How can I change the number of enumerate items?

Question

Ok, since this question seems to be pretty easy (well I still don't know the answer and didn't find something on this site), I'll try it without MWE: I'd like to know how to change the number of items in enumerate environments. Most appreciated would be solutions without additional packages or such...

\begin{enumerate}
  \item The fifth item
  \item The seventh item
\end{enumerate}

This should result in

5. The fifth item
7. The seventh item

and not in the normal items numbered 1 and 2. It probably has to do something with counters!?

Gonzalo Medina · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-13T22:36:08.107

26

Set the enumi counter and do it through a command for easiness (for a more general answer, see below):

\documentclass{article}

\newcommand\setItemnumber[1]{\setcounter{enumi}{\numexpr#1-1\relax}}

\begin{document}

\begin{enumerate}
  \setItemnumber{5}
  \item The fifth item
  \setItemnumber{7}
  \item The seventh item
\end{enumerate}

\end{document}

enter image description here

Since the previous definition of the command uses enumi, the defined command \setItemnumber will only work for the first level for nested enumerates. Using the \@enumdepth counter (controlling the nesting depth for enumerated lists), the command can be improved so as to be used for every level in nested enumerations:

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\newcommand\setItemnumber[1]{\setcounter{enum\romannumeral\@enumdepth}{\numexpr#1-1\relax}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}

\begin{enumerate}
  \setItemnumber{5}
  \item The fifth item
  \begin{enumerate}
    \setItemnumber{3}
    \item The third subitem
    \setItemnumber{9}
    \item The ninth subitem
  \end{enumerate}
  \setItemnumber{7}
  \item The seventh item
\end{enumerate}

\end{document}

The result:

enter image description here

Use the optional argument for \item (but you loose in this way the possibility to do cross-references to those items):

\documentclass{article}

\begin{document}

\begin{enumerate}
  \item[5.] The fifth item
  \item[7.] The seventh item
\end{enumerate}

\end{document}

edited Jul 13 '15 at 22:36

answered Jul 13 '15 at 18:20

Gonzalo Medina

505,128

i know the version that adjusts the counter will work reliably with \label and \ref. will the other work as well? (i could try it, but having the answer here might help someone else too.) – barbara beeton Jul 13 '15 at 18:23
@barbarabeeton No, it won't. I just added the remark. – Gonzalo Medina Jul 13 '15 at 18:24
Works, thx! :) setcounter{enumi}{x} would have done it, but your newcommand is a nice addition – caligula Jul 13 '15 at 18:24
@caligula You're welcome. Yes, the command is useful; using just \setcounter{enumi}{x} you would have to remember to use n-1 to get n, the command does the calculation for you :) – Gonzalo Medina Jul 13 '15 at 18:29
Ok, I found a question: What is the \relax good for? – caligula Jul 13 '15 at 18:31
@caligula in this particular case, it instructs TeX to stop scanning for numbers. – Gonzalo Medina Jul 13 '15 at 18:32
@caligula You're welcome. I updated my answer with a more general version of the command which might be of interes for you. – Gonzalo Medina Jul 13 '15 at 22:36

How can I change the number of enumerate items?

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