endofcaption

EndofCaption is a typographic convention used in many publishing and typesetting systems to indicate the literal text of a caption that should not be processed or reformatted by automatic caption generators. The marker typically appears within the source file immediately after the caption’s content and before any formatting directives, enabling editors to signal that the following text is already final and should be inserted verbatim into the output. This feature is especially useful in technical documents where figures or tables include complex legends that employ specialized symbols, equations, or formatting that automated caption handling might otherwise alter.

The convention originated in early LaTeX workflows where authors required precise control over figure titles and subtitles. By placing an EndofCaption token (commonly written as \endofcaption or a similar notation), the LaTeX engine bypasses the typical caption styling and instead places the text exactly as supplied. The marker can be paired with supplementary settings, such as a caption counter or hierarchical level, to maintain consistency across a document while preserving the author’s intended appearance.

In modern publishing pipelines, especially those employing XML or DITA for structured content, EndofCaption is often represented as a dedicated attribute or XML element (e.g., <caption endofcaption="true">). This approach allows content management systems to identify and preserve author‑specified captions during transformations to PDF, HTML, or EPUB formats. While different software may use slightly different syntax, the core principle remains: EndofCaption indicates that a caption is pre‑final and should not be altered by automated processing.

EndofCaption aids in reducing formatting errors in large documents, ensures consistency across revisions, and supports the efficient workflow of technical writers, publishers, and typesetters who rely on precise caption rendering.