Command/setupinterlinespace

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Last modified: 2025-12-26

Summary

The command \setupinterlinespace is used to set the (general) baseline skip.

Settings

\setupinterlinespace[...,...][...=...,...]
[...,...] name
line dimension
height number
depth number
minheight number
mindepth number
distance dimension
top number height
bottom number
stretch number
shrink number

Settings argument

\setupinterlinespace[...,...]
[...,...] on off reset auto small medium big number dimension

Settings name

\setupinterlinespace[...]
[...] name

Description

\setupinterlinespace sets up the distance between lines. can be used in three variants:
  • Without any keywords: 
    \setupinterlinespace
    The command sets the baselineskip to the default value of 2.8ex . Use this after changing the font size.
  • With a keyword: 
    \setupinterlinespace[KEYWORD]
    The following keywords are available:
    • reset
    • small
    • medium
    • big
    • on
    • off
  • Setting all the parameters involved in line positioning:
    • line : base interline spacing (baselineskip) (e.g. 3ex or 12pt)
    • height : size of strut as multiple of line (e.g. 0.72)
    • depth : size of strut as multiple of line (e.g. 0.28)
    • top : topskip (as multiple of line height)
    • bottom : maxdepth (as multiple of line height)
    • stretch : (glue) line stretching

Note that the lineheight as shown in \showlayout is calculated from the baselineskip. However, a baselineskip of 0 will result in a hardcoded value being used, so refrain from that. If you want the lineheight to never exceed the font size, use a very small value such as 1pt for line.

When setting up the interlinespace, the unit matters: 

% interline space adapts itself to body font size
\setupinterlinespace[line=2.8ex]

% set interlinespace to 12pt for every font size --- don’t do this!
\setupinterlinespace[line=12pt]

% set interlinespace for a particular body font size
% Useful if you think in terms of "nine-point type on eleven-point leading"
\definebodyfontenvironment[9pt][interlinespace=11pt]

Examples

Call \setupinterlinespace after a font change 

  • \setupwhitespace[big]
Original baselineskip=\the\baselineskip

{   \definedfont[Serif at 12pt]
    The interlinespace does not change automatically when the font changes\crlf
    baselineskip=\the\baselineskip
}

{   \definedfont[Serif at 12pt]
    \setupinterlinespace
    Invoking setupinterlinespace sets baselineskip to 2.8ex of current font\crlf
    baselineskip=\the\baselineskip
}

Example within \startnarrower ... \stopnarrower 

  • \setupinterlinespace[5] % this has no effect before \starttext

\starttext
\input tufte % this is default, not 5
\setupinterlinespace[big]
\input tufte % this is big

\startnarrower[left]
\setupinterlinespace[small]
\input tufte % this is small
\stopnarrower

\input tufte % this is big again
\stoptext

Notes

  • By Hraban on 2024-04-01T19:46:18+0200 :
It seems that \setupinterlinespace[line=XX\baselineskip] interacts badly with \setuplayout while \setupinterlinespace[big] works fine.

See also

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