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< [[From LaTeX to ConTeXt]] | [[Structurals]] >

== A Basic Description Environment =Lists =

=== LaTeX ===

LaTeX provides a <tt>description</tt> environment, which works just like an itemized or enumerated list except that the item labels are specified by an (optional) argument to the <tt>\{{cmd|item</tt> }} command, rather than being automatically generated. This is useful for making lists of definitions and other sorts of descriptions that are headed by a keyword.

\item[Short] This is a shorter item label, and some text that talks about it.The text is wrapped into a paragraph, with successive lines indented. \item[Rather longer label] This is a longer item label. As you can see, thetext is not started a specified distance in -- unlike with other lists -- butis spaced a fixed distance from the end of the label.

=== ConTeXt ===

ConTeXt provides a similar mechanism. Unlike the LaTeX version, ConTeXt's description mechanism does not enclose the items in an environment, but instead formats them independently according to formats given in <{{cmd>setupdescription</cmd> |setupdescriptions}} or <{{cmd>|definedescription</cmd>}}. The <{{cmd>|definedescription</cmd> }} latter command is used to define a named description class, which can later be called using its name. This example defines a <tt>latexdesc</tt> description, with parameters that roughly approximate the LaTeX defaults. <context source=yes>\definedescription[latexdesc][ headstyle=bold, style=normal, align=flushleft, alternative=hanging, width=broad, margin=1cm] \latexdesc{Short} This is a shorter item label, and some text that talks about it. The text is wrapped into a paragraph, with successive lines indented. \latexdesc{Rather longer label} This is a longer item label. As you can see, the text is not started a specified distance in -- unlike with other lists -- but is spaced a fixed distance from the end of the label. </context> The empty lines (or {{cmd|par}}) after each description (here, <tt>\latexdesc</tt>) line are required. The <tt>margin=<i>dimension</i></tt> key specifies the hanging indentation for lines after the first line. In addition, the separation between the label and the text can be specified using a <tt>distance=<i>dimension</i></tt> key.  = Multi-Paragraph Descriptions = == LaTeX == Because the LaTeX description mechanism is an environment, it is simple to include multiple paragraphs in a description environment, or even to embed sub-lists. For instance, consider the following example:

\definedescriptiondocumentclass{article}\begin{document}\begin{description}\item[latexdescPara][ headstyle=bold,style=normal,align=left,location=hangingThis is a shorter item label,and some text that talks about it. width=broad The text is wrapped into a paragraph,margin=1cm]with successive lines indented.

\starttext\latexdesc{Short} This is a shorter another paragraph under the "Para" item label, and some text that talks about it.The text is wrapped into a paragraph, with successive lines indented.

\latexdescbegin{Rather longer labeldescription} \item[Sub-Item] This is a longer description of an item label. As you can see, which is within thetext is not started a specified distance in -- unlike with other lists -- butis spaced a fixed distance from the end of the label "Para" item.

\stoptextitem[Sub-Item] Another sub-item. \end{description}\item[Short] A short item that's not part of that really long "Para" item.\end{description}\end{document}

The empty lines (or In this example, the code indentation has been used to illustrate the alignment of the typeset output. Everything between <cmdcode>par\item[Para]</cmdcode>) after each description (here, and <ttcode>\latexdescitem[Short]</ttcode>) line are requiredis part of the "Para" item, and is indented by the same amount. The embedded description then embeds any following lines on the "Sub-Item"s by an additional indentation, as one would expect.

The <tt>margin=<i>dimension</i></tt> key specifies the hanging indentation for lines after the first line. In addition, the separation between the label and the text can be specified using a <tt>distance=<i>dimension</i></tt> key.ConTeXt ==

<context source=yes>\starttextdefinedescription[descr][\latexdesc{Short} This is a shorter item label headstyle=bold, style=normal, align=flushleft, alternative=hanging, and some text that talks about it.The text is wrapped into a paragraph width=broad, with successive lines indented.margin=1cm]

\latexdescstartdescr{Rather longer labelPara} This is a longer shorter item label, and some text that talks about it. As you can see, the The text is not started wrapped into a specified distance in -- unlike paragraph, with other lists -- butis spaced a fixed distance from the end of the labelsuccessive lines indented.

This is another paragraph under the "Para" item. \stoptextstartdescr{Sub Item} This is a description of an item which is within the "Para" item. \stopdescr \startdescr{Sub Item} Another Sub Item \stopdescr\stopdescr\startdescr{Short} A short item that's not part of that really long "Para" item.\stopdescr

=Descriptions with Fixed Label Width = == LaTeX === In LaTeX, the <tt>mdwlist</tt> package can be used to set a fixed label width. 

\item[LabelShort] bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla This is a shorter item label, and some text that talks about it. bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla The text is wrapped into a paragraph, with successive lines indented.\item[Very long Rather longer label] bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla blaThis is a longer item label. As you can see, the bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla paragraph simply starts 6em in.

=== ConTeXt ===

sets the label to 6em5em:

<contextsource=yes>

headstyle=bold,style=normal,align=leftflushleft,locationalternative=hanging, width=6em5em] \notation{Short} This is a shorter item label, and some text that talks about it. The text is wrapped into a paragraph, with successive lines indented. \notation{Rather longer label} This is a longer item label. As you can see, the paragraph simply pretends the label is 5em wide. </context> Another example: <context source=yes>\setupcolors[state=start]\definedescription[Desc][alternative=top, hang=20, headstyle=bold, headcolor=blue command=\hskip-1cm, margin=1cm]

\starttext\notationDesc{LabelShort}This item's short label is set above the paragraph. The bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla paragraph starts 1cm in.

\notationDesc{Very long Rather longer label}This item's rather longer label is also set bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla above the paragraph. The paragraph starts 1cm in.