$ x $$ \stopbuffer \typebuffer \par \start \showboxes \getbuffer \par \stop In addition (not shown here) vertical space is added before and after the formula and left- and rightskip on the edges. In fact typesetting display math goes like this: \startitemize[packed] \startitem typeset the formula using display mode and wrap it in a box \stopitem \startitem add an equation number, if possible in the same line, otherwise on a line below \stopitem \startitem in the process center the formula using the available display width and required display indentation \stopitem \startitem add vertical space above and below (depending also in displays being short in relation to the previous line \stopitem \startitem at the same time also add penalties that determine the break across pages \stopitem \stopitemize Apart from the spacing around the formula and the equation number, typesetting is not different from: \starttyping \hbox {$ \displaystyle x $} \stoptyping So this is what we will use by default in \CONTEXT\ in order to better control spacing as spacing around math is a sensitive issue. Because math itself can have a narrow band, for instance a lone $x$, or relative much depth, as with $y$, or both depth and height as in $(1,2)$ and $x^2 + y_2$ and because a preceding line can have no or little depth and a following line little height, the visual appearance can become inconsistent. The default approach is to force consistent spacing, but when needed we can implement variants. Spacing around display math is set up with \type {\setupformulas}: \starttyping \setupformulas [spacebefore=big, spaceafter=big] \stoptyping When the whitespace is larger that setting wins because as usual the larger of blanks or whitespace wins. % \showdefinition[setupformula] % \showdefinition[setupmathematics] In \in {figures} [whitespace-no], \in {figures} [whitespace-medium] \in {and} [whitespace-big] we see how things interact. We show lines with and without maximum line height and depth (enforced by struts) alongside. % no whitespace \startbuffer[demo-1] \disablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=none,spaceafter=none] \setupwhitespace[none] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startbuffer[demo-2] \enablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=none,spaceafter=none] \setupwhitespace[none] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startbuffer[demo-3] \disablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=medium,spaceafter=medium] \setupwhitespace[none] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startbuffer[demo-4] \enablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=medium,spaceafter=medium] \setupwhitespace[none] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startplacefigure[location=page,reference=whitespace-no,title={No whitespace.}] \startcombination[2*2] {\typesetbuffer[demo-1][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf natural + none + ws none} {\typesetbuffer[demo-2][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf strut + none + ws none} {\typesetbuffer[demo-3][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf natural + medium + ws none} {\typesetbuffer[demo-4][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf strut + medium + ws none} \stopcombination \stopplacefigure % whitespace medium same as medium spacing around math \startbuffer[demo-1] \disablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=none,spaceafter=none] \setupwhitespace[medium] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startbuffer[demo-2] \enablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=none,spaceafter=none] \setupwhitespace[medium] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startbuffer[demo-3] \disablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=medium,spaceafter=medium] \setupwhitespace[medium] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startbuffer[demo-4] \enablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=medium,spaceafter=medium] \setupwhitespace[medium] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startplacefigure[location=page,reference=whitespace-medium,title={Whitespace the same as display spacing.}] \startcombination[2*2] {\typesetbuffer[demo-1][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf natural + none + ws medium} {\typesetbuffer[demo-2][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf strut + none + ws medium} {\typesetbuffer[demo-3][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf natural + medium + ws medium} {\typesetbuffer[demo-4][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf strut + medium + ws medium} \stopcombination \stopplacefigure % whitespace big wins from medium spacing around math \startbuffer[demo-1] \disablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=none,spaceafter=none] \setupwhitespace[big] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startbuffer[demo-2] \enablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=none,spaceafter=none] \setupwhitespace[big] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startbuffer[demo-3] \disablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=medium,spaceafter=medium] \setupwhitespace[big] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startbuffer[demo-4] \enablemode[with-struts] \showmakeup \setupformulas[spacebefore=medium,spaceafter=medium] \setupwhitespace[big] \input math-spacing-001.tex \stopbuffer \startplacefigure[location=page,reference=whitespace-big,title={Whitespace larger than display spacing.}] \startcombination[2*2] {\typesetbuffer[demo-1][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf natural + none + ws big} {\typesetbuffer[demo-2][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf strut + none + ws big} {\typesetbuffer[demo-3][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf natural + medium + ws big} {\typesetbuffer[demo-4][height=.45\textheight]} {\tttf strut + medium + ws big} \stopcombination \stopplacefigure Because we want to have control over the placement of the formula number but also want to be able to align the formula with the left or right edge of the text area, we don't use the native display handler by default. We still have a way to force this, but this is only for testing purposes. By default a formula is placed centered relative to the current text, including left and right margins. \startbuffer \fakewords{20}{40} \startitemize \startitem \fakewords{20}{40} \placeformula \startformula \fakeformula \stopformula \stopitem \startitem \fakewords{20}{40} \stopitem \stopitemize \fakewords{20}{40}\epar \stopbuffer \typebuffer \start \getbuffer \stop In the next examples we explicitly align formulas to the left (\type {flushleft}), center (\type {middle}) and right (\type {flushright}): \startbuffer[demo] \setupformulas[align=flushleft] \startformula\fakeformula\stopformula \setupformulas[align=middle] \startformula\fakeformula\stopformula \setupformulas[align=flushright] \startformula\fakeformula\stopformula \stopbuffer \typebuffer[demo] The three cases show up as: \start \getbuffer[demo] \stop You can also set a left and|/|or right margin: \startbuffer[setting] \setupformulas [leftmargin=3cm, rightmargin=3cm] \stopbuffer \start \getbuffer[setting] \getbuffer[demo] \stop With formula numbers these formulas look as follows: \startbuffer[demo] \setupformulas[align=flushleft] \placeformula \startformula\fakeformula\stopformula \setupformulas[align=middle] \placeformula \startformula\fakeformula\stopformula \setupformulas[align=flushright] \placeformula \startformula\fakeformula\stopformula \stopbuffer \start \getbuffer[demo] \stop and the same with margins: \start \getbuffer[setting] \getbuffer[demo] \stop \page When the \type {margin} option is set to \type {standard} or \type {yes} the current indentation (when set) or left skip is added to the left side. \startbuffer \setupformulas[align=flushleft] \startformula \fakeformula \stopformula \placeformula \startformula \fakeformula \stopformula \stopbuffer \typebuffer \start \getbuffer \stop \startbuffer \setupformulas[align=flushleft,margin=standard] \startformula \fakeformula \stopformula \placeformula \startformula \fakeformula \stopformula \stopbuffer \typebuffer \start \getbuffer \stop The distance between the formula and the number is only applied when the formula is left or right aligned. \startbuffer \setupformulas[align=flushright,distance=0pt] \startformula \fakeformula \stopformula \placeformula \startformula \fakeformula \stopformula \stopbuffer \typebuffer \start \getbuffer \stop \startbuffer \setupformulas[align=flushright,distance=2em] \startformula \fakeformula \stopformula \placeformula \startformula \fakeformula \stopformula \stopbuffer \typebuffer \start \getbuffer \stop \stopsection \startsection[title=Scripts] Spacing is a trade off because there is no way to predict all usage. Of course a font can be very detailed in where italic correction is to be applied and how advanced stepwise kerns are used, but not many fonts have extensive information. Here are some differences in rendering. In \OPENTYPE\ the super- and subscript of an integral are moved right and left half of the italic correction. \startlinecorrection \startcombination[6*1] {\switchtobodyfont [modern]\math{F_j = \int\nolimits _a^b}} {Latin Modern} {\switchtobodyfont [pagella]\math{F_j = \int\nolimits _a^b}} {Pagella} {\switchtobodyfont [dejavu]\math{F_j = \int\nolimits _a^b}} {Dejavu} {\switchtobodyfont [cambria]\math{F_j = \int\nolimits _a^b}} {Cambria} {\switchtobodyfont[lucidaot]\math{F_j = \int\nolimits _a^b}} {Lucida OT} {\switchtobodyfont [xits]\math{F_j = \int\nolimits _a^b}} {Xits} \stopcombination \stoplinecorrection \stopsection \startsection[title=Bad fonts] There might be fonts out there where the italic correction is supposed to be added to the width of a glyph. In that case the following trick can be tried: \starttyping \definefontfeature[mathextra][italicwidths=yes] % fix latin modern \stoptyping in which case the following might look better: \starttyping $\left|V\right| = \left|W\right|$ \stoptyping Of course better is to fix the font. \stopsection \stopchapter \stopcomponent