6

The following problem shows up: Usually after the end of every chapter, there's a blank page before the new chapter starts in my document. Funnily enough, there is one point in my pdf where is no blank page between the end of the chapter and the new chapter. I tried to \newpage as well as \clear without success. Maybe my .cls file causes the problem. I added some lines of it below. If I add a

\newpage $\mbox{ }$

it generates two blank pages. Without the $\mbox{ }$ nothing happens. Same for \clearpage. Hopefully someone could help me! Thank you for your advices.

math

abridgment for the .cls file

% RPI option chap:
\newif\ifchap  % true for chap option
  \chapfalse   % false by default
\DeclareOption{chap}{\chaptrue} % option to print "Chapter" at each new chapter
\newcommand\docsize{}  % to allow 10pt or 11pt to be specified as option
\DeclareOption{10pt}{\renewcommand\docsize{10pt}}
\DeclareOption{11pt}{\renewcommand\docsize{11pt}}
\DeclareOption{12pt}{\renewcommand\docsize{12pt}}
%  Prepare to load the standard report class (12pt):
\DeclareOption*{\PassOptionsToClass{\CurrentOption}{report}}
\ExecuteOptions{12pt}         % define 12pt as the default doc size
\ProcessOptions
\LoadClass[\docsize]{report}  % load report.cls

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%                            SECTION HEADINGS
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 
\newcommand\chaptersize{\large}
\newcommand\sectionsize{\large}
\newcommand\subsectionsize{\normalsize}
\newcommand\subsubsectionsize{\normalsize}
\newcounter{firstchapter}
\setcounter{firstchapter}{0}

\setcounter{secnumdepth}{3}    % Number subsubsections in the chapters
\setcounter{tocdepth}{0}       % Put subsubsections in the table of contents

% Print "CHAPTER" if chap option is specified:
\ifchap
  \renewcommand\@chapapp{\chaptername}
\else
  \renewcommand\@chapapp{}
\fi

\def\specialhead#1{%   GENERAL HEADING WITHOUT A NUMBER (for abstract, etc.)
     \ifx\phantomsection\undefined
     \else
        \clearpage\phantomsection
     \fi
     \addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{#1}
     \chapter*{\centering #1 \@mkboth{#1}{#1}}}


\def\@chapter[#1]#2{\ifnum\c@firstchapter=0    % start of rpi added stuff
                      \if@twoside\cleardoublepage\suppressfloats[t]\fi
                      \pagenumbering{arabic} 
                      \setcounter{firstchapter}{1}
                    \fi
                    \renewcommand{\thepage}{\arabic{page}}
                    \thispagestyle{plain}
                    \pagestyle{myheadings}      % end of rpi added stuff
                    \ifnum \c@secnumdepth >\m@ne
                         \refstepcounter{chapter}%
                         \typeout{\@chapapp\space\thechapter.}%
                         \addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}%
                                   {\protect\numberline{\thechapter.}#1}%
                    \else
                      \addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{#1}%
                    \fi
                    \chaptermark{#1}% 
%                    \addtocontents{lof}{\protect\addvspace{10\p@}}%
%                    \addtocontents{lot}{\protect\addvspace{10\p@}}%
                    \if@twocolumn
                      \@topnewpage[\@makechapterhead{#2}]%
                    \else
                      \@makechapterhead{#2}%
                      \@afterheading
                    \fi}
\def\@makechapterhead#1{%
  \vspace*{0\p@}%
  {\parindent \z@ \raggedright \centering \normalfont \chaptersize
    \ifnum \c@secnumdepth >\m@ne
      \ifchap
         \bfseries \@chapapp{} \thechapter    % print "Chapter" and number
         \vskip -3pt           %\par\nobreak (original)
       \else
         \bfseries \thechapter. 
       \fi
    \fi
    \interlinepenalty\@M
    \bfseries #1\par\nobreak
    \vskip 15\p@
  }}

\def\@makeschapterhead#1{%    heading for chapter* command (no numbering)
  \vspace*{0\p@}%
  {\parindent \z@ \raggedright \centering
    \normalfont  \chaptersize 
    \interlinepenalty\@M
    \bfseries  #1\par\nobreak
    \vskip 15\p@
  }}

\renewcommand\section{\@startsection {section}{1}{\z@}%
                                   {3.5ex \@plus 1ex \@minus .2ex}%
                                   {.5ex \@plus .3ex}%{1.4ex \@plus.2ex}%
                                   {\normalfont\sectionsize\bfseries}}
\renewcommand\subsection{\@startsection{subsection}{2}{\z@}%
                                     {3.25ex\@plus 1ex \@minus .2ex}%
                                     {.3ex \@plus .2ex}%{1.2ex \@plus .2ex}%
                                     {\normalfont\subsectionsize\bfseries}}
\renewcommand\subsubsection{\@startsection{subsubsection}{3}{\z@}%
                                     {3.25ex\@plus 1ex \@minus .2ex}%
                                     {.2ex \@plus .1ex}%{1ex \@plus .2ex}%
                                     {\normalfont\subsubsectionsize\bfseries}}
% \paragraph and \subparagraph headings unchanged from report.cls.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%  FOR RPI TITLEPAGE, ABSTR. TITLEPAGE & COPYRIGHT PAGE 
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

 \def\thesistitle#1{\gdef\@thesistitle{#1}}
 \def\author#1{\gdef\@author{#1}}
 \def\degree#1{\gdef\@degree{#1}}
 \def\department#1{\gdef\@department{#1}}
 \newcount\numcomm \numcomm=1
 \def\signaturelines#1{\numcomm=#1}
 \def\thadviser#1{\gdef\@thadviser{#1}} 
 \def\projadviser#1{\gdef\@projadviser{#1}} \projadviser{*}
 \def\cothadviser#1{\gdef\@cothadviser{#1}} \cothadviser{*} 
 \def\coprojadviser#1{\gdef\@coprojadviser{#1}} \coprojadviser{*}
 \def\cocothadviser#1{\gdef\@cocothadviser{#1}} \cocothadviser{*}
 \def\cocoprojadviser#1{\gdef\@cocoprojadviser{#1}} \cocoprojadviser{*} 
 \def\doctype{\if \@projadviser *Thesis \else Project \fi}
 \def\adviser{\if \@projadviser *\@thadviser \else \@projadviser\fi}
 \def\coadviser{\if \@coprojadviser *\@cothadviser\else \@coprojadviser\fi}
 \def\cocoadviser{\if \@cocoprojadviser *\@cocothadviser\else \@cocoprojadviser\fi}
 \def\memberone#1{\gdef\@memberone{#1}}
 \def\membertwo#1{\gdef\@membertwo{#1}}
 \def\memberthree#1{\gdef\@memberthree{#1}}
 \def\memberfour#1{\gdef\@memberfour{#1}}
 \def\memberfive#1{\gdef\@memberfive{#1}}
 \def\membersix#1{\gdef\@membersix{#1}}
 \def\copyrightyear#1{\gdef\@copyrightyear{#1}} \copyrightyear{\the\year}
 \def\submitdate#1{\gdef\@submitdate{#1}}

\newcount\numcount
\def\sigblock{
   \ifnum\numcomm < 4  % master's thesis or project
     \vskip .8in plus 24pt minus 24pt
     %\leftline{Approved: \hfil}\vskip 48pt plus 2pt minus 10pt
     %\hrule width 2.6in\hfil \vskip -6pt
     \leftline{Supervisor: \adviser\hfil}
     \if \coadviser * % no co-adviser
       \else \vskip 12pt plus 6pt minus 2pt %\hrule width 2.6in\hfil \vskip -6pt        
       \leftline{Coordination: \coadviser\hfil}
     \fi
     \if \cocoadviser * % no coco-adviser 
       \else \vskip 36pt %plus 6pt minus 2pt \hrule width 2.6in\hfil \vskip -6pt
      \leftline{\cocoadviser, \doctype Adviser\hfil}
     \fi   
     \vskip 6pt 
   \else  % PhD thesis
      \numcount=\numcomm
      \leftline{Approved by the\hfil}
      \leftline{Examining Committee:\hfil}
      \vskip 28pt \vfil 
      \hrule width 2.8in \hfil \vskip -3pt
      \leftline{\adviser, \doctype Adviser\hfil} 
      \advance \numcount by -1
      \if \coadviser * \else % there's a co-adviser
        \vskip 19pt\vfil\hrule width 2.8in\hfil\vskip -3pt
        \leftline{\coadviser, \doctype Adviser\hfil}
        \advance \numcount by -1
      \fi
      \vskip 19pt\vfil\hrule width 2.8in\hfil\vskip -3pt
      \leftline{\@memberone, Member\hfil}
      \advance \numcount by -1
      \vskip 19pt\vfil\hrule width 2.8in\hfil\vskip -3pt
      \leftline{\@membertwo, Member\hfil}
      \advance \numcount by -1 \ifnum\numcount > 0
      \vskip 19pt\vfil\hrule width 2.8in\hfil\vskip -3pt
      \leftline{\@memberthree, Member\hfil}  \fi
      \advance \numcount by -1 \ifnum\numcount > 0
      \vskip 19pt\vfil\hrule width 2.8in\hfil\vskip -3pt
      \leftline{\@memberfour, Member\hfil}   \fi
      \advance \numcount by -1 \ifnum\numcount > 0
      \vskip 19pt\vfil\hrule width 2.8in\hfil\vskip -3pt
      \leftline{\@memberfive, Member\hfil}  \fi
      \advance \numcount by -1 \ifnum\numcount > 0
      \vskip 19pt\vfil\hrule width 2.8in\hfil\vskip -3pt
      \leftline{\@membersix, Member\hfil} \fi
      \fi} 

 \def\sigblockabs{%
   \ifnum\numcomm < 4  % master's thesis or project
     \vskip 1.8in plus 24pt minus 24pt
     \leftline{Approved: \hfil}\vskip 24pt plus 2pt minus 10pt
     \leftline{\adviser, \doctype Adviser\hfil}
     %\leftline{Supervisor: \adviser \hfil}%my corrections
     \if \coadviser * % no co-adviser
       \else \vskip 8pt plus 6pt minus 2pt         
       \leftline{\coadviser, \doctype Adviser\hfil}
       %\leftline{Coordination: \coadviser} %my corrections
     \fi
     \if \cocoadviser * % no coco-adviser 
       \else \vskip 8pt plus 6pt minus 2pt 
      \leftline{\cocoadviser, \doctype Adviser\hfil}
     \fi 
 %    \vglue 24pt 
  \else  % PhD thesis
    \numcount=\numcomm
    \leftline{Examining Committee: \hfil}
    \begin{quote}   
      \adviser, \doctype Adviser\\[4pt]  \advance \numcount by -1
      \if \coadviser * \else 
        \coadviser, \doctype Adviser\\[4pt]    \advance\numcount by -1
      \fi
      \@memberone, Member\\[4pt] \advance \numcount by -1
      \ifnum\numcount > 0
      \@membertwo, Member\\[4pt] \advance \numcount by -1 \fi
      \ifnum\numcount > 0
      \@memberthree, Member\\[4pt] \advance \numcount by -1 \fi
      \ifnum\numcount > 0
      \@memberfour, Member\\[4pt] \advance \numcount by -1  \fi
      \ifnum\numcount > 0
      \@memberfive, Member\\[4pt]\advance \numcount by -1  \fi
      \ifnum\numcount > 0
      \@membersix, Member\\[4pt] \advance \numcount by -1\fi
    \end{quote}
  \fi  
 }

 \def\titlepage{%
     \pagenumbering{roman}
     \thispagestyle{empty}
     \ifnum\numcomm<4 \vglue .5in\vfil \fi  % masters
     \ifnum\numcomm>5 \hbox{ } \vspace{-24pt}\fi % make more space on page
     \begin{singlespace}
     \begin{center}
         \parindent=0pt
         {\large\uppercase\expandafter{\@thesistitle}}\\ [36pt]
         A Bachelor-\doctype Submitted to\\ [8pt]
         ETH ZURICH\\ [12pt]
         Departement of Mathematics\\ [36pt]
         Presented By \\ [12pt]
         \@author\\ [36pt]
         \@date
        % in Partial Fulfillment of the\\ [8pt]
        % Requirements for the Degree of\\ [8pt]
        % \uppercase\expandafter{\@degree}\\ [8pt]
        % Major Subject:~~\uppercase\expandafter{\@department}\\ 
         \ifnum\numcomm < 7 \vskip 64pt \else \vskip 24pt \fi
         \sigblock 
          \ifnum \numcomm < 7 \vskip 32pt \else \vskip 24pt \fi
        %  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute\\
        % Troy, New York\\ [14pt]
         \ifnum\numcomm>6 \vskip -8pt \fi
         \@submitdate
     \end{center}
     \end{singlespace}
     \newpage
     \pagestyle{plain}
%    \pagenumbering{roman}
%    \setcounter{page}{2}
}

 \def\abstitlepage{%
     \if@twoside\thispagestyle{empty}\cleardoublepage\fi
     \pagenumbering{roman}
     \thispagestyle{empty}
     \ifnum\numcomm<4 \vglue .5in \fi  % masters
     \begin{singlespace}
     \begin{center}
         \parindent=0pt
         \vglue 24pt plus 24pt minus 12pt
         {\large\uppercase\expandafter{\@thesistitle}}\\ [11pt]
         By \\ [11pt]
         \@author\\ [11pt]
         An Abstract of a Thesis Submitted to the Graduate\\ [7pt]
         Faculty of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute\\ [7pt]
         in Partial Fulfillment of the\\ [7pt]
         Requirements for the Degree of\\ [7pt]
         \uppercase\expandafter{\@degree}\\ [7pt]
         Major Subject:~~\uppercase\expandafter{\@department}\\  [7pt]
         The original of the complete thesis is on file\\
         in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Library\\
       \vfill
       \sigblockabs 
       \vskip 36pt plus 2pt minus 12pt 
        Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute\\
        Troy, New York\\ [12pt]
         \@submitdate
     \end{center}
     \end{singlespace}
     \newpage
     \pagestyle{plain}
%    \pagenumbering{roman}
%    \setcounter{page}{2}
}

\def\copyrightpage{
    \hbox{ }
    \vfill
    \begin{center}
    \copyright\ Copyright \@copyrightyear \\
    by \\
    \@author \\
    All Rights Reserved \\ [12pt]
    \end{center}
    \clearpage}
2
  • 1
    If you want to generate a blank page, there must be something (invisible) in it: \newpage\null\newpage. Look at the definition of \cleardoublepage.
    – egreg
    Jun 9, 2012 at 9:26
  • 2
    Is the \chapter with the "missing" blank page after it the only one that ends on an even page?
    – lockstep
    Jun 9, 2012 at 9:35

1 Answer 1

12

A blank page isn't really blank. Let's see the definition of \cleardoublepage:

\def\cleardoublepage{%
  \clearpage
  \if@twoside
    \ifodd\c@page
    \else
    \hbox{}\newpage
      \if@twocolumn\hbox{}\newpage\fi
    \fi
  \fi}

A \clearpage is issued. Then, if the document uses the twoside option, the current page number is examined (it's correct because TeX has just ejected a page): if it's odd, we are on a right-hand page and nothing has to be done. If we are on a left hand page, this must be ejected with nothing in it:

\hbox{}\newpage

(In case two column mode is active one needs two \newpage commands.)

The empty box is needed because vertical spacing and penalties (what \newpage emits) are discarded at a page break; therefore

\newpage\newpage\newpage

would give no blank page.

Instead of \hbox{} one can say \null.

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