subfloat text overflow onto the second line and remove gap between the image identifier and beginning of text

Question

I have three images that i need to show on the same horizontal level. THe problem that iam having is that the image description that i place below is overflowing on to the second line. Moreover there is a huge space between the image identifier character and the beginning of the word.(between a) and EN-)

Here is my code

\begin{figure}[!h]  
  \centering  
  \subfloat[ENGINE1]{\label{fig:gull}\includegraphics[width=0.1\textwidth]{textures_data_types/lzw.eps}}     
   \hspace{2px}
 \subfloat[ENGINE12]{\label{fig:gull}\includegraphics[width=0.1\textwidth]{textures_data_types/wav.eps}}     
    \hspace{2px}
 \subfloat[BITMAP]{\label{fig:gull}\includegraphics[width=0.1\textwidth]{textures_data_types/bit.eps}}  
 \caption{Systems} 
     \label{fig:bitmapVisualize}
\end{figure}

Answer 1

The width of the \subfloat is determined by the graphic. Therefore, place the graphic inside a box of fixed width larger than the original graphic. Something like the following:

\begin{figure}[!h]  
  \centering  
  \subfloat[ENGINE1]{\label{fig:gull}\makebox[7em]
    {\includegraphics[width=0.1\textwidth]{textures_data_types/lzw.eps}}}
  \quad
  \subfloat[ENGINE12]{\label{fig:gull}\makebox[7em]
   {\includegraphics[width=0.1\textwidth]{textures_data_types/wav.eps}}}
  \quad
  \subfloat[BITMAP]{\label{fig:gull}\makebox[7em]
    {\includegraphics[width=0.1\textwidth]{textures_data_types/bit.eps}}}
  \caption{Systems} 
  \label{fig:bitmapVisualize}
\end{figure}

The above places all images in a box of width 7em, centred (by default). Modify the length to suit.

---

In twocolumn document mode, you should rather use \columnwidth as your width specifications:

\documentclass[twocolumn]{article}
\usepackage{lipsum}% http://ctan.org/pkg/lipsum
\usepackage[demo]{graphicx}% http://ctan.org/pkg/graphicx
\usepackage{subfig}% http://ctan.org/pkg/subfig

\begin{document}
\lipsum[1]
\begin{figure}
  \centering  
  \subfloat[ENGINE1]{\label{fig:engine1}\makebox[.3\columnwidth]
    {\includegraphics[width=0.3\columnwidth]{textures_data_types/lzw.eps}}}
  \quad
  \subfloat[ENGINE12]{\label{fig:engine12}\makebox[.3\columnwidth]
    {\includegraphics[width=.3\columnwidth]{textures_data_types/wav.eps}}}
  \quad
  \subfloat[BITMAP]{\label{fig:bitmap}\makebox[.3\columnwidth]
    {\includegraphics[width=0.3\columnwidth]{textures_data_types/bit.eps}}}
  \caption{Systems} 
  \label{fig:bitmapVisualize}
\end{figure}
\end{document}

If need be, you can reduce the \subfloat font size by issuing something like \footnotesize inside it (\subfloat[\footnotesize ENGINE12]{..}). Always keep in mind that these things should be done consistently.

Answer 2

Another option would be to use the subcaption package instead of the subfig package; using the former you can easily set the width of the box reserved for the subfloat and its caption independently from the width of the actual image:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[demo]{graphicx}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{subcaption}

\begin{document}

\begin{figure}
\centering  
\subcaptionbox{ENGINE1\label{fig:gull4}}[.2\textwidth]{%
  \includegraphics[width=0.1\textwidth]{textures_data_types/lzw.eps}}%
\subcaptionbox{ENGINE12\label{fig:gull5}}[.2\textwidth]{%
  \includegraphics[width=0.1\textwidth]{textures_data_types/wav.eps}}%
\subcaptionbox{BITMAP\label{fig:gull6}}[.2\textwidth]{%
  \includegraphics[width=0.1\textwidth]{textures_data_types/bit.eps}}%  
\caption{Systems} 
\label{fig:bitmapVisualize2}
\end{figure}

\end{document}

Here's an example code using the twocolumn document option and showing the use of \captionsetup command to reduce the font size for the subfigures caption:

\documentclass[twocolumn]{article}
\usepackage[demo]{graphicx}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{subcaption}

\begin{document}

\begin{figure}
\centering
\captionsetup[subfigure]{font=scriptsize}% reduces font size for subfigure captions  
\subcaptionbox{ENGINE1\label{fig:gull4}}[.3333\columnwidth]{%
  \includegraphics[width=0.1\columnwidth]{textures_data_types/lzw.eps}}%
\subcaptionbox{ENGINE12\label{fig:gull5}}[.3333\columnwidth]{%
  \includegraphics[width=0.1\columnwidth]{textures_data_types/wav.eps}}%
\subcaptionbox{BITMAP\label{fig:gull6}}[.3333\columnwidth]{%
  \includegraphics[width=0.1\columnwidth]{textures_data_types/bit.eps}}%  
\caption{Systems} 
\label{fig:bitmapVisualize2}
\end{figure}

\end{document}