hoffset

Hoffset is a TeX/LaTeX parameter that controls the horizontal offset of the text area on a page. It is a length register that shifts the origin of the text block relative to the page edges. By default, TeX places the left edge of the text block one inch from the physical left edge of the page; the hoffset value adds to that baseline. Positive values move the text block to the right, increasing the left margin; negative values move it to the left.

In practice, hoffset is rarely used directly in modern documents. In LaTeX, the effect of hoffset combines with other layout parameters such as \oddsidemargin and \evensidemargin to determine the actual margins. Because margins are typically controlled by higher-level packages and settings (for example, the geometry package), changing hoffset manually can have cascading effects on headers, footers, and the printable area, especially in two-sided documents.

Usage examples: in plain TeX, one might write \hoffset=12pt to shift the text block right by 12 points; in LaTeX, the corresponding operation is often done via \setlength{\hoffset}{12pt} or through a geometry-based configuration. Some workflows use hoffset together with voffset, the vertical offset, to reposition the entire text block.

Related concepts include voffset (the vertical offset) and the overall page layout parameters that determine margins and line positioning. Modern typesetting commonly relies on layout packages or class options to manage margins more predictably than direct hoffset adjustments.