How to start itemize on same line as text?

Question

I've created a new environment called 'Example' like this:

\newenvironment{example}
    {\textbf{Example:} \begin{itemize}}
    {\end{itemize}}

The environment works fine, but the items are starting after the Example: text. Is it possible to start with the first item on the same line as the Example: text and vertically aline the rest of the items with the first item?

Answer 1

You can do it, but I wouldn't recommend it. Look at the result and judge for yourself.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage{lipsum} % just for the example

\newlength{\jeroenlen}
\newenvironment{example}
 {\settowidth{\jeroenlen}{\textbf{Example:}}%
  \begin{description}[leftmargin=\jeroenlen,labelwidth=0pt,labelsep=0pt]
  \item[\textbf{Example:}]%
  \begin{itemize}[leftmargin=1.5em,labelsep=.5em]}
 {\end{itemize}\end{description}}

\begin{document}
\lipsum[2]
\begin{example}
\item Such and such
\item So and so
\item Enough
\end{example}
\lipsum[3]
\end{document}

The enclosing description environment is necessary for avoiding a line break after “Example:”.

Answer 2

\documentclass{article}

\newenvironment{example}
    {\textbf{Example:}\begin{minipage}[t]{0.8\linewidth}\begin{itemize}}
    {\end{itemize}\end{minipage}}

\begin{document}

\begin{example}
  \item These are first examples.
  \item Second examples.
  \item And more.
\end{example}

\end{document}

Answer 3

Using enumitem, you also can have a slightly different layout, where the label of the first item (Example •) is centred with respect to the bullets of the following items, which looks better in my opinion. Here's the result:

\documentclass[11pt, a4paper]{article}  
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}  
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}  
\usepackage{enumitem}  
\usepackage{lmodern}  
\pagestyle{empty}  
\parindent = 0pt  

\makeatletter%  
\newenvironment{examples}{%  
\newsavebox{\Exbox}\newlength{\len}%  
\sbox{\Exbox}{\textbf{Examples}\enspace\textbullet}\settowidth{\len}{\usebox{\Exbox}}%  
\let\olditem\item  
\def\item{\if@newlist\olditem\hspace{0.5\len}\else\olditem\fi}  
\setlist{before=\renewcommand{\labelitemi}{\if@newlist\makebox[0pt]{\usebox{\Exbox}}\else\textbullet\fi}}  
\begin{itemize}[labelwidth =0.5\len,itemindent=!,leftmargin=!]}%  
{\end{itemize}}  
\makeatother%  

\begin{document}
 Let’s try  this:   
\begin{examples}%   
\item very first element of the list,    
\item second element,  
\item third element.  
\end{examples}  
\end{document}