Sometimes, I want to have enumerate lists in LaTeX start at other than the first value (1, a, i, etc.) How can I make an enumerate list start at an arbitrary value?
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You can change the counter named enumi, like this:
\begin{enumerate}
\setcounter{enumi}{4}
\item fifth element
\end{enumerate}
(If you have lists at deeper levels of nesting, the relevant counters are enumii, enumiii and enumiv.)
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@JohnMolokach See tex.stackexchange.com/questions/2291/… (look at top two answers at least). – ShreevatsaR Jul 8 '15 at 15:38
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Thanks. I think for what I need, I'll just use \begin{enumerate} \begin{enumerate} lettered items \end{enumerate} numbered items \end{enumerate} – John Molokach Jul 8 '15 at 19:22
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5@JohnMolokach That will indent it an extra level, and make it look ugly. Better to do it right, e.g. simply
\usepackage{enumerate}at the top and use\begin{enumerate}[(a)]etc. Anyway, it's up to you. This question was about starting at something other than the first index, e.g. starting at(e)instead of(a), but I can see how the title is ambiguous. – ShreevatsaR Jul 8 '15 at 19:25
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The enumitem package provides a simple solution to very many common problems that are related to minor tweaks of enumerate/itemize/description. In this case, you can use the start parameter. Also have a look at the resume parameter.
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9I would just like to make explicit that the "resume" parameter causes the counter to continue from the previous "enumerate" environment. – Austin Mohr Jan 9 '14 at 5:37
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1To be more explicit "resume"parameter causes the counter to continue from the previous "enumerate" environment in the current block. For example \begin{enumerate} \item 1 \end{enumerate} \begin{defn} \begin{enumerate} \item 1 \item 2 \end{enumerate} \end{defn} \begin{enumerate} \item This will be 2 \end{enumerate} – Dr. Dinesh J. Karia Nov 16 '16 at 7:16
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If you only want to alter the starting value, the easiest way is:
\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\begin{enumerate}\addtocounter{enumi}{41}
\item This item is numbered `42.'
\begin{enumerate}\addtocounter{enumii}{5}% This cannot be more than 25
\item This one is ``numbered'' `(f)'
\end{enumerate}
\end{enumerate}
\end{document}
While you can have six layers of nested list environments (itemize, description, enumerate), you can have no more than 4 of one type. The counters enumi through enumiv control the index of each item's label. You can increment (as shown) or decrement (add a negative value) all 4 levels.
Note, though, that this won't be entirely arbitrary. Levels enumerated alphabetically cannot have items after an item labeled 'z.' (You could, however, add a negative amount to the appropriate counter to get it back to the `a' label.)
(Now that I see the other answer, I wonder why I always opt for the relative \addtocounter rather than the absolute \settocounter?)
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\addtocounteris safer in that it ensures monotonicity when used mid-list. – equaeghe Mar 19 '14 at 10:22 -
