[Tex/LaTex] Obtaining the default section spacing into the \titlespacing* parameters

sectioningspacingtitlesec

I'm using the book class.

I want to modify the spacing before and after my sections using the \titlespacing* command.

However, before I do that, I want to let its parameters be such that they reproduce exactly what they were by default. This way, I can have the default “baseline-setting” on which I can base my modifications upon. (I'm especially interested in knowing how the default settings are for the stretching/shrinking before and after the section title.)

How do I do this?

Best Answer

It can be found in the titlesec documentation:

\titleformat{\chapter}[display]
{\normalfont\huge\bfseries}{\chaptertitlename\ \thechapter}{20pt}{\Huge}
\titleformat{\section}
{\normalfont\Large\bfseries}{\thesection}{1em}{}
\titleformat{\subsection}
{\normalfont\large\bfseries}{\thesubsection}{1em}{}
\titleformat{\subsubsection}
{\normalfont\normalsize\bfseries}{\thesubsubsection}{1em}{}
\titleformat{\paragraph}[runin]
{\normalfont\normalsize\bfseries}{\theparagraph}{1em}{}
\titleformat{\subparagraph}[runin]
{\normalfont\normalsize\bfseries}{\thesubparagraph}{1em}{}

\titlespacing*{\chapter} {0pt}{50pt}{40pt}
\titlespacing*{\section} {0pt}{3.5ex plus 1ex minus .2ex}{2.3ex plus .2ex}
\titlespacing*{\subsection} {0pt}{3.25ex plus 1ex minus .2ex}{1.5ex plus .2ex}
\titlespacing*{\subsubsection}{0pt}{3.25ex plus 1ex minus .2ex}{1.5ex plus .2ex}
\titlespacing*{\paragraph} {0pt}{3.25ex plus 1ex minus .2ex}{1em}
\titlespacing*{\subparagraph} {\parindent}{3.25ex plus 1ex minus .2ex}{1em}

UPDATED ANSWER

Do \usepackage[nostruts]{titlesec}, which will remove the struts like my answer below did.

The feature was added with version 2.11, released 2019-07-16.

ORIGINAL ANSWER

The package titlesec adds \strut in some places. In your case you have to defeat this behavior in three places:

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage{geometry}
\geometry{margin=5mm, paper=a6paper, showframe=true}

\usepackage{titlesec}
\usepackage{etoolbox}
\makeatletter
\patchcmd{\ttl@select}{\strut}{}{}{}
\patchcmd{\ttlh@hang}{\strut}{}{}{}
\patchcmd{\ttlh@hang}{\strut}{}{}{}
\makeatother

\titleformat*\section{\Large}
\titleformat*\subsection{\large}

\usepackage{lipsum}
\begin{document}

\section*{Using titlesec}
\subsection*{Lorem Ipsum}
\lipsum[3]
\end{document}

The macros involved are \ttl@select and \ttlh@hang (in the second one \strut appears twice. If other styles are selected it may be necessary to patch \ttlh@display or \ttlh@runin.

[Tex/LaTex] How to make \titlespacing not omit the top spacing

You may add \vspace{-1cm}\vspace*{1cm} in the proper argument of \titleformat -- the two spaces will offset each other except at the top of a page. This is simpler than tohecz's "box" solution and, unlike egreg's solution, will not result in additional vertical space between a \section and a directly adjoining \subsection. (Note that in this case the \section's "after" space will override the \subsection's "before" space.)

EDIT: For whatever reason, it seems one must also subtract \baselineskip in \vspace*(and re-add it in \vspace).

EDIT2: This is the best I can come up with (a hack for which I lack an explanation):

Within \titleformat, the difference between fonsize and \baselineskip (in your revised example: 2pt) must be subtracted with \vspace and re-added with \vspace*.
For any \subsection immediately after \begin{multicols}, the value of \baselineskip (12pt) must be subtracted with \vspace* in the document body.

\documentclass[12pt]{article}

\usepackage{lipsum} 
\usepackage{multicol} 

\usepackage[compact]{titlesec}  

\titleformat{\subsection}
  {\vspace{\dimexpr -12pt+10pt}\vspace*{\dimexpr 12pt-10pt}%
  \fontsize{10pt plus 0pt minus 0pt}{12pt plus 0pt minus 0pt}\selectfont\bf} % format
  {} % label
  {0pt} %sep
  {} %after

\titlespacing*{\subsection}{0pt}{12pt}{12pt}

\begin{document}

\fontsize{10pt}{12pt}\selectfont

\begin{multicols}{2}\raggedcolumns

\vspace*{-12pt}

\subsection*{Bad Section}
\lipsum[1-2]
\columnbreak
\lipsum[1]
\subsection*{Good Section}
\lipsum[2]

\end{multicols}

\newpage

\begin{multicols}{2}\raggedcolumns

\lipsum[1]
\subsection*{Good Section}
\lipsum[2]
\columnbreak
\subsection*{Bad Section}
\lipsum[1-2]

\end{multicols}

\end{document}

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Remove spacing above section in titlesec

UPDATED ANSWER

ORIGINAL ANSWER

[Tex/LaTex] How to make \titlespacing not omit the top spacing

Related Question