Math & Science ⇒ Vertical space around display equations

[Promethean]

I am trying to reduce vertical space around display (and eqnarray) equations in order to save space. For testing purposes, I have included the following commands in my preamble:

Code: Select all

\setlength\abovedisplayskip{-12pt}
\setlength\belowdisplayskip{-12pt}
\setlength\abovedisplayshortskip{-12pt}
\setlength\belowdisplayshortskip{-12pt}

This does not seem to affect the spacing around equations at all. Do you see why this might be? I am using LyX and the AMS math packages. My full preamble is as follows:

Code: Select all

\documentclass[12pt,english]{article}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[latin9]{inputenc}
\usepackage[a4paper]{geometry}
\geometry{verbose,tmargin=2.5cm,bmargin=2.5cm,lmargin=2cm,rmargin=3cm}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\usepackage{color}
\usepackage{babel}

\usepackage{amsthm}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{setspace}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{esint}
\usepackage{nomencl}
% the following is useful when we have the old nomencl.sty package
\providecommand{\printnomenclature}{\printglossary}
\providecommand{\makenomenclature}{\makeglossary}
\makenomenclature
\onehalfspacing
\usepackage[unicode=true, 
 bookmarks=true,bookmarksnumbered=false,bookmarksopen=false,
 breaklinks=false,pdfborder={0 0 1},backref=false,colorlinks=false]
 {hyperref}
\hypersetup{pdftitle={...},
 pdfauthor={...}}

\makeatletter
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% User specified LaTeX commands.
\lhead{...}
\chead{...}

\usepackage{multicol}
\usepackage{mathptmx}

\usepackage[absolute, overlay]{textpos}
\TPGrid{100}{100}
\textblockorigin{0mm}{0mm}


\clubpenalty = 10000
\widowpenalty = 10000 \displaywidowpenalty = 10000

\renewcommand\nomname{...}

\renewcommand\refname{\vspace{-12pt}}

\usepackage[small,compact]{titlesec}
\usepackage[small,it]{caption}
\usepackage[normalsections, normalmargins, normalleading, normalbib, normalbibnotes]{savetrees}

%for title page
\def\clap#1{\hbox to 0pt{\hss #1\hss}}%
\def\ligne#1{%
  \hbox to \hsize{%
    \vbox{\centering #1}}}%
\def\haut#1#2#3{%
  \hbox to \hsize{%
    \rlap{\vtop{\raggedright #1}}%
    \hss
    \clap{\vtop{\centering #2}}%
    \hss
    \llap{\vtop{\raggedleft #3}}}}%
\def\bas#1#2#3{%
  \hbox to \hsize{%
    \rlap{\vbox{\raggedright #1}}%
    \hss
    \clap{\vbox{\centering #2}}%
    \hss
    \llap{\vbox{\raggedleft #3}}}}%

\usepackage[firstpage]{draftwatermark}
\SetWatermarkScale{2}
\SetWatermarkText{Draft: \today}
\SetWatermarkFontSize{36pt}
\SetWatermarkLightness{0.8}

\setlength\abovedisplayskip{-12pt}
\setlength\belowdisplayskip{-12pt}
\setlength\abovedisplayshortskip{-12pt}
\setlength\belowdisplayshortskip{-12pt}

\makeatother

\begin{document}

If there are packages that can solve this problem for me or even have more space saving functions (like savetrees), suggestions would be welcome.

[Stefan Kottwitz]

Hi Promethean,

welcome to the board!

As those lengths depend on the font size, size changing commands change also those lengths. You could redefine those commands such as \normalsize.

In this earlier post there's an explanation with code for that: Can't set vertical whitespace in the preamble.

Btw. don't use eqnarray, this environment is obsolete and doesn't work well, for example regarding the spacing. Since you use amsmath, use align instead. See eqnarray vs. align for further explanation.

Stefan

[Promethean]

Thanks, that is perfect! This seems to be a frequently asked question, which, according to my Googling, rarely receives a competent answer. There should be a package that does this.