References notes and floats/Footnotes/Glossary

1. Purpose

This glossary defines the principal terms used throughout the ConTeXt documentation on notes.

It distinguishes concepts that are often treated as interchangeable but are not identical, including:

• note mark and note entry;
• note series and notation;
• stable internal reference and printed number;
• postponed footnote and endnote;
• local note and migrated note;
• interaction and accessibility;
• directionality and alignment;
• note structure and source parsing.

2. Glossary index

3. Glossary entries

3.1. A

Accessibility

The degree to which a document can be used by people employing assistive technologies or alternative modes of access.

Clickable note marks may improve navigation, but interaction alone does not guarantee an accessible PDF. Accessibility may also depend on tagging, reading order, document structure, the PDF viewer, and the assistive technology.

See also: Interaction.

Alignment

The typographical positioning of text relative to a line, paragraph, margin, or writing direction.

Alignment may be left, right, centred, justified, or direction-sensitive.

Alignment should not be confused with directionality. Right-aligned text is not necessarily right-to-left text.

Apparatus

A structured body of scholarly notes used to present textual, editorial, bibliographical, linguistic, or source-related information.

An apparatus may be implemented with one or more ConTeXt note series, but not every note system constitutes a critical apparatus.

See also: Critical apparatus, Note series.

Automatic placement

The insertion of note entries by ConTeXt without an explicit placement command at the point where the entries are printed.

Ordinary footnotes normally use automatic placement in the page footnote area.

Automatic placement may be postponed with:

location=text

See also: Explicit placement, Postponed note.

3.2. C

Call

An occurrence in the running text that refers to a note entry.

In this documentation, call is a contextual synonym for note mark, especially when emphasizing the act of referring from the running text to a note.

For example:

\note[foot:source]

prints a mark referring to an already identified note.

Counter

The mechanism that assigns successive values to notes in a series.

A note series normally has its own counter. Different series may therefore advance and reset independently.

A counter value can be converted into Arabic numerals, letters, Roman numerals, or another visible form.

See also: Number conversion, Printed number, Reset level.

Critical apparatus

A scholarly apparatus that records textual variation, often by identifying:

• a lemma;
• one or more variant readings;
• the witnesses supporting those readings;
• omissions, additions, corrections, or conjectures.

A critical apparatus is related to footnotes because both place supplementary information outside the main text flow. It normally has a more specialized editorial structure.

See also: Building a critical apparatus with ConTeXt.

Custom note series

A note series defined by the user with \definenote.

For example:

\definenote
  [EdNote]
  [footnote]

creates a series named EdNote whose initial configuration is inherited from footnote.

A custom series may be configured with its own:

• command;
• counter;
• number conversion;
• formatting;
• placement;
• references.

See also: Note series, Predefined footnote series.

3.3. D

Directionality

The logical direction in which text, numbers, and punctuation are processed.

Typical directions are left-to-right and right-to-left.

Directionality affects character ordering, punctuation, number placement, and script behaviour. It is distinct from alignment.

See also: Typesetting notes in bidirectional documents.

3.4. E

Endnote

A note whose entry appears at the end of a section, chapter, part, or document.

Postponed footnotes may produce the same visible result, but they remain members of the footnote series unless a distinct endnote series is used.

See also: Postponed note, Explicit placement, Endnotes.

Entry

See Note entry.

Explicit placement

The use of a placement command to insert stored note entries at a chosen point.

Examples include:

\placefootnotes
\placenotes[EdNote]
\placelocalfootnotes
\placelocalnotes[TableNote]

Explicit placement is used for postponed notes and local note collections.

See also: Automatic placement, Placement command.

3.5. F

Font coverage

The set of characters and scripts supported by a font.

Missing glyphs in a note usually indicate insufficient font coverage rather than a failure of the note mechanism.

Font coverage is especially important in multilingual and bidirectional documents.

Footnote

A note whose entry is ordinarily printed at the bottom of a page.

In everyday usage, footnote may refer to the complete logical note, including its mark and entry.

In ConTeXt, footnote is also the name of the predefined note series:

\footnote{note text}

Footnote area

The page region in which ordinary footnote entries are placed, usually below the main text and separated from it by space or a rule.

The footnote area is a typographical location, not a note series.

See also: Note area, Footnote rule.

Footnote rule

A horizontal rule or another separator placed above the page footnote area.

Its length, alignment, direction, and spacing form part of the page layout.

Formatting

The general visual treatment of note marks, entries, and note blocks.

Formatting may include:

• body font;
• number style;
• spacing;
• alignment;
• columns;
• paragraph form;
• footnote rule;
• interaction colour.

Formatting is broader than notation, which is the more specific ConTeXt layer governing numbering and entry presentation.

3.6. G

Global note switch

A mechanism used to enable or disable note creation globally.

Commands include:

\notesenabledfalse
\notesenabledtrue

These commands control note creation in the ordinary note workflow. Their precise effect on custom, local, or specialized mechanisms should be checked in the intended configuration.

See also: Selective output.

3.7. I

Interaction

The addition of PDF links between note marks and note entries.

Global interaction is enabled with:

\setupinteraction
  [state=start]

Interaction may then be controlled for a note series with:

\setupnotation
  [footnote]
  [interaction=yes]

Interaction adds navigation. It does not change the note's editorial identity, series, counter, or placement.

See also: Accessibility.

Internal reference

See Reference.

3.8. L

Local note

A note collected and placed within a temporary local scope associated with a particular object or passage.

Local notes are useful in:

• tables;
• figures;
• captions;
• framed texts;
• independent examples.

Locality primarily concerns note collection and placement. Counter behaviour may depend on the selected configuration.

See also: Local note scope, Migrated note.

Local note scope

A temporary context in which notes are collected and placed locally rather than through the ordinary page-level placement workflow.

Examples:

\startlocalfootnotes
  ...
  \placelocalfootnotes
\stoplocalfootnotes

and:

\startlocalnotes[TableNote]
  ...
  \placelocalnotes[TableNote]
\stoplocalnotes

A locally collected note still belongs to its note series.

See also: Local note, Scope.

Logical note

The conceptual identity shared by a note mark, its note text, its series, its stable internal reference, and its resulting entry.

A logical note may have:

• one or several visible marks;
• one entry;
• one series;
• one counter value;
• one stable internal reference.

The term is explanatory. It does not name a ConTeXt command or imply a particular internal data structure.

3.9. M

M — Margin note  · 

Margin note

A note or annotation whose visible entry is placed in an inner or outer margin rather than in the page footnote area or at the end of a structural division.

A margin note may be:

• an unnumbered marginal annotation;
• a numbered note associated with a mark in the running text;
• an entry belonging to a dedicated note series;
• a note attached to a figure, table, caption, or other object.

In ConTeXt, margin notes may be created with marginal-data commands such as:

\inmargin{...}
\inleft{...}
\inright{...}
\inouter{...}

A numbered margin-note system may also combine a note series with explicit marginal placement.

A margin note should not be confused with a migrated note. A migrated note originates inside a restricted context and is moved to another note area, whereas a margin note is defined primarily by its final visible placement.

The expression marginal note is used as a descriptive synonym in ordinary prose. This documentation prefers margin note for page titles and glossary entries.

See also:

• Note area ;
• Placement ;
• Migrated note ;
• Placing numbered notes in the margin .

Mark

See Note mark.

Migrated note

A note created inside a box or another restricted context but moved to a page-level note area.

Migration differs from local placement:

• a migrated note joins a page-level note workflow;
• a local note remains associated with its local scope.

See also: Local note, Local note scope.

3.10. N

Note

A logical unit of supplementary information associated with a passage, line, object, or structural division of a document.

A note belongs to a note series and may produce:

• a note mark;
• note text;
• a visible note entry;
• a counter value;
• a stable internal reference.

Its visible form is determined by numbering, notation, and placement settings.

Note area

The region where note entries are printed.

Possible note areas include:

• the bottom of a page;
• the end of a section;
• the end of a chapter;
• the end of a document;
• a margin;
• a local table or box;
• a separately placed block.

A note area is determined by placement, not by the editorial category of the note.

Note block

A visible group of note entries placed together.

Examples include:

• the page footnote block;
• a group of postponed notes after a chapter;
• a local group of table notes;
• a paragraph-form apparatus-like block.

A note block may contain entries from one or more note series, depending on the document design.

Note entry

The visible body of supplementary information associated with a note mark.

The entry may contain:

• prose;
• bibliographical information;
• editorial commentary;
• source information;
• typed or formatted material.

In the ordinary case:

\footnote{note text}

creates both the note mark and the entry.

The note text may also be registered separately:

\setnotetext
  [series]
  [reference]
  {note text}

See also: Note mark, Logical note.

Note mark

The sign printed in the running text to indicate the existence of a note entry.

A note mark may be displayed as:

• a number;
• a letter;
• a Roman numeral;
• another symbol.

A referenced mark can be printed with:

\note[reference]

or, for a custom series:

\note[series][reference]

See also: Call, Printed number.

Note mechanism

The coordinated system by which ConTeXt creates, identifies, numbers, collects, places, and formats notes.

The mechanism includes:

• logical notes;
• note series;
• counters;
• references;
• marks;
• entries;
• notation;
• placement;
• local scopes;
• interaction.

See also: Explanation of the note mechanism.

Note series

A named sequence of notes sharing a logical and editorial category.

A series normally has:

• a note command;
• a counter;
• a configuration;
• a placement policy.

The predefined series is named footnote. Custom series are created with \definenote.

See also: Custom note series, Predefined footnote series.

Note text

The source content that becomes the body of a note entry.

For example:

\footnote{This is the note text.}

The note text should be distinguished from the complete visible entry, which may also contain a printed number and typographical formatting.

Notation

The ConTeXt layer that governs the numerical and typographical presentation of note entries.

Notation may control:

• conversion of the counter value;
• position and styling of the note number;
• width and spacing around the number;
• layout and alignment of the entry;
• optional interaction.

Notation is configured with:

\setupnotation[series][...]

See also: Formatting, Note series.

Notation position

The position of the printed note number relative to the note entry.

This use of location in \setupnotation should not be confused with series placement, which determines where the note entry itself appears.

Number conversion

The rule used to convert a counter value into visible form.

Conversion	Typical output
numbers	1, 2, 3
characters	a, b, c
Characters	A, B, C
romannumerals	i, ii, iii
Romannumerals	I, II, III

Configured with:

\setupnotation
  [series]
  [numberconversion=...]

3.11. P

Page note

A descriptive term for a note whose entry is placed in a page-level note area.

An ordinary footnote is the usual example.

The expression is used in this documentation to contrast page-level notes with local notes, marginal notes, or postponed notes. It is not the name of a ConTeXt command.

Paragraph-form notes

A note layout in which successive entries are composed in a running paragraph rather than as separate vertical blocks.

A typical configuration may include:

\setupnote
  [footnote]
  [paragraph=yes]

\setupnotation
  [footnote]
  [alternative=serried,
   display=no]

Paragraph form is generally most suitable for collections of short entries.

Parsing

The process by which TeX reads and interprets source input.

Ordinary note arguments are parsed as normal TeX input. True verbatim material requires a different parsing regime and therefore cannot always be introduced directly inside \footnote{...}.

See also: Verbatim material.

Placement

The process or result of determining where note entries appear.

Placement may be:

• automatic;
• postponed;
• explicit;
• local;
• marginal;
• page-level.

Placement is conceptually distinct from note creation.

See also: Automatic placement, Explicit placement, Series placement.

Placement command

A command that inserts stored note entries into the document.

Examples:

\placefootnotes
\placenotes[EdNote]
\placelocalfootnotes
\placelocalnotes[TableNote]

See also: Explicit placement.

Postponed note

A note whose entry is created but not immediately placed in its final visible position.

Typical configuration:

\setupnote
  [footnote]
  [location=text]

The entry must later be inserted with an explicit placement command.

A postponed footnote is not automatically a distinct endnote series. Its visible result depends on where the placement command occurs.

See also: Endnote, Placement command.

Predefined footnote series

The note series named footnote, available without prior definition.

Its main command is:

\footnote{note text}

It can be configured with:

\setupnote[footnote][...]
\setupnotation[footnote][...]

Printed number

The visible representation of a note's counter value.

For example, the same counter value may be printed as:

• 3;
• c;
• iii.

The printed number depends on the output configuration and may change when notes are inserted or removed.

See also: Counter, Reference.

3.12. R

Reference

A stable source-level identifier assigned to a logical note independently of its printed number.

Example:

\footnote[foot:source]{note text}

The stable internal reference is:

foot:source

It can be used to repeat a note mark, connect separately registered note text, or create a cross-reference.

See also: Printed number.

Reset level

The structural level at which a note counter restarts.

Examples include:

way=bypage
way=bysection
way=bychapter
way=bytext

Different note series may use different reset levels.

3.13. S

Scope

The region of a document or source within which note collection, placement, or configuration applies.

A local note scope temporarily changes the context in which notes are collected and placed.

See also: Local note scope.

Selective output

The production of different publications from one source by including or suppressing selected note layers.

Examples include:

• a scholarly edition with all notes;
• a reading edition without editorial notes;
• a translation edition containing only translator's notes.

Selective output works best when the source uses semantic note commands and explicit conditions.

See also: Producing annotated and unannotated versions.

Semantic note command

A command whose name expresses the editorial role of a note.

Examples:

\EdNote{...}
\TradNote{...}
\SourceNote{...}

Semantic commands make the source easier to read and support selective output.

They may be direct commands created with \definenote or wrappers around another note mechanism.

Separate note mark and note text

A technique in which the note mark and note text are created with different commands.

Example:

\note[EdNote][ed:manual]

\setnotetext
  [EdNote]
  [ed:manual]
  {Editorial note text.}

This is useful for:

• repeated marks;
• deferred note text;
• imported note data;
• explicitly controlled macros.

See also: Separating a note mark from its text.

Series placement

The configuration that determines where entries belonging to a note series are placed.

For example:

\setupnote
  [footnote]
  [location=text]

postpones automatic placement of entries from the footnote series.

Series placement should not be confused with notation position.

Serried notation

A compact notation alternative commonly used when note entries follow one another closely, especially in paragraph-form notes.

Typical setting:

alternative=serried

It is often combined with settings such as:

width=broad
distance=.5em
display=no

See also: Paragraph-form notes.

Stable reference

See Reference.

Suppressed note

In this documentation, a note omitted from a selected output because note creation or the corresponding semantic layer has been disabled.

A suppressed note differs from a postponed note:

• a postponed note remains pending for later placement;
• a suppressed note is omitted from the current output workflow.

See also: Global note switch, Postponed note.

3.14. V

Verbatim material

Text that must be read and reproduced without ordinary TeX interpretation.

True verbatim material is difficult to introduce directly inside a normal footnote argument because the argument is already being parsed.

For multiline material, prepare a buffer before the note and use \typebuffer inside the note entry.

See also:

• Parsing ;
• Including verbatim material in footnotes .

3.15. W

Witness

In textual criticism, a source preserving a reading of a text, such as a manuscript or printed edition.

Witnesses belong primarily to critical-apparatus terminology rather than ordinary footnote terminology.

See also: Glossary of critical edition terms.

4. Terminological relationships

The principal relationships may be summarized as follows:

logical note
 ├── note mark
 ├── note text
 ├── note series
 │    └── counter
 ├── stable internal reference
 └── visible note entry
      ├── notation
      └── placement

The principal distinctions are:

note creation        ≠ note placement
note series          ≠ visual style
stable reference     ≠ printed number
series placement     ≠ notation position
postponed note       ≠ suppressed note
postponed footnote   ≠ distinct endnote series
local note           ≠ migrated note
interaction          ≠ accessibility
directionality       ≠ alignment
note structure       ≠ source parsing

5. Related pages

• Footnotes overview
• Footnote tutorial
• Footnote how-to guides
• Footnote reference
• Explanation of the note mechanism
• Endnotes
• Margin notes
• Glossary of critical edition terms