[Doc-SIG] lists & blank lines (was re: backslashing)

[Goodger, David]

[Edward D. Loper]
> > > In theory, someone could read the following as a single list item,
> > > even though our rules say its two::
> > >
> > >     1. I like the number e.  This number is approximately equal to
> > >     2.71828182846.  But it's irrational, so that's an 
> approximation.
> > 
> > I'd say this is just another example of:
> > 
> > > > >   - xxxx x xxxx         (one list item or a list item
> > > > >   xx xx x xxxxx          followed by a paragraph?)
> > > >
> > > > Item followed by paragraph, with warning. Or error.
> 
> But there's an important difference here.  A parser will give a
> warning for the second and third examples, but won't for the
> first example.  I would prefer to be able to say "if something
> might be ambiguous to people, then we either issue a warning
> or an error."  But in the example about liking e, that rule
> doesn't hold.

Sure it does. It's an enumerated list item ("1.") followed by an unindented
line, therefore another paragraph not part of the first item (this should
trigger a warning unless it's another item in the same list). The second
line is not an enumerated list item, since:

(a) the label isn't of a standard pattern the same as the first item 
    ("\d+\. "; no space after the "2."; I don't think we should allow
    floating-point enumerators, hm? :); 
(b) the label isn't sequential with the first item's label 
    (1 + 1 != 2.718...); 
(c) if we permit nested lists through compound enumerators, sublists must
    start with "1" or equivalent, and this one doesn't.

Convinced? If not, why *would* the parser pass the second line through
unchallenged? Please show your work ;-)

/DG