# Scalebox, Parbox, and Page Break

I have a long equation inside the scalebox. However, I can not force it to break between the pages. The code looks like this:

\scalebox{.95}{\parbox{\textwidth}{
\begin{align}
bla1 & bla2 \\
bla3 & bla4 \\
bla5 & bla6 \\
\end{align}
}}


How is it possible to enforce this code to break between two pages?

• I don't believe it is possible. A box is just that: a box. – user139954 Dec 12 '17 at 0:29
• @RobtAll, thank you for the comment. Is there an alternative solution? I mean if one wants to scale an equation in such a way that it breaks between the pages, what is the solution then? – QGravity Dec 12 '17 at 0:40
• one possible approach is to set \allowdisplaybreaks in the preamble, create a group around the display with either braces or \begingroup ... \endgrouip, and set the size to \small (equivalent of 90% or 9pt) within that group, i can;t test this just now (no available latex installation), but i can do so tomorrow. in any case, putting it in a box of any kind will never allow a break. oh, \allowdisplaybreaks and related commands are documented in the amsmath user's guide (texdoc amsmath). – barbara beeton Dec 12 '17 at 1:51
• The adjustbox an experimental feature to break scaled boxes, but this splits it sometimes between lines, e.g. cut through letters. – Martin Scharrer Dec 12 '17 at 7:09

Rather than using a box, you can temporarily set the text size smaller before invocation of the align, with the \allowdisplaybreaks set. [after posting, I realize that this is precisely what Barbara suggests]

EDITED to insert a \par and a minus \vspace prior to the font-size change.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath,lipsum}
\textheight4.4in
\allowdisplaybreaks
\begin{document}
\begin{align}
bla1 & bla2 \\
bla3 & bla4 \\
bla5 & bla6
\end{align}
\lipsum*[4]
{\par\vspace{-\dimexpr\baselineskip+\parskip\relax}
\small\begin{align}
bla1 & bla2 \\
bla3 & bla4 \\
bla5 & bla6
\end{align}}\ignorespaces
\lipsum*[4]
{\par\vspace{-\dimexpr\baselineskip+\parskip\relax}
\scriptsize\begin{align}
bla1 & bla2 \\
bla3 & bla4 \\
bla5 & bla6
\end{align}}\ignorespaces
\lipsum*[4]
\end{document}


• Is the only purpose of the text size, so that it visually fits nicely? I assume so. Or, does \allowdisplaybreaks expect a text size change, as some kind of signal? – user139954 Dec 12 '17 at 2:29
• @RobtAll Text size change here produces smaller results, akin to a \scalebox, but without the box. The completely separate command, \allowdisplaybreaks, allows multi-line equations in the align family to break midway, across page boundaries. – Steven B. Segletes Dec 12 '17 at 2:58
• Please, try the same with \lipsum*` and you’ll see that something needs a fix – egreg Dec 12 '17 at 7:07