[Tex/LaTex] How to change symbol separating description item definitions with enumitem

descriptionenumitemlists

I'm trying to alter the description environment with enumitem so that an item will be separated from its description by a dash rather than a colon. Having searched the documentation and this forum, I haven't found a solution. The closest I've come is this:

\begin{description}[labelindent=\parindent, leftmargin=*, format= --]

That puts the en-dash before the item, rather than after; not what I need.

Best Answer

You have to redefine the \makelabel command:

\begin{description}[labelindent=\parindent,
  leftmargin=*,labelsep=.33333em,
  before={\renewcommand\makelabel[1]{##1 --}}]

The setting of labelsep should produce a normal interword space.

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] enumitem nextline style: nested item shouldn’t start on description label’s line

I think you are misusing the nextline style. I would suggest that you do it like this:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{enumitem}

\newcommand{\DLitem}[2][]{%
 \item[#1]\hfill \emph{#2}\par}

\newenvironment{DLdescription}[1][*]
 {\begin{description}[leftmargin=#1]}
 {\end{description}}

\begin{document}

  \begin{DLdescription}
  \DLitem[dleft1]{dright1}
    blah blah
    \begin{itemize}
    \item nested item correctly starts on its own line
    \end{itemize}
      \DLitem[dleft2]{dright2}
    % nothing before itemize
    \begin{itemize}
    \item nested item shouldn't start on description label's line!
    \end{itemize}
  \end{DLdescription}

\end{document}

You can adjust locally \parskip is you want less space after the first line.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] enumitem nextline style: nested item shouldn’t start on description label’s line

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