# Alignment of item number in list containing a minipage

I would like to have the list number at the beginning of the item, and not centered as is the case for item (b) the example below. If I comment out the \usepackage{nccmath}, I get this, but then the spacing gets messed up. I'd rather keep the nccmath package if possible.

I also do need to keep the [c] for the minipages.

I have looked at Preventing itemize environment to insert initial vertical space and Including an itemized list within a tabular column using the paralist package, but can not get that to work for me.

\documentclass{standalone}

\usepackage{standalone}
\usepackage{paralist}

\usepackage{mathtools}
\usepackage{nccmath} % Removing fixes vertical align, but changes spacing

\newcommand{\MyMiniPage}{
\begin{minipage}[c]{1.0in}
\begin{align*}
a &= b\\
c &= d
\end{align*}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}[c]{1.0in}
\begin{align*}
y &= z
\end{align*}
\end{minipage}
}

\begin{document}
\begin{enumerate}[(a)]
\item First item
\item \MyMiniPage
\item Third item
\end{enumerate}
\end{document}


I attempted to use \compress as mentioned in the other posts above, but was not able to get it to work.

---------------- Revised posting using \input -------------

This is in the file ListsProblem-Minipage.tex:

\documentclass[preview=false]{standalone}

\usepackage{standalone}
\usepackage{amsmath}

\begin{document}
\begin{minipage}[c]{1.0in}
\begin{align*}
a &= b\\
c &= d
\end{align*}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}[c]{1.0in}
\begin{align*}
y &= z
\end{align*}
\end{minipage}
\end{document}


This is in the file ListsProblem-Minipage2.tex:

\documentclass[preview=false,fleqn]{standalone}

\usepackage{standalone}
\usepackage{amsmath}

\begin{document}
%\begin{minipage}{3.0in}
\begin{align*}
(-3)^4 &= 81\\
\frac{5^{23}} {5^{21}} &= 25
\end{align*}
%\end{minipage}
\end{document}


And here is the main file:

\documentclass[fleqn]{standalone}

\usepackage{standalone}
\usepackage{paralist}

\usepackage{mathtools}
\usepackage{nccmath} % Removing fixes align, but changes spacing
\begin{document}
\input{ListsProblem-Minipage.tex}  % These two correctly yields
\input{ListsProblem-Minipage.tex}  % the desired 4 columns

\begin{enumerate}[(a)]
\item First item
\item \input{ListsProblem-Minipage.tex}
\item \input{ListsProblem-Minipage2.tex}  % not in a mini-page
\item Third item
\end{enumerate}
\end{document}


Note that the item label (b) is not aligned with the top of the two center aligned mini pages. The alignment of the (b) with the mini-pages that I want can be seen by commenting out the \usepackage{nccmath}. But I want a solution that does not require me to abandon the nccmath package. Commeting this out also screws up the spacing.

-

This may be solved with \valign

\newcommand{\MyMiniPage}{%
\leavevmode\vtop{\hrule height 0pt \kern-\baselineskip
\valign{\vfill##\vfill\cr
\hbox to 1in{\begin{aligned} a &= b\\ c &= d \end{aligned}\hfill}\cr
\hbox to1in{\begin{aligned} y &= z \end{aligned}\hfill}\cr}}
}


I put everything into a \vtop, where I care to set the first line aligned with the \item; then it's just a "trivial" \valign. :)

--- Added after having seen the example ---

In the case of an included standalone file the approach is different:

\documentclass{standalone}

\usepackage{standalone}
\usepackage{paralist}

\newcommand{\iteminput}[2][\topskip-1bp]{%
\leavevmode\vtop{\hrule height 0pt\kern-\dimexpr#1\relax
\input{#2}}}

\usepackage{mathtools}
\usepackage{nccmath} % Removing fixes align, but changes spacing
\begin{document}
\input{ListsProblem-Minipage.tex}  % These two correctly yields
\input{ListsProblem-Minipage.tex}  % the desired 4 columns

\begin{enumerate}[(a)]
\item First item
\item \iteminput{ListsProblem-Minipage.tex}
\item Third item
\end{enumerate}
\end{document}


The command \iteminput has an optional argument in case the default back up in the \vtop is not correct

\iteminput[<dimension>]{filename}

-
This produces the output I want. But the two mini pages that I provided in my posting are coming from a standalone file and need to function as mini pages. For example, if I say \MyMiniPage \MyMiniPage I do not get the expected behavior (which I do with the definition of MyMinipage that I gave in the post. –  Peter Grill Apr 21 '11 at 18:49
@Peter: please, provide a real example. –  egreg Apr 21 '11 at 19:30
Above ex is close to real. To simplify posting, I defined a newcommand{\MyMiniPage}. In reality, contents of this command are in a separate standalone file MyMiniPage.tex, and the enumerate line reads \item \input{MyMiniPage.tex} instead of \item \MyMiniPage. I need the contents of this file to behave as a mini-page (so for instance, 2 subsequent \input{MyMiniPage.tex} gives 4 columns center aligned as the above example does with \MyMiniPage \MyMiniPage. But when MyMiniPage.tex is included in a list, I want the top of the two (center aligned) mini-pages at the top of the list num. –  Peter Grill Apr 21 '11 at 20:10
Is it a problem to provide the code for the standalone files? It's impossible to try and give a solution, otherwise. –  egreg Apr 21 '11 at 20:15
Standalone files now posted. I left the original code as well in case it is useful to someone else. –  Peter Grill Apr 21 '11 at 20:33

If you want it flush left, then simply use $...$ lines of math code

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{standalone}
\usepackage{paralist}
\usepackage{mathtools}
\usepackage{nccmath} % Removing fixes vertical align, but changes spacing

\newcommand{\MyMiniPage}{\arraycolsep=1.4pt
$\begin{array}{@{} l l @{\qquad} l l} a &= b & y &=z \\[3pt] c &= d \end{array}$}

\begin{document}
\begin{enumerate}[(a)]
\item First item
\item \MyMiniPage
\item Third item
\end{enumerate}
\end{document}


-
I would like the two minipages to be [c] aligned with each other. I just want the label of the second item (b) to be aligned with the top. Would also prefer to still use the the nccmath package, unless there is a problem with that package. –  Peter Grill Apr 14 '11 at 18:10
@Peter: see edited answer –  Herbert Apr 14 '11 at 18:56
Ok, guess I am not being very clear: I want the (b) at the top, AND the two mini-pages to be centered with respect to each other. The mini-pages are coming from separate standalone files, but to simply the test case here I defined a command - both show exactly the same problem. They really should remain as mini-pages as they don't always just have math in them. So, I need them to be mini-pages, centered with respect to each other. I just want the label at the top. –  Peter Grill Apr 14 '11 at 19:23