LaTeX template: fix \CSLRightInline vertical space

[jpcirrus]

When using a CSL stylesheet with the citation-number attribute e.g. nature, when \CSLRightInline is only one line currently extraneous vertical space is added.

[jpcirrus]

Currently, with indent: false, when \CSLRightInline is only one line, then the output has extraneous vertical space below that bibitem:

this change matches the document paragraph spacing:

and currently with indent: true:

which this change corrects to:

I have tested with the standard classes as well as with the KOMA-Script, APA and beamer classes.

Test file:

---
# indent: true
csl: nature
references:
- type: article-journal
  id: WatsonCrick1953
  author:
  - family: Watson
    given: J. D.
  issued:
    date-parts:
    - - 1953
      - 4
      - 25
  title: 'Molecular'
  container-title: Nature
  volume: 171
  issue: 4356
  page: 737-738
  DOI: 10.1038/171737a0
  note: Note this!
- id: francois2014
  type: article-journal
  title: >-
    ‘Exercise snacks’ before meals: a novel strategy to improve glycaemic
    control in individuals with insulin resistance
  container-title: Diabetologia
  page: 1437-1445
  volume: '57'
  issue: '7'
  DOI: 10.1007/s00125-014-3244-6
  author:
    - family: Williams
      given: Michael J. A.
    - family: Francois
      given: Monique E.
    - family: Baldi
      given: James C.
    - family: Manning
      given: Patrick J.
    - family: Lucas
      given: Samuel J. E.
    - family: Hawley
      given: John A.
    - family: Cotter
      given: James D.
  issued:
    date-parts:
      - - 2014
nocite: |
  @*
...

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

[jgm]

Can you explain why this change fixes the problem?

[jpcirrus]

To determine where the additional vertical space was coming from I wrapped the \parbox{} in an \fbox{}. This indicated that it was from the \break outside the \parbox. By moving that inside the \parbox results were consistent regardless of bibitem length, but without negative adjustment were too large. By iteration arrived at the value of -1.7ex. I had previously been using a custom template with \break replaced by \\[-0.7ex] to get spacing that matched the document. Technically why, I don't know.

[jgm]

It just seems a bit "magic" and unprincipled...I wonder if there's a better way?

[jgm]

What about just removing the \break? Is it needed?
It seems to work fine without it and I don't get the extra space.

[jpcirrus]

During my testing I had initially tried that, but when using a more complex document using article and scrartcl the linespacing was removed between bibitems:

---

---

---

but having used the above input file with article, scrartcl, apa6 (with the man class option) and beamer it works correctly, so there must be something (not obvious) in that document which is causing the issue which I will sort out.

[jgm]

OK, done.

[jpcirrus]

I'm wondering whether, when entry spacing is set to 0, we should just use \parskip instead of actually using 0? In a document that has a \parskip of 6pt (default for pandoc), the bibliography may look odd with 0 space between entries. But maybe that's too opinionated a divergence.

No. I think it would be incorrect in terms of the CSL spec. I believe the current implementation is accurate.

With entry-spacing="0" and \setlength{\itemsep}{#2\baselineskip}}}:

and entry-spacing="0" and \setlength{\itemsep}{\parskip}}}:

The spacing is approaching what it is when entry-spacing="1". The paragraph spacing has nothing to do with the entry spacing, which had me confused until I read the spec more carefully

[jgm]

Yes, I agree it's more accurate this way. I just think it's a bit awkward that, with the default 6pt parskip that pandoc gives you without indent, you have a choice between a bigger or a smaller space between bib entries, but no way to get the same...

[jpcirrus]

I actually prefer the way it is 😃.

This is going to be the case with all documents where entry-spacing="0" and indent: false, regardless if using a KOMA class, the parskip package, or the pandoc default of 6pt plus 2pt minus 1pt. In my custom template I used to have the entry-spacing depend on indent. But, I was wrong, due to my ignorance from not having read the spec, assuming 0 meant zero spacing (not zero additional spacing), 1 was line spacing (actually 0)... and which clearly others do too e.g. #7296. But, I can appreciate the visual appeal:

rather than moving up to entry-spacing="1":

However, if you decide to implement this please don't make it the default, but rather an option, or better yet as a filter, so that at least the default is compliant with the spec. Of course, for those wanting something special, it is always possible to use header-includes:

\usepackage{etoolbox}
\AtBeginEnvironment{CSLReferences}[\setlength{\itemsep}{ANYTHING YOU WISH}

I have completed testing the latex CSL functionality. I have tested with the KOMA, APA, and standard classes, together with beamer. All combinations of linespacing (single, onehalf and double) work correctly with entry-spacing values of 0, 1 and 2, using bibliographies of approx 50–200 items. Thanks very much for your efforts with this, I am really happy with the results.

[jgm]

Thanks very much for the extensive testing! I'll close this.