Using titlesec how can I prevent space from showing up between chapters and sections if I do not have text between them?

Question

I am stuck with a very strict requirement to keep the space between chapter/sections/subsections/paragraph headers the same. After a chapter header, I need to have a triple space. After section headers, I need to have a double space. I have been able to do this, however, if I do not have additional text between a chapter title and the first section header, then the spaces add (triple space + double space). Is there a way to have an if statement acknowledges that if there is text, only use a triple space, whereas if the text is displayed, then use the double space?

\titlespacing{\chapter}{0in}{\UOneInChapterSpace}{\UHeadSpace}[0in] 
\titlespacing{\section}{0in}{0in}{\UDoubleSpace}[0in]
\titlespacing{\subsection}{0in}{0in}{\UDoubleSpace}[0in]
\titlespacing{\subsubsection}{0in}{0in}{\UDoubleSpace}[0in]
\titlespacing{\paragraph}{1em}{1ex}{1ex}[1em]
\titleformat{\chapter}
    [display]
    {\color{URED}\centering\normalfont\Large\bfseries\doublespacing}
    {\MakeUppercase{\chaptertitlename} \Large\thechapter}
    {0in}
    {\MakeUppercase}
    []
\titleformat{\section}
    [hang]
    {\centering\singlespacing\normalfont\Large\bfseries}
    {\thesection}
    {1ex}
    {}
    []
\titleformat{\subsection}
    [hang]
    {\centering\singlespacing\normalfont\large\bfseries}
    {\thesubsection}
    {1ex}
    {}
    []
\titleformat{\subsubsection}
    [hang]
    {\centering\singlespacing\normalfont\normalsize\bfseries}
    {\thesubsubsection}
    {1ex}
    {}
    []
\titleformat{\paragraph}
    [runin]
    {\centering\singlespacing\normalfont\normalsize\bfseries}
    {\theparagraph}
    {1ex}
    {}
    []
\titleformat{\subparagraph}
    [runin]
    {\centering\singlespacing\normalfont\normalsize\bfseries}
    {\thesubparagraph}
    {1ex}
    {}
    []

I posted a previous question that has the entire cls file (Link). I'm just not sure how to do this.

Thank you!

Answer 1

You might incorporate these setting to your class. The grid is set to \baselineskip at doublespace. No extra space appears after title and section if there is no text.

%%***************************************************** titlespacing starts
\newlength{\Beforesec}
\setlength{\Beforesec}{2ex}
\newlength{\Aftersec}
\setlength{\Aftersec}{1ex}
\setlength{\UOneInChapterSpace}{-45pt + 1in} 
\setlength{\UHeadSpace}{3\baselineskip}
\setlength{\UDoubleSpace}{2\baselineskip}
\titlespacing{\chapter}{0in}{\UOneInChapterSpace}{\UHeadSpace+\Beforesec}[0in] 
\titlespacing{\section}{0in}{\Beforesec}{\UDoubleSpace+\Aftersec}[0in]
\titlespacing{\subsection}{0in}{0in}{0.5\UDoubleSpace}[0in]
\titlespacing{\subsubsection}{0in}{0in}{0.5\UDoubleSpace}[0in]
\titlespacing{\paragraph}{1em}{1ex}{1ex}[1em]
%%***************************************************** titlespacing ends

Section after title without text in between

Text after title

Test this code

% !TeX TS-program = pdflatex
\documentclass{MastersDoctoralThesis}
\usepackage{eso-pic}
\AddToShipoutPictureBG{% GRID
    \begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture, overlay,
        help lines/.append style={line width=0.05pt,
            color=white},
        major divisions/.style={help lines,line width=0.5pt,
            color=blue!40} ]
        \draw[help lines] (current page.south west) grid[step=0.5pt]
        (current page.north east);
        \draw[major divisions] (current page.south west) grid[step=22pt] % baselineskip = 22pt at double space
        (current page.north east);
    \end{tikzpicture}%
}
%%***************************************************** titlespacing starts
\newlength{\Beforesec}
\setlength{\Beforesec}{2ex}
\newlength{\Aftersec}
\setlength{\Aftersec}{1ex}
\setlength{\UOneInChapterSpace}{-45pt + 1in} 
\setlength{\UHeadSpace}{3\baselineskip}
\setlength{\UDoubleSpace}{2\baselineskip}
\titlespacing{\chapter}{0in}{\UOneInChapterSpace}{\UHeadSpace+\Beforesec}[0in] 
\titlespacing{\section}{0in}{\Beforesec}{\UDoubleSpace+\Aftersec}[0in]
\titlespacing{\subsection}{0in}{0in}{0.5\UDoubleSpace}[0in]
\titlespacing{\subsubsection}{0in}{0in}{0.5\UDoubleSpace}[0in]
\titlespacing{\paragraph}{1em}{1ex}{1ex}[1em]
%%***************************************************** titlespacing ends
\begin{document}
\mainMatter %% sets\doublespacing
\chapter[\uppercase{Multiline title}]{\uppercase{Multiline \protect \  title}} 
1   \lipsum[1]
\section{Section1}
2   \lipsum[2]
\section{Section2}
\section{Section3}
\section{Section4}
3   \lipsum[3]
\subsection{Subsection1}
4   \lipsum[4]

\subsection{Subsection2}

\subsection{Subsection3}

\subsection{Subsection4}
5   \lipsum[5]

\paragraph{Paragraph1}
6   \lipsum[6]

\paragraph{Paragraph2}
\paragraph{Paragraph3}
\paragraph{Paragraph4}
7   \lipsum[7]
\end{document