How do I get lowercase-letter ordered lists?

[Chris Maloney]

In HTML, I just use <ol type="a">, but confluence doesn't let me do that. Is there any way to get these kinds of ordered lists? Like this:

a. first item

b. item the next

c. ....

[Bruna Griebeler · Accepted solution]

Hi Chris

I made some tests here and you are right: seems like the attribute type is not been recognized by Confluence, at least using the html macro.

I suggest you to try using CSS and check if this can help.

Cheers!

[Daniel Borcherding]

Bruna,

You are 90% of the way there.

Chris,

If I am understanding things correctly, you want to change the top level of nesting of ordered list from their default decimal types to the "lower-alpha" list-style-type.

What I would suggest involves using the confluence souce editor to add a custom class to the list that you would like to. The result should look something like the following

<ol class="alpha_list">
  <li>this is one<br/>
    <ol>
      <li>this is a two<br/>
        <ol>
          <li>OMGEE 3</li>
        </ol>
      </li>
    </ol>
  </li>
  <li>Clippy</li>
  <li>Derp</li>
</ol>

You would then create the following style in either your Global Or Space Admin > Stylesheets tab

ol.alpha_list  
{  
    list-style-type: lower-alpha;  
}

The style would only affect the first level of nesting in the structure above. It would retain the same sub list behavior that is default in Confluence.

i.e. First level Decimal, Second lower alpha, third lower roman...etc

Please let us know if this answers your questions

[Chris Maloney]

Hi, I didn't get notification of these comments -- sorry for the delayed response. I'm sure this would work, unfortunately, our confluence admins haven't granted anyone permissions to add their own css. :(

[Mark Hrynczak]

If you are using Confluence v4.0 or above, you can do this:

• start a numbered list
• press tab to indent the list

The identation will change the numbering from 1,2,3... to a,b,c...

[Deleted user]

Thanks Mark.  This answer works but it produces two indents before the letter list if it is a sublist.

i.e.

1. Main list one

1. Sub list one
2. Sub list two

becomes:

1. Data points that are not logging in test drives or on bench

                 a. ActiveComfortProgramControlService,activeComfortProgramStatusChanged
                 b. TemperatureService,getTemperatureForAllZones

it'd be great if we can switch between number and letter list

[Mogsdad]

This problem still exists, but here's a work-around.

1. In another editor (I know...) create a numbered list with two entries, numbers in the first layer, then indent and use letters in the second. I did this in a Google Doc, where that's the default behavior.
2. Copy those two lines.
3. Paste them into your Confluence editor. (To be cautious, keep that "working copy" handy.)
4. Copy the second level (with a letter) from the "working copy", and paste it in the list where you want to use letters, say right above the indented "1" that made you look for this question in the first place!
5. Go to the end of the pasted line, delete the temporary text and line break to delete the "1" and bring the following paragraph up to the letter.
6. To change additional list items to use letters, go to the end of the "good" item *above them*, delete the line break, then hit "enter" to put it back, and that next item will now be enumerated with a letter.