Text Formatting ⇒ the \centering command

[yoo]

Apparently, what I think \centering should do is not really what it does. For example

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\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
{\centering Why is this line not centered?}
{A
\centering B
C}
a
\centering b
c
% why is it that c is centered yet C is not?
\end{document}
 
 
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Maybe I should stick to the center environment. But I want to fix my incorrect mental model of the \centering command

[Stefan Kottwitz]

Hi,

\centering or justifying work per line or paragraph. If you want to ensure that the line is centered then end the line, using \\ or \newline or \par or an empty line for a paragraph break.
The braces limit the effect of \centering, after } the text is not centered any more. The C is still on that line, that's not centered, that's why the C is also left aligned. If you want to center C then end the line before } instead of after it.
The last small c is centered because \centering is still valid, it's scope is not limited by braces.

Stefan