# Description numbering

I have an article document. In this document I have sections and subsections. In a subsection there are nested 'description' lists. I want that items of this description have numbers which use the number of the subsection and nested case the number of the parent description.

4.1. Subsection
4.1.1. Item 1 of Description 1
4.1.1.1. Item 1 of Description 2
4.1.1.2. Item 2 of Description 2
4.1.2. Item 2 of Description 1


How I can achieve that?

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I have no idea why you would do this using a description environment and not an enumerate (as in the other answer), but who am I to question? :)

In the code below, I've borrowed some ideas from Enumerated description list and have introduced a couple of new counters descriptcounti and descriptcountii; if you plan to have deeper lists, just keep going (descriptcountiii, etc)

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{enumitem}

% first level
\newcounter{descriptcounti}
\setlist[description]{%
before={\setcounter{descriptcounti}{0}},%
,font=\bfseries\refstepcounter{descriptcounti}\thesubsection.\thedescriptcounti~}

% second level
\newcounter{descriptcountii}
\setlist[description,2]{%
before={\setcounter{descriptcountii}{0}},%
,font=\bfseries\refstepcounter{descriptcountii}\thesubsection.\thedescriptcounti.\thedescriptcountii~}
\begin{document}

\setcounter{section}{4} % just for demonstration
\subsection{Sub section}
\begin{description}
\item item one
\item item two
\item item three
\begin{description}
\item item one
\item item two
\item item three
\end{description}
\end{description}

\end{document}


Following the comments, you can easily apply this to a custom description, say mydesc, by using \newlist

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{enumitem}

\newlist{mydesc}{description}{5}

% first level
\newcounter{descriptcounti}
\setlist[mydesc]{%
before={\setcounter{descriptcounti}{0}},%
,font=\bfseries\refstepcounter{descriptcounti}\thesubsection.\thedescriptcounti~}

% second level
\newcounter{descriptcountii}
\setlist[mydesc,2]{%
before={\setcounter{descriptcountii}{0}},%
,font=\bfseries\refstepcounter{descriptcountii}\thesubsection.\thedescriptcounti.\thedescriptcountii~}
\begin{document}

\setcounter{section}{4} % just for demonstration
\subsection{Sub section}
\begin{mydesc}
\item item one
\item item two
\item item three
\begin{mydesc}
\item item one
\item item two
\item item three
\end{mydesc}
\end{mydesc}

\end{document}

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Is it possible to left description as it was, but create the same list with another name (for ex., mydesc)? –  user14416 Nov 28 '12 at 14:52
@user14416 yes, absolutely :) see my updated answer –  cmhughes Nov 28 '12 at 16:13

How does this work for you?

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\renewcommand{\labelenumi}{\bfseries\arabic{enumi}}
\renewcommand{\labelenumii}{\bfseries\arabic{enumi}.%
\arabic{enumii}}
\renewcommand{\labelenumiii}{\bfseries\arabic{enumi}.%
\arabic{enumii}.\arabic{enumiii}}
\renewcommand{\labelenumiv}{\bfseries\arabic{enumi}.%
\arabic{enumii}.\arabic{enumiii}.%
\arabic{enumiv}}

\begin{enumerate}
\item Starting at the first level
\begin{enumerate}
\item Now we're at the second level
\item This is the second item on the second level
\begin{enumerate}
\item Now we're three levels deep.
\item Let's go deeper with an itemized list.
Let's list fruits.
\begin{enumerate}
\item Bananas
\item Oranges
\item Apples
\end{enumerate}
\end{enumerate}
\item We're back to the second level.
\end{enumerate}
\item Back to the first level
\end{enumerate}

\end{document}


-
I need this for description. –  user14416 Nov 27 '12 at 22:25
I'm a bit confused then. You're description shows what is essentially an enumerated list. I'm unclear about what effect you want from description. –  A.Ellett Nov 27 '12 at 23:35