Is there a way to get LaTeX to place figures in the same page as a reference to that figure?

Question

I am using LaTeX and the figure environment.

I am well familiar with the parameters to that environment: [htbp], and I am also generally familiar with the strategies tha

Answer 1

If you want force this behaviour on all of your figures try

...
\usepackage{float}
\floatplacement{figure}{H}
...

Answer 2

Yes, include float package into the top of your document and H (capital H) as a figure specifier:

\usepackage{float}

\begin{figure}[H]
.
.
.
\end{figure}

Answer 3

I solve this problem by always using the [h] option on floats (such as figures) so that they (mostly) go where I place them. Then when I look at the final draft, I adjust the location of the float by moving it in the LaTeX source. Usually that means moving it around the paragraph where it is referenced. Sometimes I need to add a page break at an appropriate spot.

I've found that the default placement of floats is reasonable in LaTeX, but manual adjustments are almost always needed to get things like this just right. (And sometimes it isn't possible for everything to be perfect when there are lots of floats and footnotes.)

The manual for the memoir class has some good information about how LaTeX places floats and some advice for manipulating the algorithm.