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Recipe number 21

Cookbook · Chapter 6 · Boxes & notes

Boxes that split, float and pin

A lab worksheet in which the procedure box splits between two columns, the data sheet moves to the head of the next page and a badge is pinned to the foot.

pp. 42–43 · 2–3 of 4

  • Spanish sample: no English edition yet
  • Trim 195 × 255 mm
  • 2 columns, 7 mm gutter
  • Host Grotesk 9.4/13.6
  • Commit Mono
  • 4 pages
  • Level
  • Postext 1.4.1
  • Laid out in 37 ms
  • 226 lines of code

What you'll build

Four pages of Taller de ciencias, a Spanish school lab workbook: Práctica 4, “Construye un reloj de sol” (Build a sundial). On page 42 the safety warning stays in one piece, and the fourteen-step procedure, on a yellow fill with a compass badge on its corner, starts at the foot of the left column and goes on at the head of the right one, at the same measure and without its title. The Madrid data sheet leaves the flow on that page and heads page 43, above the text. A charcoal “Autoevaluación · 10 min” badge is pinned to the foot of the last page, with a pointing hand in the margin beside it. On the opener, a sun-yellow band carries a chart of a stick's shadows from noon to 5 p.m. at Madrid's latitude, and a panel lists the materials in three columns across the page.

This recipe answers

  • How do I let a long box split across columns and pages, or keep a short one together?
  • How do I float a box to the top or bottom of the page while the text keeps flowing?
  • How do I pin a badge or sticker to a fixed position on the page?
  • How do I set a box across both columns mid-page, such as a 3-up "in numbers" panel?

The short answer

script.js · lines 55–85in full code
const HAND = 6, GAP = 2, RULE = 0.75 * PT; // mm: the badge's hand, its gap, the hand's rule
const calloutStyles = [
  // Kept whole: keepTogether defaults to true, so a box that does not fit the rest of a
  // column moves on in one piece; only a box taller than a whole column splits anyway.
  box('seguridad', bar('charcoal', 'aviso')),
  // Split: the procedure fits a column, so it takes keepTogether: false to break where it
  // falls instead of moving on whole: between steps, or inside one (splitMinLines, default
  // 2, counts the box's lines on each side of the cut, not the step's: see Pitfalls). The
  // rest goes on in the next column or page without the title or the icon; a corner icon
  // takes no room from the text, so both parts keep one measure.
  box('pasos', { keepTogether: false, background: col('light'),
    icon: icon('compas', 7, { position: 'corner', cornerSide: 'outer' }) }),
  // Floated: its fence adds placement="top", so the box leaves the flow where the fence
  // stands and heads the next page, while the text after it fills this one.
  box('datos', { span: 'page', background: col('tint') }),
  // Pinned: 'fixed' sets the box on the page where its fence falls, at the bottom-left corner
  // of the text block unless fixed.anchor says otherwise, and the column text keeps out of it.
  // width: 'auto' shrink-wraps the title, so an empty fence prints a badge.
  box('autoevaluacion', { placement: 'fixed', width: 'auto',
    // Hang the hand and its rule in the margin (the outer one on this verso), so the badge
    // itself lines up with the text: [hand][rule][GAP][badge].
    fixed: { offset: { x: mm(-(HAND + RULE + GAP)) } },
    marker: { ...icon('mano', HAND), gap: mm(GAP),
      rule: { enabled: true, color: col('charcoal'), width: mm(RULE) } },
    background: col('charcoal'), borderRadius: mm(3.2),
    padding: { top: mm(1.6), right: mm(3.4), bottom: mm(1.6), left: mm(3.4) },
    titleStyle: { ...TITLE, color: col('paper') } }),
  // Across the page, in the flow: the text above it is cut level and resumes under it.
  box('resumen', { span: 'page', backgroundEnabled: false,
    stripe: { enabled: true, side: 'top', width: pt(2.5), color: col('charcoal') } }),
];

One style per behaviour: kept whole, split, floated, pinned, page-wide

Ingredients

Type
Host Grotesk, Commit Mono (SIL OFL 1.1)
Assets
  • The shadow chart, the dial in profile and the icons, drawn in code in the page's palette (Ignacio Ferro, CC BY 4.0)

Method

#1 · One base style for every box

script.js · lines 39–51in full code
const TITLE = { fontFamily: LABEL, fontSize: pt(8), color: col('charcoal'),
  textTransform: 'uppercase', letterSpacing: pt(1.2) }; // bold by default
const BOX_TYPE = { fontSize: pt(8.8), lineHeight: pt(12.4) }; // colours inherit bodyText
const box = (id, device) => ({ id, // margins: the defaults, snapped to whole grid lines
  padding: { top: mm(3), right: mm(3.6), bottom: mm(3.4), left: mm(3.6) },
  titleStyle: { ...TITLE, gap: mm(2) }, body: BOX_TYPE,
  lists: { gap: mm(2), itemSpacing: pt(3) }, ...device });
const icon = (id, size, extra) => ({ kind: 'resource', resourceId: id, size: mm(size),
  ...extra });
// A side bar with its icon centred on it, 1.4 mm narrower than the bar.
const bar = (hue, id, width = 5.6) => ({ backgroundEnabled: false,
  stripe: { enabled: true, side: 'left', width: mm(width), color: col(hue) },
  icon: icon(id, width - 1.4) });

Every style starts from box(): the mono title, 8.8 pt type against the text's 9.4 pt, and the padding. Each then adds one device: a charcoal bar on the safety warning, a yellow fill on the procedure, a paper tint on the data sheet, a top rule on the summary, a charcoal pill for the badge. A student can tell the boxes apart by that device before reading a title. On the procedure the fill also marks the continuation: the part at the head of the right column has no title, so only the yellow links it to steps 1 to 4 at the foot of the left one.

#2 · Keep, split, float and pin

The code is the short answer above. The procedure measures 192 mm and a column holds 211, so a box kept whole would jump to the head of the right column and leave 43 mm empty at the foot of the left one. keepTogether: false lets it start where it falls and go on in the next column, or on the next page, as the second variation shows (the :::callout container). A continuation drops the title and the icon. With an inline icon it would also give the icon's column back to the text and set the rest wider, so the compass sits on the box's outer corner, where it takes no width and both parts keep the same measure. The data sheet's fence carries placement="top", so the box leaves the flow on page 42 and heads the next page. The badge is fixed, and a negative offset.x moves the hand and its rule into the outer margin, so the left edge of the badge lines up with the text.

#3 · Cross the page with a three-column panel

script.js · lines 89–94in full code
const materials = box('material', { span: 'page', background: col('sun'),
  marginBottom: pt(LEAD), // one more grid line of air before the text resumes
  padding: { top: mm(3.6), right: mm(4.4), bottom: mm(3.8), left: mm(4.4) },
  columnGap: mm(GUTTER), // the page's gutter: the panel's columns sit as far apart as the text's
  body: { ...BOX_TYPE, paragraphSpacing: false },
  lists: { color: col('ink'), gap: mm(1.8), itemSpacing: pt(1) } });

With span: 'page' the materials box crosses both columns. The introduction above it is cut level, and the text resumes in two columns under it (page 41). Inside the fence, :::columns{count=3 breaks="5,9"} sets where each column starts instead of balancing them. breaks counts child blocks, and each list item is one, so the second and third columns open at the fifth and ninth blocks, the bold labels. columnGap is the page's 7 mm gutter, so the panel's columns sit as far apart as the text columns.

:::callout{type="material" title="Necesitarás"}
:::columns{count=3 breaks="5,9"}
**Para la esfera**
 
- Cartón pluma de 20 × 30 cm
- La plantilla de la esfera
- Pegamento y rotulador
 
**Para el gnomon y la base**
…
:::
:::

#4 · One yellow for fields, a lighter one for the long box

script.js · lines 16–29in full code
const palette = {
  ink: '#1b2430', // text
  charcoal: '#2b2d42', // the safety bar, the summary's rule, the table head, the badge, titles
  sun: '#f2b705', // the opener band and the materials panel: fields, never type
  light: '#fad65a', // the procedure
  tint: '#fff6d6', // the data sheet
  rule: '#d7dde3', // hairlines
  muted: '#5d6b78', // running heads, notes
  paper: '#ffffff',
};
const col = (id) => ({ hex: palette[id], model: 'hex', paletteId: id });
// The engine's defaults link to 'main-color': point it at charcoal, so nothing prints blue.
const colorPalette = Object.entries({ ...palette, 'main-color': palette.charcoal })
  .map(([id, hex]) => ({ id, name: id, value: { hex, model: 'hex' } }));

Sun yellow is kept for the fields of colour, the band and the panel, where charcoal and ink read at 7.4:1 and 8.6:1. As a type colour on white it would reach 1.8:1, so it never carries type. The procedure takes light, a paler yellow: ink reads on it at 11:1, and the break still shows in the gallery thumbnail. The data sheet takes tint, closer to paper, so it cannot be mistaken for the procedure, the other filled box on the spread. main-color points at charcoal, so the defaults the config does not override print in charcoal instead of the engine's blue.

#5 · Open on a yellow band

script.js · lines 98–121in full code
const BAND = 100; // mm from the trim to the foot of the band
const ART_W = 80; // mm: the width of the band's drawing, at the fore-edge
const AIR = 8; // mm between the band and the first line of text
const [TITLE_W, LEAD_W] = [104, 88]; // mm: the title's and the lead's measure
// Wrapped, not cut with the default ellipsis (gotcha: overflow-ellipsis-default).
const onBand = { color: col('charcoal'), align: 'left', overflow: 'wrap' };
const below = (id, y, width) => ({ anchor: { to: `#${id}`, edge: 'below' },
  offset: { y: mm(y) }, size: { width: mm(width) } });
const opener = { enabled: true, minHeight: mm(BAND - TOP + AIR), slot: { elements: [
  { kind: 'box', id: 'band', style: { backgroundColor: col('sun') },
    placement: { anchor: { to: 'page', edge: 'top-left' }, size: { height: mm(BAND) } } },
  { kind: 'image', id: 'art', resourceId: 'sombras', placement: { anchor: { to: 'page',
    edge: 'top-right' }, size: { width: mm(ART_W), height: mm(BAND) } } },
  { kind: 'text', id: 'kicker', content: '{attr.kicker}', ...onBand, fontFamily: LABEL,
    fontSize: pt(8.5), fontWeight: 700, letterSpacing: pt(1.7), textTransform: 'uppercase',
    placement: { anchor: { to: 'container', edge: 'top-left' }, offset: { y: mm(4) } } },
  { kind: 'text', id: 'title', content: '{titleText}', ...onBand, fontFamily: TEXT,
    fontSize: pt(44), fontWeight: 800, lineHeight: 0.98, placement: below('kicker', 3, TITLE_W) },
  { kind: 'text', id: 'lead', content: '{attr.lead}', ...onBand, fontFamily: TEXT,
    fontSize: pt(10.5), lineHeight: 1.4, placement: below('title', 5, LEAD_W) },
  { kind: 'text', id: 'meta', content: '{attr.meta}', ...onBand, fontFamily: LABEL,
    fontSize: pt(7.4), fontWeight: 700, letterSpacing: pt(1.1), textTransform: 'uppercase',
    placement: below('lead', 4, LEAD_W) },
] } };

The band is a box element anchored to the page and the drawing an image element at the fore-edge; the kicker, the lead and the session line come from attributes on the heading line. Because the band is anchored to the page, the opener already reserves its height down to the band's foot, and the text would start 3.6 mm under it. minHeight: BAND - TOP + AIR asks for 8 mm; the reservation snaps to the next grid line, and the text starts 8.4 mm under the band.

The whole recipe

// ═══ Postext Cookbook · Nº 021 · Boxes that split, float and pin ══════════════════
// https://postext.dev/en/cookbook/boxes-split-float-pin
// Code: MIT · Text: original (CC BY 4.0) · Drawings: generated in code (CC BY 4.0)
// Fonts: Host Grotesk, Commit Mono (SIL OFL 1.1) · Needs postext ≥ 1.4.1
// Four pages of a school lab workbook in Spanish, and five ways a box can sit on them.
import {
  buildDocument, renderPageToCanvas, clearMeasurementCache, registerResourceImage,
  defaultResourceTypes,
} from 'https://esm.sh/postext';

const LANG = 'es'; // @lang: the language of the sample document (this recipe is Spanish only)
const RECIPE = 'boxes-split-float-pin';

// ─── 1 · Design ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
// #region palette: one yellow for fields, paler ones for two boxes, near-blacks for type and bars
const palette = {
  ink: '#1b2430', // text
  charcoal: '#2b2d42', // the safety bar, the summary's rule, the table head, the badge, titles
  sun: '#f2b705', // the opener band and the materials panel: fields, never type
  light: '#fad65a', // the procedure
  tint: '#fff6d6', // the data sheet
  rule: '#d7dde3', // hairlines
  muted: '#5d6b78', // running heads, notes
  paper: '#ffffff',
};
const col = (id) => ({ hex: palette[id], model: 'hex', paletteId: id });
// The engine's defaults link to 'main-color': point it at charcoal, so nothing prints blue.
const colorPalette = Object.entries({ ...palette, 'main-color': palette.charcoal })
  .map(([id, hex]) => ({ id, name: id, value: { hex, model: 'hex' } }));
// #endregion
const TEXT = 'Host Grotesk'; // text and display
const LABEL = 'Commit Mono'; // labels: kickers, box titles, step numbers, heads, the table
const LEAD = 13.6; // pt: the body leading, the pitch of the baseline grid
const LINES = 44; // grid lines in a full column
const [TRIM_W, TRIM_H, TOP, INNER, OUTER, GUTTER] = [195, 255, 22, 18, 14, 7]; // mm
const PT = 25.4 / 72; // mm in a point

// #region look: the base of every box (a mono title, smaller type), then one device each
const TITLE = { fontFamily: LABEL, fontSize: pt(8), color: col('charcoal'),
  textTransform: 'uppercase', letterSpacing: pt(1.2) }; // bold by default
const BOX_TYPE = { fontSize: pt(8.8), lineHeight: pt(12.4) }; // colours inherit bodyText
const box = (id, device) => ({ id, // margins: the defaults, snapped to whole grid lines
  padding: { top: mm(3), right: mm(3.6), bottom: mm(3.4), left: mm(3.6) },
  titleStyle: { ...TITLE, gap: mm(2) }, body: BOX_TYPE,
  lists: { gap: mm(2), itemSpacing: pt(3) }, ...device });
const icon = (id, size, extra) => ({ kind: 'resource', resourceId: id, size: mm(size),
  ...extra });
// A side bar with its icon centred on it, 1.4 mm narrower than the bar.
const bar = (hue, id, width = 5.6) => ({ backgroundEnabled: false,
  stripe: { enabled: true, side: 'left', width: mm(width), color: col(hue) },
  icon: icon(id, width - 1.4) });
// #endregion

// #region answer: one style per behaviour: kept whole, split, floated, pinned, page-wide
const HAND = 6, GAP = 2, RULE = 0.75 * PT; // mm: the badge's hand, its gap, the hand's rule
const calloutStyles = [
  // Kept whole: keepTogether defaults to true, so a box that does not fit the rest of a
  // column moves on in one piece; only a box taller than a whole column splits anyway.
  box('seguridad', bar('charcoal', 'aviso')),
  // Split: the procedure fits a column, so it takes keepTogether: false to break where it
  // falls instead of moving on whole: between steps, or inside one (splitMinLines, default
  // 2, counts the box's lines on each side of the cut, not the step's: see Pitfalls). The
  // rest goes on in the next column or page without the title or the icon; a corner icon
  // takes no room from the text, so both parts keep one measure.
  box('pasos', { keepTogether: false, background: col('light'),
    icon: icon('compas', 7, { position: 'corner', cornerSide: 'outer' }) }),
  // Floated: its fence adds placement="top", so the box leaves the flow where the fence
  // stands and heads the next page, while the text after it fills this one.
  box('datos', { span: 'page', background: col('tint') }),
  // Pinned: 'fixed' sets the box on the page where its fence falls, at the bottom-left corner
  // of the text block unless fixed.anchor says otherwise, and the column text keeps out of it.
  // width: 'auto' shrink-wraps the title, so an empty fence prints a badge.
  box('autoevaluacion', { placement: 'fixed', width: 'auto',
    // Hang the hand and its rule in the margin (the outer one on this verso), so the badge
    // itself lines up with the text: [hand][rule][GAP][badge].
    fixed: { offset: { x: mm(-(HAND + RULE + GAP)) } },
    marker: { ...icon('mano', HAND), gap: mm(GAP),
      rule: { enabled: true, color: col('charcoal'), width: mm(RULE) } },
    background: col('charcoal'), borderRadius: mm(3.2),
    padding: { top: mm(1.6), right: mm(3.4), bottom: mm(1.6), left: mm(3.4) },
    titleStyle: { ...TITLE, color: col('paper') } }),
  // Across the page, in the flow: the text above it is cut level and resumes under it.
  box('resumen', { span: 'page', backgroundEnabled: false,
    stripe: { enabled: true, side: 'top', width: pt(2.5), color: col('charcoal') } }),
];
// #endregion

// #region panel: a yellow panel across both columns with three columns of its own
const materials = box('material', { span: 'page', background: col('sun'),
  marginBottom: pt(LEAD), // one more grid line of air before the text resumes
  padding: { top: mm(3.6), right: mm(4.4), bottom: mm(3.8), left: mm(4.4) },
  columnGap: mm(GUTTER), // the page's gutter: the panel's columns sit as far apart as the text's
  body: { ...BOX_TYPE, paragraphSpacing: false },
  lists: { color: col('ink'), gap: mm(1.8), itemSpacing: pt(1) } });
// #endregion

// #region opener: a sun-yellow band, a shadow chart, texts from the heading line
const BAND = 100; // mm from the trim to the foot of the band
const ART_W = 80; // mm: the width of the band's drawing, at the fore-edge
const AIR = 8; // mm between the band and the first line of text
const [TITLE_W, LEAD_W] = [104, 88]; // mm: the title's and the lead's measure
// Wrapped, not cut with the default ellipsis (gotcha: overflow-ellipsis-default).
const onBand = { color: col('charcoal'), align: 'left', overflow: 'wrap' };
const below = (id, y, width) => ({ anchor: { to: `#${id}`, edge: 'below' },
  offset: { y: mm(y) }, size: { width: mm(width) } });
const opener = { enabled: true, minHeight: mm(BAND - TOP + AIR), slot: { elements: [
  { kind: 'box', id: 'band', style: { backgroundColor: col('sun') },
    placement: { anchor: { to: 'page', edge: 'top-left' }, size: { height: mm(BAND) } } },
  { kind: 'image', id: 'art', resourceId: 'sombras', placement: { anchor: { to: 'page',
    edge: 'top-right' }, size: { width: mm(ART_W), height: mm(BAND) } } },
  { kind: 'text', id: 'kicker', content: '{attr.kicker}', ...onBand, fontFamily: LABEL,
    fontSize: pt(8.5), fontWeight: 700, letterSpacing: pt(1.7), textTransform: 'uppercase',
    placement: { anchor: { to: 'container', edge: 'top-left' }, offset: { y: mm(4) } } },
  { kind: 'text', id: 'title', content: '{titleText}', ...onBand, fontFamily: TEXT,
    fontSize: pt(44), fontWeight: 800, lineHeight: 0.98, placement: below('kicker', 3, TITLE_W) },
  { kind: 'text', id: 'lead', content: '{attr.lead}', ...onBand, fontFamily: TEXT,
    fontSize: pt(10.5), lineHeight: 1.4, placement: below('title', 5, LEAD_W) },
  { kind: 'text', id: 'meta', content: '{attr.meta}', ...onBand, fontFamily: LABEL,
    fontSize: pt(7.4), fontWeight: 700, letterSpacing: pt(1.1), textTransform: 'uppercase',
    placement: below('lead', 4, LEAD_W) },
] } };
// #endregion

// Running heads in the label face, the folio in bold on the outer edge.
const HEAD_Y = 13; // mm from the trim to the heads' baseline area
const RUN_X = OUTER + 9; // mm from the fore-edge to the running title, clear of the folio
const head = (id, content, parity, edge, x, extra) => ({ kind: 'text', id, content, parity,
  pages: 'body', fontFamily: LABEL, fontSize: pt(7.4), letterSpacing: pt(1.1),
  textTransform: 'uppercase', color: col('muted'), ...extra,
  placement: { anchor: { to: 'page', edge }, offset: { x: mm(x), y: mm(HEAD_Y) } } });
const folio = { fontWeight: 700, fontSize: pt(8.5), color: col('ink'), letterSpacing: pt(0) };
const header = { elements: [
  head('verso-folio', '{pageNumber}', 'even', 'top-left', OUTER, folio),
  head('verso-title', '{title}', 'even', 'top-left', RUN_X),
  head('recto-title', 'Práctica {chapterNumber} · {chapterTitle}', 'odd', 'top-right', -RUN_X),
  head('recto-folio', '{pageNumber}', 'odd', 'top-right', -OUTER, folio),
] };
const footer = { elements: [{ ...head('drop', '{pageNumber}', 'all', 'bottom', 0, folio),
  pages: 'opener', // the drop folio, 11 mm above the foot of the opener
  placement: { anchor: { to: 'page', edge: 'bottom' }, offset: { y: mm(-11) } } }] };

const config = () => ({ // a factory, never a shared object (gotcha: config-cache-identity)
  // The document's language; ragged text is never hyphenated (gotcha: ragged-no-hyphenation).
  locale: 'es',
  resourceTypes: defaultResourceTypes(LANG), // "Figura", "Tabla" (gotcha: resource-types-locale)
  colorPalette, header, footer,
  page: { width: mm(TRIM_W), height: mm(TRIM_H), dpi: 150, margins: { top: mm(TOP),
    bottom: mm(TRIM_H - TOP - LINES * LEAD * PT), left: mm(INNER), right: mm(OUTER),
    mirror: true } }, // a text block of LINES whole lines; left is the inner margin on a recto
  layout: { layoutType: 'double', gutterWidth: mm(GUTTER) },
  bodyText: { fontFamily: TEXT, fontSize: pt(9.4), lineHeight: pt(LEAD), color: col('ink'),
    boldColor: col('ink'), italicColor: col('ink'), // references follow the bold colour
    textAlign: 'left', firstLineIndent: pt(0), paragraphSpacing: true },
  headings: { fontFamily: TEXT, fontWeight: 800, color: col('ink'),
    // No extra line under a top float: on the closing page it keeps the layout from settling
    // (gotcha: float-stretch-closing-page).
    balancing: { stretchAfterFloats: false }, levels: [
    // Restated: any headings object drops the H1 break (gotcha: headings-drop-h1-break).
    { level: 1, span: 'page', breakBefore: { enabled: true, parity: 'odd' },
      marginTop: pt(0), marginBottom: pt(0), advancedDesign: opener },
    { level: 2, fontSize: pt(13), lineHeight: pt(LEAD), numberingTemplate: '{1}.{2}',
      marginTop: pt(LEAD), marginBottom: pt(0) },
  ] },
  unorderedLists: { color: col('charcoal'), marginTop: pt(0), marginBottom: pt(0) },
  orderedLists: { fontFamily: LABEL, fontWeight: 700, color: col('charcoal') }, // step numbers
  calloutStyles: [...calloutStyles, materials],
  tableStyle: { rules: 'horizontal', borderColor: col('rule'), borderWidth: pt(0.5),
    headerBackground: col('charcoal'), headerColor: col('paper'), headerFontFamily: LABEL,
    headerFontSize: pt(7.4), bodyFontFamily: LABEL, bodyFontSize: pt(7.4),
    bodyColor: col('ink'), cellPadding: mm(1.1) },
  tableStyles: [{ id: 'registro', cellPadding: mm(2.2), bodyFontSize: pt(8.4) }],
  captionStyle: { fontSize: pt(8), color: col('ink'), labelColor: col('charcoal'), gap: mm(2) },
  paragraphStyles: [{ id: 'colofon', fontFamily: LABEL, fontSize: pt(6.6), lineHeight: pt(9.4),
    color: col('muted') }],
});

// ─── 2 · Content ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
const markdown = String.raw`---
Markdown sample · 124 lines · content.es.mdtitle: "Taller de ciencias · Cuaderno de prácticas" --- # Construye un reloj de sol {kicker="Práctica 4 · El Sol y la hora" meta="2 sesiones · por parejas · un día de sol" lead="Con una brocheta y un disco de cartón pluma construirás un reloj de sol ecuatorial. Una vez orientado al norte, casi nunca marcará la misma hora que tu móvil, y en esta práctica verás por qué."} Los egipcios ya medían las horas con sombras hace más de 3.000 años. Un reloj de sol funciona sin engranajes porque la Tierra gira sobre su eje a un ritmo casi constante, 360° en 24 horas, es decir, 15° cada hora. La sombra de una varilla bien orientada recorre entonces la esfera como la aguja de un reloj, siempre al mismo paso. Vas a construir el modelo más fácil de trazar, el reloj ecuatorial. Su varilla, el **gnomon**, apunta al polo norte celeste, muy cerca de la estrella Polar, y queda paralela al eje de la Tierra. La esfera es perpendicular a ella y, por tanto, paralela al ecuador; por eso sus líneas horarias se separan 15°, como los radios de una rueda. :::callout{type="material" title="Necesitarás"} :::columns{count=3 breaks="5,9"} **Para la esfera** - Cartón pluma de 20 × 30 cm - La plantilla de la esfera - Pegamento y rotulador **Para el gnomon y la base** - Brocheta de 15 cm - Cartón pluma para la base - Plastilina **Herramientas** - Regla metálica y cúter - Transportador y compás - Brújula o la del móvil ::: ::: ## La inclinación es tu latitud Para que el gnomon quede paralelo al eje terrestre, debe formar con el suelo un ángulo igual a la latitud del lugar: unos 40° en Madrid, 43° en Oviedo, 37° en Sevilla o 28° en Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Cuanto más al norte vivas, más empinado quedará. Búscala en un atlas o en el mapa del móvil y redondéala al grado; un error de uno o dos grados apenas se nota en la lectura. Anótala: la necesitarás en los pasos 6 y 9. La esfera, en cambio, forma con el suelo el ángulo complementario, 90° menos la latitud: unos 50° en Madrid. Ese es el ángulo que tendrán los dos triángulos que la sostienen. Si el gnomon no queda paralelo al eje de la Tierra, la sombra ya no avanza a ritmo constante sobre la esfera y las líneas de 15° dejan de coincidir con las horas. A mediodía el error es nulo, pero crece a medida que te alejas de él, tanto hacia la mañana como hacia la tarde. Por eso el paso 9 pide medir con el transportador el ángulo entre la brocheta y la base, y corregirlo si hace falta. ## Una esfera con dos caras La plantilla es un disco de 16 cm con 24 radios, uno por hora, separados 15°. Hay que numerarlos en las dos caras, porque el Sol ilumina una u otra según la época del año. En la cara superior, las horas avanzan en el sentido de las agujas del reloj, con las 12 junto a la marca N; en la inferior, que leerás desde abajo, van en sentido contrario. :::callout{type="seguridad" title="Seguridad"} - No mires nunca al Sol directamente, ni con gafas de sol ni a través de una lente: basta un instante para dañar la retina. - El cúter lo maneja un adulto, siempre sobre la regla metálica y con el corte hacia fuera, lejos de los dedos. - Protege la punta de la brocheta con una bola de plastilina. ::: Trabajaréis por parejas: mientras uno sujeta las piezas, el otro mide y marca. Leed antes todo el procedimiento, repartid las tareas y tened a mano la hoja de datos de la página siguiente para comprobar las lecturas. Dedicad la primera sesión al montaje y la segunda, a las lecturas. :::callout{type="datos" placement="top" title="Hoja de datos · Madrid, 40,4° N · 3,7° O"} :::columns{count=2} Cuándo marca las 12 tu reloj de sol en Madrid y qué sombra da entonces un palo de un metro. Para otra localidad, suma 4 minutos por cada grado de longitud al oeste de Madrid; réstalos al este. ::: :::space ::resource{id="mediodia"} ::: :::callout{type="pasos" title="Procedimiento"} 1. Pega la plantilla sobre el cartón pluma y déjala secar cinco minutos. 2. Un adulto corta el disco de 16 cm con el cúter, en varias pasadas. 3. Pincha el centro con el compás y agranda el agujero con la brocheta. 4. Comprueba con el transportador que las líneas horarias están separadas 15° y repasa con rotulador las que van de las 6 de la mañana a las 6 de la tarde. 5. Numera las horas en las dos caras, como explica el apartado 4.2. 6. Recorta los dos soportes: triángulos rectángulos con 12 cm de base y, entre la base y la hipotenusa, 90° menos tu latitud (50° en Madrid). 7. Pasa la brocheta por el centro del disco, bien perpendicular a él, hasta que asomen 10 cm arriba y 4 cm abajo. 8. Pega los triángulos de pie sobre la base, a 12 cm uno de otro, de modo que la hipotenusa suba hacia el sur. 9. Apoya el disco en las hipotenusas, pégalo y comprueba que la brocheta forma con la base un ángulo igual a tu latitud. 10. Lleva el reloj a un sitio al que le dé el sol todo el día y nivela la base con el móvil. 11. Gira la base hasta que el extremo alto de la brocheta apunte al norte, con la brújula lejos de objetos de hierro. 12. A una hora en punto, lee la hora en el centro de la sombra y anota también la que marca el móvil. 13. Repite la lectura cada hora, al menos tres veces, y anota las horas en el apartado 4.5. 14. Calcula la diferencia media y compárala con la hoja de datos: si se aleja más de 15 minutos, revisa la orientación. ::: ## Cómo se lee Lee la hora en el centro de la sombra y no en uno de sus bordes, porque la brocheta tiene grosor. Si la sombra cae entre dos líneas, calcula los minutos a ojo: cada línea es una hora, y cada cuarto de la separación entre dos líneas, 15 minutos. Con práctica apreciarás cinco minutos, casi dos milímetros en el borde del disco. Mira la esfera de frente, sin ladear la cabeza, y siempre desde el mismo lado. Y no esperes que coincida con el móvil: tu reloj marca la hora solar del lugar, y el móvil, la oficial; el apartado 4.4 explica de dónde sale la diferencia. La sombra cae sobre la cara de la esfera que mira al Sol: la superior entre los equinoccios de marzo y de septiembre, y la inferior el resto del año. De perfil se ve por qué (:ref{id="reloj"}): en verano, el Sol del mediodía está más alto que la esfera; en invierno, más bajo. Cerca de los equinoccios pasa rozando su plano, y durante unos días la sombra se ve tan borrosa que cuesta leerla, aunque el reloj esté bien montado. ## Hora solar y hora oficial Tu reloj de sol marca la **hora solar**: las 12 en punto cuando el Sol cruza el meridiano del lugar y alcanza su mayor altura del día. El móvil da la **hora oficial**, la misma en toda la España peninsular. Entre las dos se acumulan tres diferencias. La primera es el huso horario. La hora oficial española es la de Europa central, calculada para el meridiano 15° E, pero Madrid está a 3,7° al oeste de Greenwich: el Sol cruza su meridiano unos 75 minutos más tarde de lo que supone el reloj. Es una herencia de 1940, cuando España adelantó una hora sus relojes, que desde 1901 seguían la hora de Greenwich, para igualarlos con los de Europa central. La segunda es el horario de verano, que añade otra hora entre el último domingo de marzo y el último de octubre. La tercera es la ecuación del tiempo. Como la órbita de la Tierra es una elipse y su eje está inclinado, el mediodía solar se adelanta o se retrasa a lo largo del año, hasta unos 16 minutos en noviembre y 14 en febrero. Con las tres correcciones, en Madrid el Sol pasa por el meridiano entre las 12:58 y las 14:21, según la época del año. **Un ejemplo.** El 15 de mayo miras el móvil a las 13:00. Según la hoja de datos, ese día el Sol cruza el meridiano de Madrid a las 14:11, así que aún faltan 71 minutos para el mediodía solar: la sombra de tu reloj debería marcar las 10:49. Si marca las 11:05, tu reloj adelanta 16 minutos y conviene revisar su orientación, como indica el paso 14 del procedimiento. ## Tus lecturas Anota las lecturas de los pasos 12 y 13 en la :ref{id="lecturas" style="full" case="lower"} y compara cada diferencia con la que predice la hoja de datos para ese mes. Si tu reloj falla incluso a mediodía, revisa la orientación; si acierta a mediodía pero falla por la mañana y por la tarde, revisa la inclinación. ## Tu reloj mide la longitud Los navegantes calculaban su longitud comparando el mediodía solar con la hora de un meridiano de referencia. Tú puedes hacer lo mismo. En el ejemplo, el Sol cruzó el meridiano de Madrid a las 14:11 de verano, es decir, a las 12:11 de Greenwich. Ese día la ecuación del tiempo adelanta el Sol unos 4 minutos, así que el mediodía medio habría llegado hacia las 12:15. Esos 15 minutos de retraso respecto a Greenwich, a 4 minutos por grado, dan unos 3,7° de longitud oeste: la de Madrid. Con tus lecturas no necesitas la ecuación del tiempo: anota la hora oficial a la que tu reloj marca las 12 y compárala con la que da la hoja de datos para ese mes. Cada 4 minutos de retraso te sitúan un grado al oeste de Madrid, y cada 4 de adelanto, un grado al este. :::callout{type="resumen" title="Resumen"} :::columns{count=3 breaks="2,3"} - La Tierra gira 15° cada hora: por eso las líneas horarias de la esfera se separan 15°. - El gnomon apunta al polo norte celeste, inclinado sobre el suelo tanto como la latitud del lugar. - Huso horario, horario de verano y ecuación del tiempo apartan la hora solar de la oficial. ::: ::: Antes de la próxima sesión, haced la autoevaluación de la práctica en el aula virtual y traed vuestras lecturas: con ellas calcularemos la longitud de nuestra localidad. :::callout{type="autoevaluacion" title="Autoevaluación · 10 min"} ::: :::paragraphs{style="colofon"} Compuesto en Host Grotesk y Commit Mono (SIL Open Font License) · Texto y dibujos originales, CC BY 4.0 · Datos solares calculados para 2026. :::
`; // content.<lang>.md, inlined by the Cookbook // Madrid's solar noon on the 15th of each month of 2026 (NOAA's approximations; CET, and // CEST from 29 March to 25 October), the Sun's height then and a 1 m stick's shadow. const MONTHS = ['Ene', 'Feb', 'Mar', 'Abr', 'May', 'Jun', 'Jul', 'Ago', 'Sep', 'Oct', 'Nov', 'Dic']; const NOON = ['13:23', '13:29', '13:24', '14:15', '14:11', '14:15', '14:21', '14:20', '14:10', '14:00', '13:00', '13:10']; const HEIGHT = [28, 37, 47, 59, 68, 73, 71, 64, 53, 41, 31, 26]; // degrees const SHADOW = ['1,86', '1,34', '0,93', '0,60', '0,40', '0,31', '0,34', '0,49', '0,76', '1,14', '1,65', '2,02']; // metres const cell = (content, extra) => ({ content, align: 'center', ...extra }); const row = (label, values) => [cell(label, { align: 'left' }), ...values.map((v) => cell(v))]; // Each drawing's viewBox (in mm for the band's chart), rasterised at PX pixels a unit. const ART = { sombras: [ART_W, BAND], reloj: [156, 36], aviso: [24, 24], compas: [24, 24], mano: [28, 24] }; const PX = 10; const svgResource = (id, extra) => ({ id, typeId: 'figure', kind: 'svg', createdAt: 0, updatedAt: 0, svg: { fileId: `${id}.svg`, width: ART[id][0] * PX, height: ART[id][1] * PX }, ...extra }); const resources = [ // Uncited, so never placed: the opener and the box styles use them by id. svgResource('sombras'), svgResource('aviso'), svgResource('compas'), svgResource('mano'), svgResource('reloj', { placement: { position: 'top', span: 'page' }, caption: 'El reloj visto desde el este. A mediodía, el Sol ilumina la cara superior en verano ' + '(izquierda) y la inferior en invierno.', altText: 'Perfil del reloj ecuatorial con los rayos del Sol de verano y de invierno' }), { id: 'mediodia', typeId: 'table', kind: 'table', createdAt: 0, updatedAt: 0, placement: { position: 'here' }, caption: 'Mediodía solar en Madrid, día 15 de cada mes de 2026. De abril a octubre rige el ' + 'horario de verano.', table: { model: { headerRowCount: 1, columnWidths: [2.9, ...MONTHS.map(() => 1)], rows: [ [cell('', { isHeader: true }), ...MONTHS.map((m) => cell(m, { isHeader: true }))], row('Mediodía solar', NOON), row('Altura del Sol', HEIGHT.map((h) => `${h}°`)), row('Sombra de 1 m', SHADOW), ] } } }, // The students' log: the worked example, then empty rows tall enough to write in. { id: 'lecturas', typeId: 'table', kind: 'table', createdAt: 0, updatedAt: 0, placement: { position: 'top' }, caption: 'Tus lecturas. La primera fila es la del ejemplo.', table: { styleId: 'registro', model: { headerRowCount: 1, columnWidths: [1, 1, 1], rows: [ ['Hora oficial', 'Reloj de sol', 'Diferencia'].map((h) => cell(h, { isHeader: true })), ['13:00', '10:49', '2 h 11 min'].map((v) => cell(v)), ...Array.from({ length: 3 }, () => ['', '', ''].map((v) => cell(v))), ] } } }, ]; // #region art: the band's shadow chart, the figure and three icons, in the palette (no words) // An SVG drawn as an image cannot use the page's fonts (gotcha: svg-no-webfonts). const n = (v) => +v.toFixed(2); const svg = (id, body) => `<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="${ART[id][0] * PX}" ` + `height="${ART[id][1] * PX}" viewBox="0 0 ${ART[id].join(' ')}">${body}</svg>`; const path = (d, stroke, width, extra = '') => `<path d="${d}" fill="none" stroke="${stroke}" ` + `stroke-width="${width}" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"${extra}/>`; const shape = (d, fill, extra = '') => `<path d="${d}" fill="${fill}"${extra}/>`; const dot = (x, y, r, fill) => `<circle cx="${n(x)}" cy="${n(y)}" r="${n(r)}" fill="${fill}"/>`; const line = (pts) => `M${pts.map(([x, y]) => `${n(x)} ${n(y)}`).join('L')}`; const rad = (deg) => (deg * Math.PI) / 180; const LAT = rad(40.4); // Madrid // Where the tip of a vertical stick's shadow falls on flat ground (x east, y north, in stick // heights), for the Sun at declination d and hour angle h; null when the Sun is too low. function tip(d, h) { const up = Math.sin(LAT) * Math.sin(d) + Math.cos(LAT) * Math.cos(d) * Math.cos(h); if (up < Math.sin(rad(6))) return null; const north = Math.cos(LAT) * Math.sin(d) - Math.sin(LAT) * Math.cos(d) * Math.cos(h); return [(Math.cos(d) * Math.sin(h)) / up, -north / up]; } function sombras() { // a stick's shadows from noon to 5 p.m. on flat ground, from above, north up const [g, x0, y0] = [36, 7, BAND - 11]; // the stick's height and its foot, mm const at = ([x, y]) => [x0 + x * g, y0 - y * g]; const hours = [12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17]; let out = ''; for (const hour of hours) { // hour lines: straight, from the summer to the winter solstice const pts = [-23.44, -11.5, 0, 11.5, 23.44].map((d) => tip(rad(d), rad(15 * (hour - 12)))); out += path(line(pts.filter(Boolean).map(at)), palette.charcoal, 0.35); } for (const d of [-23.44, 0, 23.44]) { // date lines: the equinox is straight, the rest curve const pts = []; for (let m = 0; m <= 84; m += 2) { const p = tip(rad(d), rad(m)); if (p) pts.push(at(p)); } out += path(line(pts), palette.charcoal, d === 0 ? 0.5 : 0.35); } for (const hour of hours) { // the equinox shadows themselves, from the foot of the stick out += path(line([[x0, y0], at(tip(0, rad(15 * (hour - 12))))]), palette.charcoal, 1.1); } return svg('sombras', out + dot(x0, y0, 1.8, palette.charcoal)); } function reloj() { // the dial in profile, seen from the east: south left, north right const panel = (ox, sunDeg, lit) => { // one noon: the Sun at sunDeg above the south horizon const [ground, u] = [33, 1.2]; // the ground line; drawing units per centimetre const foot = [ox + 42, ground]; // the triangle's north corner, at the hypotenuse's foot const up = [-Math.cos(rad(50)), -Math.sin(rad(50))]; // along the hypotenuse, 90° − 40° const along = (p, d, k) => [p[0] + d[0] * k, p[1] + d[1] * k]; const hyp = 12 * u / Math.cos(rad(50)); // a 12 cm base: the hypotenuse's length const top = along(foot, up, hyp); const mid = along(foot, up, hyp / 2); // the dial's centre const g = [Math.cos(LAT), -Math.sin(LAT)]; // the gnomon, up to the north at the latitude const s = [-Math.cos(rad(sunDeg)), -Math.sin(rad(sunDeg))]; // towards the Sun const sun = along(mid, s, 19); const face = along([0, 0], [g[0], g[1]], lit === 'top' ? 0.9 : -0.9); // the lit side const board = `<rect x="${n(top[0] - 3 * u)}" y="${ground - 0.7}" ` + `width="${n(foot[0] - top[0] + 6 * u)}" height="0.7" fill="${palette.charcoal}"/>`; // base let out = path(`M${ox} ${ground}H${ox + 74}`, palette.charcoal, 0.4) + board + shape(`${line([[foot[0], ground - 0.7], top, [top[0], ground - 0.7]])}Z`, palette.rule) + path(line([along(mid, g, -4 * u), along(mid, g, 10 * u)]), palette.charcoal, 0.9) + path(line([along(mid, up, -8 * u), along(mid, up, 8 * u)]), palette.charcoal, 1.6) + path(line([along(along(mid, up, -8 * u), face, 1), along(along(mid, up, 8 * u), face, 1)]), palette.sun, 0.9) + path(line([along(mid, g, 10.6 * u), along(mid, g, 17 * u)]), palette.charcoal, 0.35, ' stroke-dasharray="1 1.4"') // on to the Pole Star + star(...along(mid, g, 18.6 * u), 1.6); for (const k of [-1, 0, 1]) { // three rays, travelling from the Sun to the dial const start = along(along(sun, [s[1], -s[0]], k * 4), s, -3.6); out += path(line([start, along(start, s, -8)]), palette.sun, 0.8); } return out + dot(...sun, 2.6, palette.sun); }; const star = (x, y, r) => shape(`M${n(x)} ${n(y - r)}L${n(x + r * 0.3)} ${n(y - r * 0.3)} ` + `${n(x + r)} ${n(y)} ${n(x + r * 0.3)} ${n(y + r * 0.3)} ${n(x)} ${n(y + r)} ` + `${n(x - r * 0.3)} ${n(y + r * 0.3)} ${n(x - r)} ${n(y)} ${n(x - r * 0.3)} ` + `${n(y - r * 0.3)}Z`, palette.charcoal); return svg('reloj', panel(2, 73, 'top') + panel(82, 26, 'bottom')); } function aviso() { // a yellow warning triangle on the charcoal bar return svg('aviso', shape('M12 2.6 22.4 20.6H1.6Z', palette.sun, ' stroke-linejoin="round" ' + `stroke="${palette.sun}" stroke-width="1.6"`) + shape('M10.9 8.4h2.2l-.4 6.6h-1.4Z', palette.charcoal) + dot(12, 17.4, 1.2, palette.charcoal)); } function compas() { // the procedure's corner badge: a pair of compasses on a charcoal disc return svg('compas', dot(12, 12, 12, palette.charcoal) + dot(12, 6.2, 1.7, palette.light) + path('M12 7.4 7.6 18.6M12 7.4 16.4 18.6', palette.light, 1.5) + path('M9.2 14.6q2.8 1.5 5.6 0', palette.light, 1)); } function mano() { // a hand that points right, at the badge return svg('mano', shape('M3 9.6h7.4l2.2-2.8a1.6 1.6 0 0 1 2.5 2l-.9 1.2H25a1.6 1.6 0 0 1 0 3.2' + 'H16.4v.2h1.2a1.5 1.5 0 0 1 0 3h-1.2a1.5 1.5 0 0 1 0 3h-1.4a1.4 1.4 0 0 1 0 2.8H9.6' + 'L3 21.2Z', palette.charcoal)); } // #endregion // ─── 3 · Fonts ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── // Every face the design uses: layout measures with the browser's fonts (gotcha: fonts-first). const FONTS = { 'Host Grotesk': ['400', '700', '800'], 'Commit Mono': ['400', '700'] }; // ─── 4 · Build & show ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────── const drawings = { sombras, reloj, aviso, compas, mano }; await Promise.all([loadFonts(FONTS, markdown), ...Object.entries(drawings).map(([id, draw]) => loadSvg(`${id}.svg`, draw()))]); // Folio 41 is odd like page 1, a recto; the next # is Práctica 4, so the figure is 4.1. const continuation = { pageNumbering: { startAt: 41 }, headings: { h1: 3 } }; const doc = await buildWithFonts( () => buildDocument({ markdown, resources, continuation }, config()), markdown); showPages(doc, { title: 'Taller de ciencias · Práctica 4' }); // Layout warnings in the bar: a box that no cut could split overflows as calloutOverflow. const warnings = (doc.warnings ?? []).map((w) => w.kind).join(', ') || 'none'; kitStatus(`${doc.pages.length} pages · layout warnings: ${warnings}`);
Kit · core, fonts, viewer, images: the same in every recipe · 270 lines// ─── Kit ── helpers shared by every Cookbook recipe · postext.dev/cookbook ───── // ─── Kit · core v1 ── the same in every recipe · postext.dev/cookbook ───────── function mm(value) { return { value, unit: 'mm' }; } function pt(value) { return { value, unit: 'pt' }; } function em(value) { return { value, unit: 'em' }; } /** The sample language's string: t({ en: 'Figure', es: 'Figura' }). */ function t(strings) { return strings[LANG] ?? Object.values(strings)[0]; } /** A file in this recipe's assets folder, served from the Postext repo by jsDelivr. */ function asset(file) { return `https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/drnachio/postext@main/cookbook/${RECIPE}/assets/${file}`; } // ─── Kit · fonts v1 ── the same in every recipe · postext.dev/cookbook ──────── // Postext measures text with the faces the browser has loaded, and caches the // widths, so every face must be ready before the first build. Faces come from // Fontsource: the same static files the PDF embeds, so screen and PDF agree. /** faces = { 'Family Name': ['400', '400i', '700'] }. `text` is the sample: * letters beyond Latin-1 (č, ł, ő…) also load the latin-ext files. With * `optional`, a face Fontsource does not ship is skipped instead of failing. * Resolves to the number of faces added. */ async function loadFonts(faces, text = '', { optional = false } = {}) { kitStatus('Loading fonts…'); const ranges = { latin: 'U+0000-00FF,U+0131,U+0152-0153,U+02BB-02BC,U+02C6,U+02DA,U+02DC,U+0304,U+0308,U+0329,' + 'U+2000-206F,U+20AC,U+2122,U+2191,U+2193,U+2212,U+2215,U+FEFF,U+FFFD', 'latin-ext': 'U+0100-02BA,U+02BD-02C5,U+02C7-02CC,U+02CE-02D7,U+02DD-02FF,U+0304,U+0308,U+0329,' + 'U+1D00-1DBF,U+1E00-1E9F,U+1EF2-1EFF,U+2020,U+20A0-20AB,U+20AD-20C0,U+2113,U+2C60-2C7F,U+A720-A7FF', }; const subsets = /[Ā-˿Ḁ-ỿ]/.test(text) ? ['latin', 'latin-ext'] : ['latin']; const jobs = []; let added = 0; for (const [family, specs] of Object.entries(faces)) { const id = fontsourceId(family); const meta = optional ? await fontsourceMeta(family) : null; for (const spec of new Set(specs)) { const weight = parseInt(spec, 10); const style = spec.endsWith('i') ? 'italic' : 'normal'; if (hasFace(family, weight, style)) continue; if (optional && !(meta?.weights.includes(weight) && meta.styles.includes(style))) continue; for (const subset of subsets) { const url = `https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@fontsource/${id}@5/files/${id}-${subset}-${weight}-${style}.woff2`; const face = new FontFace(family, `url(${url}) format('woff2')`, { weight: String(weight), style, unicodeRange: ranges[subset] }); jobs.push(face.load().then((ready) => { document.fonts.add(ready); added++; }, () => { if (subset === 'latin' && !optional) throw new Error(`Fontsource has no ${family} ${weight} ${style}`); })); } } } await Promise.all(jobs).catch((error) => { kitFail(error); throw error; }); return added; } /** Runs `build` (a buildDocument or buildBundle call) and checks the faces * the pages use. A regular face missing from FONTS is loaded with a warning; * bold and italic variants are loaded when the family ships them. Then the * measurement caches are cleared and the build runs again. */ async function buildWithFonts(build, text = '') { const tried = new Set(); for (let round = 0; round < 3; round++) { kitStatus('Laying out…'); await new Promise(requestAnimationFrame); // let the status paint first const result = await Promise.resolve().then(build).catch((error) => { kitFail(error); throw error; }); const wanted = { base: {}, variants: {} }; for (const { font, base } of [result].flat().flatMap(fontStringsOf)) { const { family, weight, style } = parseFont(font); const key = `${family}|${weight}|${style}`; if (tried.has(key) || hasFace(family, weight, style)) continue; tried.add(key); (wanted[base ? 'base' : 'variants'][family] ??= []).push(`${weight}${style === 'italic' ? 'i' : ''}`); } if (Object.keys(wanted.base).length) { console.warn(`[cookbook] FONTS does not list ${JSON.stringify(wanted.base)}: loading them.`); } const added = await loadFonts(wanted.base, text) + await loadFonts(wanted.variants, text, { optional: true }); if (added === 0) return result; clearMeasurementCache(); } throw new Error('The fonts did not settle after three builds.'); } /** Every font string of the layout. `base` marks a block's own face; its * bold, italic and bold-italic variants are listed whether or not used. */ function fontStringsOf(doc) { const found = new Map(); const walk = (node) => { if (!node || typeof node !== 'object') return; if (Array.isArray(node)) { node.forEach(walk); return; } for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(node)) { if (typeof value === 'string' && /fontString$/i.test(key)) { found.set(value, found.get(value) || key === 'fontString'); } else if (value && typeof value === 'object') walk(value); } }; walk(doc.pages); walk(doc.blocks); return [...found].map(([font, base]) => ({ font, base })); } /** '700 37.5px Open Sans' / 'italic 400 13px "Source Serif 4"' → { family, weight, style }. * A string with no weight ('95.8px Young Serif', from a design text) is 400. */ function parseFont(font) { const m = /^(?:(italic|oblique)\s+)?(?:small-caps\s+)?(?:(\d+|bold|normal)\s+)?[\d.]+px\s+(.+)$/.exec(font.trim()); if (!m) throw new Error(`Unexpected font string: ${font}`); const weight = m[2] === 'bold' ? 700 : !m[2] || m[2] === 'normal' ? 400 : Number(m[2]); return { family: m[3].replace(/^["']|["']$/g, ''), weight, style: m[1] ? 'italic' : 'normal' }; } /** True when a loaded FontFace covers exactly this family, weight and style * (document.fonts.check() is also true for families nobody declared). */ function hasFace(family, weight, style) { for (const face of document.fonts) { if (face.status !== 'loaded' || face.style !== style) continue; if (face.family.replace(/^["']|["']$/g, '') !== family) continue; const [low, high = low] = face.weight.split(' ').map(Number); if (weight >= low && weight <= high) return true; } return false; } /** Fontsource's id for a family: 'Source Serif 4' → 'source-serif-4'. */ function fontsourceId(family) { return family.toLowerCase().replace(/\s+/g, '-'); } /** The weights and styles a family ships ({ weights: [400, 700], styles: ['normal', 'italic'] }), or null. */ function fontsourceMeta(family) { fontsourceMeta.cache ??= new Map(); const id = fontsourceId(family); if (!fontsourceMeta.cache.has(id)) { fontsourceMeta.cache.set(id, fetch(`https://api.fontsource.org/v1/fonts/${id}`) .then((res) => (res.ok ? res.json() : null), () => null)); } return fontsourceMeta.cache.get(id); } // ─── Kit · viewer v1 ── the same in every recipe · postext.dev/cookbook ─────── /** Shows the pages as facing spreads on a dark desk: the first page is a * recto on its own, then verso | recto pairs, as in a bound book. Pages * are painted when they scroll near the screen. */ function showPages(docs, { title, width = 460 } = {}) { const root = viewer(title); const pages = [docs].flat().flatMap((doc) => doc.pages.map((page) => ({ doc, page, n: (doc.pageIndexOffset ?? 0) + page.index }))); const spreads = []; let verso = null; for (const p of pages) { if (p.n % 2 === 1) { if (verso) spreads.push([verso, null]); verso = p; } else { spreads.push([verso, p]); verso = null; } } if (verso) spreads.push([verso, null]); const density = Math.min(window.devicePixelRatio || 1, 2); showPages.painter?.disconnect(); const painter = new IntersectionObserver((entries) => { for (const { isIntersecting, target } of entries) { if (!isIntersecting) continue; painter.unobserve(target); const { doc, page } = target.postext; renderPageToCanvas(page, doc, target, { scale: (width * density) / page.width }); } }, { rootMargin: '800px' }); showPages.painter = painter; root.replaceChildren(...spreads.map((pair) => { const spread = document.createElement('div'); spread.className = 'pt-spread'; for (const p of pair) { const figure = document.createElement('figure'); if (p) { const label = p.page.pageLabel || String(p.n + 1); const canvas = document.createElement('canvas'); canvas.postext = p; canvas.style.aspectRatio = `${p.page.width} / ${p.page.height}`; canvas.setAttribute('role', 'img'); canvas.setAttribute('aria-label', `Page ${label}`); const folio = document.createElement('figcaption'); folio.textContent = label; figure.append(canvas, folio); painter.observe(canvas); } else figure.className = 'pt-blank'; spread.append(figure); } return spread; })); kitStatus(`${pages.length} ${pages.length === 1 ? 'page' : 'pages'}`); document.documentElement.dataset.postext = 'ready'; return pages.length; } /** The desk, the bar and the error reporting, created once. */ function viewer(title) { if (!document.getElementById('pt-kit')) { document.head.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', `<style id="pt-kit"> :root { color-scheme: dark; } body { margin: 0; background: #0e1014; color: #b9bcc4; font: 13px/1.45 system-ui, sans-serif; } #pt-bar { position: sticky; top: 0; z-index: 1; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; gap: 6px 16px; padding: 10px 16px; background: rgb(14 16 20 / .92); backdrop-filter: blur(6px); border-bottom: 1px solid #23262d; } #pt-bar strong { color: #f4f1ea; font-weight: 600; } #pt-actions { display: flex; gap: 12px; margin-left: auto; } #pt-actions a, #pt-actions button { color: #d8a21a; font: inherit; background: none; border: 0; padding: 0; cursor: pointer; } #pages { display: grid; justify-items: center; gap: 48px; padding: 32px 16px 72px; } .pt-spread { display: flex; } .pt-spread figure { margin: 0; width: min(460px, 44vw); } .pt-spread canvas { display: block; width: 100%; background: #fff; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgb(0 0 0 / .5), 0 22px 44px -16px rgb(0 0 0 / .8); } .pt-spread figure:first-child canvas { box-shadow: inset -14px 0 14px -14px rgb(0 0 0 / .18), 0 1px 2px rgb(0 0 0 / .5), 0 22px 44px -16px rgb(0 0 0 / .8); } .pt-spread figcaption { margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; font: 600 10px/1 system-ui, sans-serif; letter-spacing: .18em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #6c7079; } .pt-blank { visibility: hidden; } @media (max-width: 760px) { .pt-spread { flex-direction: column; gap: 32px; } .pt-spread figure { width: min(460px, 92vw); } .pt-blank { display: none; } } </style>`); document.body.insertAdjacentHTML('afterbegin', '<header id="pt-bar"><strong id="pt-title"></strong><span id="pt-status" role="status"></span><span id="pt-actions"></span></header>'); document.getElementById('pt-title').textContent = document.title || 'Postext'; addEventListener('error', (event) => kitFail(event.error ?? event.message)); addEventListener('unhandledrejection', (event) => kitFail(event.reason)); } if (title) document.getElementById('pt-title').textContent = title; return document.getElementById('pages') ?? document.body.appendChild(Object.assign(document.createElement('main'), { id: 'pages' })); } function kitStatus(text) { viewer(); document.getElementById('pt-status').textContent = text; } function kitFail(error) { document.documentElement.dataset.postext = 'error'; kitStatus(`Error: ${error?.message ?? error}`); } // ─── Kit · images v1 ── recipes with pictures · postext.dev/cookbook ────────── /** Registers a photo or PNG for the canvas and keeps its bytes for the PDF. * fetch → ImageBitmap never taints the canvas (a plain cross-origin <img> would). */ async function loadImage(fileId, url) { const res = await fetch(url); if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Image not found (${res.status}): ${url}`); const bytes = new Uint8Array(await res.arrayBuffer()); registerResourceImage(fileId, await createImageBitmap(new Blob([bytes]))); (loadImage.bytes ??= new Map()).set(fileId, bytes); } /** Registers SVG markup (drawn in code, or fetched) as a vector image. */ async function loadSvg(fileId, svg) { const img = new Image(); img.src = `data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,${encodeURIComponent(svg)}`; await img.decode(); registerResourceImage(fileId, img); (loadImage.bytes ??= new Map()).set(fileId, new TextEncoder().encode(svg)); } /** renderToPdf({ resourceBytes: imageBytes }) */ function imageBytes(fileId) { return loadImage.bytes?.get(fileId); } /** renderToHtml({ resourceImageUrl: imageUrl }) */ function imageUrl(fileId) { const bytes = imageBytes(fileId); if (!bytes) return undefined; imageUrl.urls ??= new Map(); if (!imageUrl.urls.has(fileId)) { const type = /\.svg$/i.test(fileId) ? 'image/svg+xml' : /\.png$/i.test(fileId) ? 'image/png' : 'image/jpeg'; imageUrl.urls.set(fileId, URL.createObjectURL(new Blob([bytes], { type }))); } return imageUrl.urls.get(fileId); } // ─── /Kit ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

The composed script.js runs as it is: paste it into any page’s module script, or open the recipe on CodePen. Recipe folder on GitHub ↗

Variations

#Keep the procedure in one piece

Without the setting, the procedure, which fits in a column, moves whole to the head of the right column and leaves 43 mm empty at the foot of the left one.

-  box('pasos', { keepTogether: false, background: col('light'),
+  box('pasos', { background: col('light'),

#Float the data sheet to the foot

With placement="bottom" in content.es.md, the data sheet takes the foot of page 42, where its fence falls. The procedure it displaces starts at the head of the right column and splits across the page turn, ending at the head of page 43.

-:::callout{type="datos" placement="top" title="Hoja de datos · Madrid, 40,4° N · 3,7° O"}
+:::callout{type="datos" placement="bottom" title="Hoja de datos · Madrid, 40,4° N · 3,7° O"}

Pitfalls

Pitfall

:::columns works only inside a box and never splits

:::columns is ignored outside a callout, and a box that splits never cuts inside a columns group. A breaks attribute counts child blocks, with a nested box as one. Columns inside a box →

Pitfall

A 'top' float never lands on its citing page

A float never goes above its own reference, so a page-wide 'top' float cited on page N opens page N+1. Cite it earlier, or use position 'auto' or 'bottom', which can take the foot of the citing page. Figure placement →

Pitfall

A top float can push the last column down on a closing page

In postext 1.4.1, when a chapter or story ends on a page that opens with a page-wide top float and its lines split unevenly between the columns, stretchAfterFloats adds a blank line under the float in the shorter column instead of letting it end short, so the two columns no longer start on the same line. Set headings.balancing.stretchAfterFloats to false, or fit the copy to an even number of lines. Column balancing →

Pitfall

Any headings object switches off the H1 page break

By default an H1 breaks to a recto (always-odd), but passing any headings object resets that default, so chapters run on and span: 'page' does nothing. Restate headings.levels[0].breakBefore: { enabled: true, parity } in every config. Chapters that open on a recto →

Pitfall

Localise Figure/Table with defaultResourceTypes(locale)

The config's locale sets hyphenation, not captions: without resourceTypes the built-in types say Figure and Table in English. Pass resourceTypes: defaultResourceTypes('es') for Spanish; for any other language, write the names yourself in resourceTypes. Figure and Table in your language →

Pitfall

Ragged text is never hyphenated

Hyphenation applies to justified text only; ragged-right text breaks between words, so a narrow ragged column gets a deep rag. Justify the passage or widen the measure. Hyphenation and document language →

Pitfall

Ragged text can strand punctuation next to bold or a :ref

In postext 1.4.1 text that is not justified (box bodies, ragged paragraphs) can break a line between a bold or italic run, or a :ref, and the punctuation touching it: a full stop can open the next line, and the '(' before a reference can end the line above. Justified text never breaks there. Read the boxes of every edition and reword any sentence where it happens, so the run sits mid-line. Bold, italic and their colours →

Pitfall

A swapped palette misses design elements and the reference colour

postext 1.4.1 reads colorPalette into the text styles (body, headings, lists, captions, tables, boxes) but not into the elements of headers, footers, openers and part pages, nor into bodyText.referenceColor: they keep the hex written beside their paletteId. When you swap the palette, for a dark screen edition or a retint, rewrite every linked colour from colorPalette before the build. Semantic colour palette →

Pitfall

A design text's lineHeight is a multiple, never a dimension

In a design slot, a text element's lineHeight multiplies its font size (lineHeight: 1.05). In postext 1.4.1 a dimension such as pt(15) is not rejected: the opener's height measures as NaN, the room it reserves, minHeight included, is dropped without a warning and the text runs under the title. Text, rules and boxes in page designs →

Pitfall

Design text overflow defaults to 'ellipsis-end'

A design text element that does not fit its width ends in an ellipsis by default. Set overflow: 'wrap' for titles that should break onto more lines. Text, rules and boxes in page designs →

Pitfall

Text inside an SVG <img> cannot use web fonts

An SVG is drawn as an image, and an image has no access to the page's web fonts, so its labels fall back to a system face. Outline the text, embed an @font-face subset in the SVG, or move the labels to the caption. Figures and tables as resources →

Pitfall

Page 1 is a recto: plan pages with physical numbers

Page 1 is a right-hand page and page 2 the first verso, so plan spreads with physical page numbers: an opener on an even page faces the odd page after it. Page and column breaks →

Pitfall

A config is cached by identity: build a fresh object

The engine caches resolved configs by object identity, so changing a config in place and building again reuses the old result. Build a fresh object for every build, which is why a recipe's config is a factory: config(). Pages on a canvas →

Pitfall

Load every face before layout

Layout measures text with the faces the browser has loaded and caches the widths, so a face that arrives after the first build leaves wrong line breaks and a PDF that no longer matches the screen. Load every weight and style first, and call clearMeasurementCache() before rebuilding when one arrives late. Fonts before layout →

Layout warning · calloutOverflow

Callout overflows its column

Why. A box that no cut can split (a figure, table or :::columns group taller than the column, or too high splitMinLines) was placed overflowing; the engine records it in doc.warnings and the Sandbox lists it.

Fix. Shorten the box, let it split with keepTogether: false, lower splitMinLines, or give it another span. Docs →

  • A box taller than a whole column splits whatever keepTogether says. The setting only decides for boxes that fit a column, like this 192 mm procedure in a 211 mm column.
  • splitMinLines counts the lines of the whole box on each side of a cut, not those of the step it cuts, so a cut can still leave one line of a step alone. The text before the procedure is fitted so the cut falls between steps 4 and 5; in the float-to-the-foot variation, the last line of step 11 opens page 43 on its own. Any edit to the text above a split box can move the cut, so look at where it falls after each one.
  • An inline icon takes a column of its own, and a continuation gives it back. Cut between steps, the rest of the box moves left by the icon and its gap; cut inside a step, the rest of the step rewraps wider and can print words twice. A corner icon, or a side stripe for the icon to sit on, keeps both parts at one measure.
  • A box floated with placement="top" heads the page after the one its fence falls on, so the fence goes on the page before the one the box should head. Here it sits just before the procedure, on page 42.

Credits

Text
Images
  • The shadow chart, the dial in profile and the icons, drawn in code in the page's palette · Ignacio Ferro · CC BY 4.0
Fonts
Host Grotesk (SIL OFL 1.1) · Commit Mono (SIL OFL 1.1)