floatspositioning
When specifying a float's placement, e.g. [htpb], is the order of the arguments specifying the priority of them?
Example:
\begin{figure}[htpb]
\includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{sampleImage}
\caption{Example caption}
\label{fig:sampleImage}
\end{figure}
Space below top [t] and above bottom [b] floats is managed via the length \textfloatsep. Space above and below here [h] floats is managed via the length \intextsep.
\setlength{\intextsep}{10pt} % Vertical space above & below [h] floats
\setlength{\textfloatsep}{10pt} % Vertical space below (above) [t] ([b]) floats
\setlength{\abovecaptionskip}{10pt}
\setlength{\belowcaptionskip}{5pt}
Chapter 6 of the layouts package documentation highlights some of the standard lengths/definitions employed by LaTeX when working with floats. Here's a snapshot of the graphic in question:
here is an example which modies the floatcheck and uses [p] as placement. The floats appear at the end of the sections, one per page.
\documentclass{scrartcl}
\pagestyle{empty}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\makeatletter
\def \@largefloatcheck{\ht\@currbox 0.5\textheight}
\makeatother
\begin{document}
\section{baz}
Main document contents.
\lipsum
\begin{figure}[p]
\centerline{ Figure contents. }
\caption[Short caption]{Long caption of fig 1}\label{fig:1}
\end{figure}
\lipsum
All figures are to appear on separate pages, one per page.
\lipsum
\section{foo}
\lipsum
\begin{figure}[p]
\centerline{ Figure contents. }
\caption[Short caption]{Long caption of fig 2}\label{fig:2}
\end{figure}
\lipsum
\end{document}
Best Answer
No, the order of the placement options is irrelevant. Every placement option will be stored as bit in a single value, so
[tb]and[bt]will give the same value and therefore will have the same result.See What is the exact purpose of \ftype@<TYPE>? for implementation details.