enumitem - understanding horizontal spacing

Question

I am baffling with horizontal spacing for description list given by enumitem package. I would like to have dots lined up under each other. I expect that \labelident is the right parameter, but I am confused. My MWE is below:

  \begin{description}[labelindent=\parindent,leftmargin=3cm, style=standard]
    \item[\(V_\text{m}\)]       \(\ldots\;\)\emph{text 1},
    \item[\(ω t + \varphi_0\)]  \(\ldots\;\)\emph{text 2},
    \item[\(ω\)]                \(\ldots\;\)\emph{text 3},
    \item[\(t\)]                \(\ldots\;\)\emph{text 4}.
  \end{description}

Maybe something like what is mentioned here? https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/67720/description-list-with-aligned-descriptions — Jes, Sep 28 '23 at 21:58

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 29 '23 at 01:41

Please always provide MWE, which we can test as it is

I would consider @Sigur comment:

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\begin{document}
some text
 \begin{itemize}[nosep, leftmargin=5em]
    \item[(V_{\mathrm{m}})]           (\ldots;)\emph{text 1},
    \item[(\omega t + \varphi_0)] (\ldots;)\emph{text 2},
    \item[(\omega)]               (\ldots;)\emph{text 3},
    \item[(t)]                    (\ldots;)\emph{text 4}.
  \end{itemize} 
\end{document}

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 29 '23 at 10:06

You want to set a suitable labelwidth.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{unicode-math}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage{lipsum}
\begin{document}
\lipsum[1][1-3]
\begin{description}[
  labelwidth=4em,
  labelindent=\parindent,
  leftmargin=3cm,
  style=standard,
]
  \item[(V_{\mathrm{m}})]   \dots\ \emph{text 1},
  \item[(ω t + \varphi_0)]  \dots\ \emph{text 2},
  \item[(ω)]                \dots\ \emph{text 3},
  \item[(t)]                \dots\ \emph{text 4}.
\end{description}
\lipsum[2]
\end{document}

Please, note that V_\text{m} is wrong under two respects:

outer braces are needed, even if the output seems right;
\text should be \mathrm, because the former doesn't ensure upright font.

Also I'd not abuse math mode for the dots.

enumitem - understanding horizontal spacing

2 Answers2