Ordered list syntax.

[John Gruber]

Michel Fortin <michel.fortin at michelf.com> wrote on 03/26/04 at 7:45p:

> Here are some test cases:
> 
>      This is a paragraph containing the number
>      1. This is the second phrase of the paragraph.
> 
>      This is a paragraph containing the number
>      1. The second sentence contains number
>      2. But it's still the same paragraph.
> 
>      This is a paragraph containing no number.
>      1. This is a single item list.
> 
>      This is a paragraph containing the number
>      1. The second sentence contains no number.
>      1. This is the first item of a list.
> 
> How do you make sure what is a list and what is not in all these 
> examples? Easy, just write the rule that way: "A list must be separated 
> from the previous paragraph by a period or a colon at the end of the 
> previous line, or by a blank line". What do you think of this rule?

These are great test cases. As you pointed out in a subsequent
message, I'm not sure your suggested rule will work, because I don't
think we can make those punctuation requirements. But we still
should find a way to make these test cases work.

Perhaps one way to do it could be to state that a top-level list
must have a blank line preceding it, but not sub-lists. This would
solve many, but not all, of the potential conflicts.

-J.G.