Command/setupscale

\setupscale

Summary

The command \setupscale is used to define the general behaviour of \scale.

Settings

\setupscale[...,...][...=...,...]
[...,...]	name
scale	number
xscale	number
yscale	number
width	dimension
height	dimension
depth	yes no
lines	number
factor	fit broad max min auto default
hfactor	fit broad max min auto default
wfactor	fit broad max min auto default
maxwidth	dimension
maxheight	dimension
s	number
sx	number
sy	number
equalwidth	dimension
equalheight	dimension
grid	yes fit height depth halfline

Option	Explanation
scale	scaling, affected by "factor" number this is expressed in permille units, so 1000 = natural size
xscale	number this is expressed in permille units, so 1000 = natural size
yscale	number this is expressed in permille units, so 1000 = natural size
lines	height in lines
factor	the factor settings take the enclosing environment into account, in some way fit scale proportionally, fill the area defined with width and height as possible, don’t exceed it but leave space broad like "fit", but result is downscaled by 4x bodyfontsize max scale proportionally, fill the area defined with width and height as possible, can exceed it min like default, meant for images with a similar aspect ratio as the surrounding box; can exceed the size defined with width and height, combine with \clip auto like "fit" default width and height are observed, content may get distorted
hfactor	height factor
wfactor	width factor
maxwidth	maximum width
maxheight	maximum height
s	scale as a simple multiplier, so 1 = natural size
sx	horizontal scale as a simple multiplier, so 1 = natural size
sy	vertical scale as a simple multiplier, so 1 = natural size

Examples

factor=min

With factor=min and clipping to the max size you achieve proportional filling the max area.

• % Wolfgang Schuster 2026-02-07
  
  \startbuffer[Example]
  \setupexternalfigures[location=default]
  
  \setuppapersize[A4][A4,oversized]
  \setuplayout[location=middle]
  
  \showframe
  
  \starttext
  
  \startpagemakeup
  \centerbox{\scale[factor=min]{\externalfigure[mill]}}%
  \stoppagemakeup
  
  \startpagemakeup
  \clip[width=1pw,height=1ph]{\centerbox{\scale[factor=min]{\externalfigure[mill]}}}%
  \stoppagemakeup
  
  \stoptext
  \stopbuffer
  
  \startTEXpage
  \startcombination[2*1]
  {\typesetbuffer[Example][page=1,height=7cm,frame=on]}{without clipping}
  {\typesetbuffer[Example][page=2,height=7cm,frame=on]}{with clipping}
  \stopcombination
  \stopTEXpage
  

• 

See also

• \definescale
• grph-trf.mkiv
• \scale

Help from ConTeXt-Mailinglist/Forum

All issues with:

• \setupscale on the mailing list (all results)
• \setupscale on the mailing list (subject only)
• \setupscale on stack exchange
• \setupscale in ConTeXt's source