11.2 @itemize: Making an Itemized List

The @itemize command produces sequences of indented paragraphs, with a bullet or other mark inside the left margin at the beginning of each paragraph for which such a mark is desired.

Begin an itemized list by writing @itemize at the beginning of a line. Follow the command, on the same line, with a character or a Texinfo command that generates a mark. Usually, you will write @bullet after @itemize, but you can use @minus, or any command or character that results in a single character in the Info file. If you don't want any mark at all, use @w. (When you write the mark command such as @bullet after an @itemize command, you may omit the ‘{}’.) If you don't specify a mark command, the default is @bullet.

Write the text of the indented paragraphs themselves after the @itemize, up to another line that says @end itemize.

At the beginning of each paragraph for which a mark in the margin is desired, write a line that starts with @item. It is ok to have text following the @item.

Usually, you should put a blank line before an @item. This puts a blank line in the Info file. (TeX inserts the proper interline whitespace in either case.) Except when the entries are very brief, these blank lines make the list look better.

Here is an example of the use of @itemize, followed by the output it produces. @bullet produces an ‘*’ in Info and a round dot in TeX.

@itemize @bullet
@item
Some text for foo.

@item
Some text
for bar.
@end itemize

This produces:

• Some text for foo.
• Some text for bar.

Itemized lists may be embedded within other itemized lists. Here is a list marked with dashes embedded in a list marked with bullets:

@itemize @bullet
@item
First item.

@itemize @minus
@item
Inner item.

@item
Second inner item.
@end itemize

@item
Second outer item.
@end itemize

This produces:

• First item.
  • - Inner item.
  • - Second inner item.
• Second outer item.