Ordered list

An ordered list is a text element, rendered in HTML with the <ol> tag. The <li> tag is used to define a list item, and each tag can take parameters to change the formatting of the list.

MediaWiki markdown permits a simplified syntax for creating ordered lists, using the # character to define list items.

Background info:

  • mw:Help:Lists (MediaWiki page on how MediaWiki markdown handles lists)
  • HTML lists (W3schools page on how HTML lists work in general)

On Wikisource, ordered lists can present some special challenges, beyond what you might encounter on another wiki, for two reasons:

  1. At Wikisource, we typically try to preserve formatting from the original source as closely as possible; so we need to be able to produce a number of idiosyncratic formatting styles.
  2. Our transcriptions are typically page-by-page, meaning that ordered lists (like all elements) need to display properly both as a part of the overall flowing text, and also on individual pages. Lists and list items that span pages can be tricky to deal with.

Relevant tools on Wikisource

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  • {{Ordered list}}: This template creates an ordered list, which is similar to a {{numbered list}} but may display other characters, such as roman numbers or alphabet letters, instead of the decimal enumerator.