[Doc-SIG] lists & blank lines (was re: backslashing)
Goodger, David
dgoodger@atsautomation.com
Mon, 16 Apr 2001 18:23:35 -0400
[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