Latex graphicx package configuration to allow figures span two columns

gistfile1.txt

\ifCLASSINFOpdf
  \usepackage[pdftex]{graphicx}
  % declare the path(s) where your graphic files are
  \graphicspath{{../pdf/}{../jpeg/}{./image/}}
  % and their extensions so you won't have to specify these with
  % every instance of \includegraphics
  \DeclareGraphicsExtensions{.pdf,.jpeg,.png,.jpg}
\else
  % or other class option (dvipsone, dvipdf, if not using dvips). graphicx
  % will default to the driver specified in the system graphics.cfg if no
  % driver is specified.
  \usepackage[dvips]{graphicx}
  % declare the path(s) where your graphic files are
  \graphicspath{{../eps/}}
  % and their extensions so you won't have to specify these with
  % every instance of \includegraphics
  % \DeclareGraphicsExtensions{.eps}
\fi


% Then just include a image as follows
% \begin{figure*}
%   \includegraphics[scale=1.75]{images/idm3}
%	  \caption{XML fragment represented as a resource view graph}
%	  \label{fig:idm3}
%\end{figure*}