# item formatting in description list

How can I get this to work:

\begin{description}
\item[\texttt{foo :: a \rightarrow b}] bla
\end{description}


without having to write:

\begin{description}
\item\ttfamily[foo~::~a~$\rightarrow$~b]\normalfont~bla
\end{description}


?

• \ttfamily: for typewriter formating
• ~: to get the spacing right(??)
• $: to activate math mode • \normalfont: to get back to normal • last ~: insert simple space(??) or how would you list some function definitions and append a description for the functions? - Clear duplicate of tex.stackexchange.com/questions/2245/… – frabjous Aug 24 '10 at 15:21 @frabjous: no, the other question is about \verb. – Caramdir Aug 24 '10 at 15:30 ## 3 Answers How about \begin{description} \item[\texttt{foo :: a$\rightarrow$b}] bla \end{description}  That is: add a closing brace and $s around \rightarrow.

Or maybe you want

\begin{description}
\item[\texttt{[foo ::~a $\rightarrow$ b]}] bla
\end{description}

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arg, sorry. I was fiddling around with item formatting all day long I started to believe you can't use formatting in item[] at all... Should I delete the question? – Gerold Meisinger Aug 24 '10 at 15:44
I don’t see a reason to do so. – Caramdir Aug 24 '10 at 15:48

In this case I would \usepackage{enumitem}

And then write:

\begin{description}[font=\tt]
\item[foo :: a $\rightarrow$ b] bla
\end{description}


This way you don't need to define the font for each of your items.

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In my opinion, this should be the accepted answer. – I Like to Code Apr 15 '14 at 14:02

i notice you're missing a closing brace before the closing bracket, other than that the two seem to produce identical output for me, save the enclosing brackets in your second example.

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