position Position

Typically indicates whether a display object (for example, figure, table, boxed text) must be anchored in its exact location within the text or may float to a different location in the document (for example, to the top of the next page, into the next column, within a separate window). Also used to indicate that the display object should be placed in the margin or used as a background image behind the text.
OPTIONAL (defaults to float) on many elements; click for list and usage
Value Meaning
anchor The object must remain in its exact location in the text flow.
background The object (typically an image) is used as background displayed visually “behind” the narrative text.
float The object is not anchored and may be moved to a new column, a new window, a new page, the end of the document, etc.
margin In print, the object should be placed in the margin or gutter; online, the object should remain closely associated with the text.
Default value float
Tagged Samples
Boxed Text that must display precisely where positioned in text
...  
<boxed-text position="anchor" content-type="website">
 <caption>
  <title>Search term: gallstones</title>
 </caption>
 ...
</boxed-text>
...
Multimedia objects (videos) to be displayed in their exact position in narrative text
... 
<alternatives>
 <media mime-subtype="mpeg" mimetype="video" orientation="portrait"
   position="anchor" specific-use="archival-format" xlink:href="v1"></media>
 <media mime-subtype="x-flv" mimetype="video" orientation="portrait"
   position="anchor" specific-use="online-format" xlink:href="v1"></media>
</alternatives>
...
A figure is allowed to float to the top of a new column or page (in print) or into a new window (online).
...  
<fig id="f1" orientation="portrait" position="float">
 <graphic xlink:href="f1"/>
 <attrib>Brookhaven National Laboratory</attrib>
</fig>  
...
A code sample to be placed in the exact position in the flow of text
...
<code   
  code-type="user-interface-control" 
  language="C++"
  language-version="11"
  xml:space="preserve" 
  orientation="portrait"
  position="anchor">
 #include &lt;conio.h>
 #include&lt;win_mous.cpp>
 // Needed for mouse &amp; win functions#define
 ...
</code>
...