[Tex/LaTex] Prevent a paragraph break after a section heading

sectioningsections-paragraphsspacingtitlesec

In my .cls file for my thesis, I have defined \subsection as follows:

\newcommand{\subsection}[1]{%
  \pagebreak[2]
  \refstepcounter{subsection}
  \addcontentsline{toc}{subsection}{
    {\protect\makebox[0.3in][r]{\thesubsection.} \hspace*{3pt}#1}}
  \noindent
  \textbf{\thesubsection\space\space{#1}. }
}

However, the thesis examiner has told me that the proper way to format subsection headings is to make the first paragraph continue on the same line as the subsection heading.

I can make this work if my document says

\subsection{A Subsection}
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet...

typesets to

3.1.1 A Subsection.  Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet...

But if I have a blank line at the beginning of the subsection, I get a paragraph anyway.

\subsection{A Subsection}

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet...

typesets to

3.1.1 A Subsection.
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet...

Is there any way to force this to typset like the first version, even if there's a blank line after the \subsection command? If not, is there at least a way to get a warning?

Best Answer

Use the titlesec package to redefine your sections: Here's an example of your subsection style:

\usepackage{titlesec} % or RequirePackage[loadonly]{titlesec} in a cls file
\titleformat{\subsection}[runin]{\normalfont\bfseries}{\thesubsection.}{3pt}{}

Note that if you do this in a class file, you will need to load titlesec with the [loadonly] option, and use titlesec to define all of the sectioning command your class will allow.

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Vertical Spacing After Paragraph Heading

You mix up standard LaTeX style for section heading definitions (via \@startsection) with the declarative method used by titlesec. And that doesn't work.

Remove the redefinition for \paragraphand instead use:

\titleformat{\paragraph} {\itshape\normalsize}{\theparagraph}{1em}{#1}
\titlespacing\paragraph{0pt}{-12pt plus 4pt minus 2pt}{-15 pt plus 2pt minus 2pt}

and adjust the values for spacing as you wish.

Standard LaTeX method doesn't work if you have a \parskip that is big (eg \baselineskip) as in the \@startsection command the \parskipis always added to all dimensions. And if you try to go nevative to account for it it changes from display heading to inline heading ... a documented bug (aka feature)

[Tex/LaTex] Newline, indentation, parskip – when to use what in what stylistic manner

As mentioned in comments I think that usually in such circumstances the unindented paragraphs are logically section breaks with anonymous untitled sections. So like a titled section they suppress following indentation.

Spacing and font choice could be better and with acknowledgement to Douglas Adams, the except shown in the amazon fragment is I think logically something like this:

\documentclass{book}
\setcounter{secnumdepth}{0}

\begin{document}
\chapter{}

The house stood on a slight rise \ldots

The only person for whom the house was in any way special was Arthur Dent, and \ldots

\ldots bulldozer, found his slippers and stomped off to wash.

\vdots

Fifteen seconds later he was out of the house and lying in front of a big yellow bulldozer that was advancing up his garden path.

\section{}

Mr L. Prosser was, as they say, only human \ldots

He was by no means a great warrior \ldots
\end{document}

Which without any changes to the book layout produces this:

enter image description here

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