# ConTeXt: Cross References to Column Numbers

In a two-column layout, I need to create references returning the line and column numbers of the target referred to.

As there does not seem to exist a column counter, the column numbers displayed in the header are calculated from the page number.

I can refer to line numbers by the commands \someline (for the target) and \inlinerange (for the reference), and I can refer to page numbers by \pagereference (for the target) and \at (for the reference). But how can I refer to the column?

To calculate the column number of the target referred to (according to what I did in the header), I would need (besides the page number) the information whether the target is in the left or in the right column. How can I get this information?

(In the ConTeXt-reference on page 79, there is an example using a command \currentcolumn, which for me, however, always returns 1; and the example does not work for me anyway.)

Below, I give an example of my two column setup with references to lines and pages, where I would need the column numbers instead:

``````\setuppapersize[A4][A4]
\setupbodyfont[9pt]

\setupcolumns[
n=2,
distance=1cm,
]

\setuplinenumbering[
step=5,
method=page,
location=right,
align=flushright,
width=.25cm
]

[\ctxlua{context(2 * tex.count.pageno - 1)}]
[\ctxlua{context(2 * tex.count.pageno)}]
[\ctxlua{context(2 * tex.count.pageno - 1)}]
[\ctxlua{context(2 * tex.count.pageno)}]

\starttext

\startcolumns
\startlinenumbering
\dorecurse{2}{\input lorem}\par
REFERENCE 1: Target 1 is in line \inlinerange[TestI], column ? (how to get this?) on page \at[TestI].\par
\dorecurse{2}{\input lorem}\par
\someline[TestI]\pagereference[TestI]TARGET 1.\par
\dorecurse{2}{\input lorem}\par
\stoplinenumbering
\stopcolumns

\stoptext
``````

The result of which is:

• Cross references are stored in the `tuc` file. Searching for `TestI` it seems as if column information is not stored as part of the references. If you want to have this feature, you should ask on the mailing list. – Henri Menke Sep 7 '19 at 7:11
• Thanks. I already asked twice on the mailing list, but got no response. So I'm afraid it is just not possible to do this with ConTeXt. – OvC Sep 9 '19 at 12:04
• Sometimes you have to bump the thread. When I don't get an answer on the list but I really need one, I usually bump the thread every two to four weeks. At some point somebody will answer. As you see, after I bumped the thread Hans implemented the feature for you. – Henri Menke Sep 10 '19 at 20:58