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.................... Introduction to HTML

4.6 Lists

HTML supports several elements for making lists. They can be divided into two types: glossary lists, and regular lists. Glossary Lists are denoted by the element <DL>, while regular lists are denoted by the elements <UL>, <OL>, <MENU> and <DIR>. Lists can be nested. Thus you can have a regular list within a regular list, a regular list within a glossary list, and so on. Some examples are shown below.

This document describes glossary lists. The following document ([Next] from the menu at the top of the page) explains the formatting of regular lists.

4.6.1 DL Element: Glossary Lists

This list type, also known as a definition list, is used to present a list of items along with descriptive paragraphs. This can be used for glossaries, but is also useful for presenting a named list of items and their meanings. The items within the list are introduced by the two elements
<DT> -- The `Term' (a single line)
<DD> -- The `Definition' (may be multiple lines)
DL can take a single attribute, COMPACT, to signify that the list is small (or large) and should be rendered in a physically compact way. This attribute is ignored by several browsers.

4.6.2 Example of DL Lists

Here is an example from the Paragraphs section of this manual (with a small addition to show a nested regular list:) 
<dl>
<dt> Things to Avoid:
    <dd> You should NOT use elements that define paragraph
    formatting within the PRE element. This means you should
    not use <code> &lt;P>, &lt;ADDRESS>, &lt;Hn> 
    </code>and so 
    on. You should avoid the use of tab characters -- use single 
    blank characters to space text apart.
<dt> Things That are OK:
    <dd>You <em> can </em> use Anchor.  A typed 
    carriage return will cause a new line in the presented text.
    People you should never let format lists include:
    <ul>
    <li> Bozo the Clown
    <li> Uncle Fester
    <li> Knights who go nii
    </ul>
    Which would be downright silly in the first place.
</dl>
This is rendered as:
Things to Avoid:
You should NOT use elements that define paragraph formatting within the PRE element. This means you should not use <P>, <ADDRESS>, <Hn> and so on. You should avoid the use of tab characters -- use single blank characters to space text apart.
Things That are OK:
You can use Anchor. A typed carriage return will cause a new line in the presented text. People you should never let format lists include: Which would be downright silly in the first place.
Look at Section 4.6.2 for information on regular lists.
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© Ian Graham 1994-1995 Page Last Updated: 4 December 1995