Re: DOCBOOK: itemized list within <para> or after </para>??

[Bob Stayton <bobs at caldera dot com>]

On Fri, Jul 26, 2002 at 01:40:47PM -0400, Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> 
>   ok, this is *really* anal retentive, but i'll bet folks have
> an opinion on it.
> 
>   if i want an opening paragraph, followed by a list, as in:
> 
>   Before you try to make your own beer, you should have the
> following at hand:
> 
>   * hops
>   * barley
>   * water
>   * hard liquor for when you get frustrated
> 
> 
>   is it proper to make the itemized list a sub-element of the
> paragraph, or to close the <para> and have the itemized list
> as the next element at the same level?
> 
>   aesthetically, it doesn't appear to make any difference, but
> TDG under "Para" suggests that "Some processing systems may find 
> the presence of block elements in a paragraph difficult to
> handle". (p. 351)
> 
>   so, any strong opinions either way?

My own practice is to put the list inside the para element
when it is tightly coupled with the para text, as in your
example.  If I grab the para to move it, I want to
make sure it brings the list along with it, because it
makes no sense without it.

In another opinion, I wouldn't include 'hard liquor' in
that list.  It comes much later in the process, after your
carefully filled bottles age for a few days and
start exploding in your closet.  8^)

-- 

Bob Stayton                                 400 Encinal Street
Publications Architect                      Santa Cruz, CA  95060
Technical Publications                      voice: (831) 427-7796
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                                            email: bobs@caldera.com