I ran across this issue for the case of \centering and I tried to tackle it
with the text below (part of @node \centering). Improvements would be great,
of course.
Let me note that I tested each statement with a small LaTeX file, so I believe
they are accurate (some of them were new to me so testing was in order).
Jim
.......................
It also does not start a new paragraph; it simply changes how @LaTeX{}
formats paragraph units. If @code{ww @{\centering xx \\ yy@} zz} is
surrounded by blank lines then @LaTeX{} will create a paragraph whose
first line @samp{ww xx} is centered and whose second line, not centered,
contains @samp{yy zz}. Usually what is desired is for the scope of the
declaration to contain a blank line or the @code{\end} command of an
environment such as @code{figure} or @code{table} that ends the
paragraph unit. Thus, if @code{@{\centering xx \\ yy\par@} zz} is
surrounded by blank lines then it makes a new paragraph with two
centered lines @samp{xx} and @samp{yy}, followed by a new paragraph with
@samp{zz} that is formatted as usual. See also the following example.
This example's @code{\centering} causes the graphic to be horizontally
centered.
@example
\begin@{figure@}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.6\textwidth]@{ctan_lion.png@}
\caption@{CTAN Lion@} \label@{fig:CTANLion@}
\end@{figure@}
@end example
The scope of the @code{\centering} ends with the @code{\end@{figure@}}.
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`Does not the Captain seek your advice, sir?'
`Not always,' said Stephen.
