gt tables float away from position in PDF output

[tareefk]

I have:

• searched the issue tracker for similar issues
• installed the latest version of Quarto CLI
• formatted my issue following the Bug Reports guide

Bug description

Description: When rendering gt tables to PDF, they don't appear where placed in the document unless tbl-pos: "H" is
explicitly set

• Expected behavior: Tables should appear at their document position by default (or at least match the fig-pos: "H"
  setting already in the YAML)
• Workaround: Adding #| tbl-pos: "H" to each table chunk

It is worth noting that the document already has fig-pos: "H" in the YAML header for figures, but there's no
equivalent default for tables.

 title: "gt Table Float Issue"
  format:
    pdf:
      documentclass: report
  ---

  ## Section One

  This is some text before the table.

  ```{r}
  library(gt)
  library(tibble)

  tibble(
   A = c("X", "Y", "Z"),
   B = c(1, 2, 3),
   C = c(4, 5, 6)
  ) |>
   gt() |>
   tab_header(title = "My Table")

  This text should appear immediately after the table, but in the PDF
  the table floats to a different location.

  Section Two

  More content here.

  **Expected Behavior:**

  The table should appear between "This is some text before the table" and "This text should appear immediately after the
  table" - matching its position in the source document.

  **Actual Behavior:**

  The table floats to the top of the page or a different page entirely, separating it from the surrounding text.

  **Workaround:**

  Adding `#| tbl-pos: "H"` to the code chunk forces the table to stay in position:

  ```r
  #| tbl-pos: "H"

  Notes:

  - The fig-pos: "H" YAML option works for figures but there's no equivalent default for tables
  - This appears to be specific to gt tables in PDF output; HTML output positions correctly
  - Tested with Quarto 1.x and gt package

Steps to reproduce

No response

Actual behavior

No response

Expected behavior

No response

Your environment

No response

Quarto check output

Quarto 1.8.24
[✓] Checking environment information...
Quarto cache location: /Users/tareef/Library/Caches/quarto
[✓] Checking versions of quarto binary dependencies...
Pandoc version 3.6.3: OK
Dart Sass version 1.87.0: OK
Deno version 2.3.1: OK
Typst version 0.13.0: OK
[✓] Checking versions of quarto dependencies......OK
[✓] Checking Quarto installation......OK
Version: 1.8.24
Path: /Applications/quarto/bin

[✓] Checking tools....................OK
TinyTeX: v2024.07.03
Chromium: (not installed)

[✓] Checking LaTeX....................OK
Using: TinyTex
Path: /Users/tareef/Library/TinyTeX/bin/universal-darwin
Version: 2024

[✓] Checking Chrome Headless....................OK
Using: Chrome found on system
Path: /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome
Source: MacOS known location

[✓] Checking basic markdown render....OK

[✓] Checking Python 3 installation....OK
Version: 3.12.8
Path: /Users/tareef/.pyenv/versions/3.12.8/bin/python3
Jupyter: 5.7.2
Kernels: python3

(|) Checking Jupyter engine render....Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/Applications/quarto/share/jupyter/jupyter.py", line 20, in
from notebook import notebook_execute, RestartKernel
File "/Applications/quarto/share/jupyter/notebook.py", line 19, in
import nbformat
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'nbformat'
WARN: Should not have arrived here:

[mcanouil]

Could you properly format your post using code blocks for code and terminal outputs? Thanks.
If your code contains code blocks, you need to enclose it using more backticks, i.e., usually four ````.
See https://quarto.org/bug-reports.html#formatting-make-githubs-markdown-work-for-us.

[tareefk]

I tried @mcanouil but I honestly don't spend too much time filing quarto bugs. The example is hopefully straightforward enough that trying it should be easy to see. It is a surprising result to have the gt table land in a completely different section in the doc I was working on. This example came from Claude Code recreating the issue.

[mcanouil]

Read the guidelines about formatting.
It's no different than writing a Quarto document or any markdown.

This example came from Claude Code recreating the issue.

@tareefk Be aware that providing bad code from AIs goes against the Code of Conduct.
I strongly suggest you read the formatting guidelines, properly format your post and ensure the code actually "works" and can be used to investigate.
As is, your issue is not valid at all and will be closed.

[mcanouil]

Also, the issue template clearly asks few things from you:

• to test using the latest version
• to research for similar issues and discussions

A very quick search shows:

• Issue with pdf rendering #13149
• table placement quarto-pdf #4849

The list is not exhaustive.

[mcanouil]

Tables should appear at their document position by default

Finally, this does not look like a bug but rather an opinion about what should be the default.
The default is LaTeX default. Using *-pos is the correct and expected approach.

With all the above, I'm going to move this to discussion.

[tareefk]

Maybe this should be an enhancement request, but the bottom line is: If someone builds a QMD doc that embeds a gt table, there is a chance (under some output scenarios) to have that table show up in a different section of the doc. That feels wrong to me. It violates the principle of "least astonishment". I would much rather a warning get printed at a minimum that indicates that you are missing this ability to override the placement so the table doesn't "float" out of the section you are in.
I am not sure what constitutes a bug versus an enhancement request, but I definitely think this is surprising behavior.
We want Quarto to be a format that abstracts away the complexity of the underlying systems. Knowing that this is a LateX issues doesn't really matter to the business user of Quarto.

Thanks for you rhelp with this.