widetext.sty

% copied from https://blog.pnas.org/widetext.sty, with some modifications via: https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/128289/224861
\NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}
\ProvidesPackage{widetext}

%% Mimics the widetext environment of revtex4 for any other class package
%% Eg: article.cls
%%
%% Compiled by: Anjishnu Sarkar
%%
%% Advantages: 
%% *) Supports float (eg: figure) in two column format (Advantage over
%%      multicol package) 
%% *) One and twocolumn exist on the same page
%% *) Flow of text shown via rule
%% *) Equal height of text when in two column format
%%
%% Acknowledgment(s):
%% 1. Instead of re-inventing the wheel, two packages (flushend, cuted) of
%% the sttools bundle are used. The sttools bundle is available from CTAN. 
%% Lisence of these packages rests with their corresponding author.
%% Any bug/problem with flushend and cuted should be forwarded to their
%% corresponding package authors.
%% 2. The idea of the rule came from the following latex community website
%% http://www.latex-community.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2770
%%
%% This package just defines the widetext environment and the rules.
%%
%% Usage: 
%% \documentclass[a4paper,12pt,twocolumn]{article}
%% \usepackage{widetext} 
%%
%% \begin{document}
%% 
%% Some text in twocolumn
%%
%% \begin{widetext}
%% Text in onecolumn format.
%% \end{widetext}
%%
%% Some more text in twocolumn
%%
%% \end{document}
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

%% Package required for equal height while in 2 columns format
\IfFileExists{flushend.sty}
    {\RequirePackage{flushend}}
    {\typeout{}
    \typeout{Package widetext error: Install the flushend package which is
    a part of sttools bundle. Available from CTAN.}
    \typeout{}
    \stop
    }

%% Package required for onecolumn and twocolumn to exist on the same page.
%% and also required for widetext environment.
\IfFileExists{cuted.sty}
    {\RequirePackage{cuted}}
    {\typeout{}
    \typeout{Package widetext error: Install the cuted package which is
    a part of sttools bundle. Available from CTAN.}
    \typeout{}
    \stop
    }


\newlength\@parindent
\setlength\@parindent{\parindent}

\if@twocolumn
    \newenvironment{widetext}
        {%
            \par \vspace{-\baselineskip} % <-- this line added
            \begin{strip}
            \rule{\dimexpr(0.5\textwidth-0.5\columnsep-0.4pt)}{0.4pt}%
            \rule{0.4pt}{6pt}
            \par %\vspace{6pt}
            \parindent \@parindent
        }%
        {%
            \par
            \hfill\rule[-6pt]{0.4pt}{6.4pt}%
            \rule{\dimexpr(0.5\textwidth-0.5\columnsep-1pt)}{0.4pt}
            \end{strip}
        \par \vspace{-\baselineskip}\noindent % <-- this line added
        }
\else
    \newenvironment{widetext}{}{}
\fi