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I'm sure this has been asked before, but couldn't see an answer which I could use.

I am using the \quote package to relay a conversation. How can I increase the spacing between lines in the conversation, but not for the rest of the document 

\begin{quote}
\textit{\textbf{User:}} ``hi"
\item \textit{\textbf{user2:}} ``hi"
\item \textit{\textbf{User:}} ``blah blah"
\item \textit{\textbf{user2:}} ``blah blah"
\end{quote}
Bat
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    Does \addtolength{\itemsep}{5pt} help? Are you using the quote environment or a quote package? I don't know a package named quote –  Jan 19 '19 at 10:29
  • that did help yes thankyou. I am using the quote environment. Im sure there is a better way to replay a dialogue. I did try the dialogue package but didnt look quite as good as just using this method. – Bat Jan 19 '19 at 10:42
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    There also packages for typesetting 'plays', i.e. dramas etc. which could also be helpful, because a play consists dominantly of dialogues –  Jan 19 '19 at 10:45
  • ok thanks Christian ! Will check that also ! – Bat Jan 19 '19 at 11:44

1 Answers1

2

It makes sense to define a specific environment; also parts should be separated by blank lines rather than by \item.

A big advantage of using conversation is that you can change the spacing parameter acting at a single place.

\documentclass{article}

\newenvironment{conversation}
  {\list{}{%
     \setlength{\rightmargin}{\leftmargin}% what quote does
     \setlength{\parsep}{4ex}% more spaces between paragraphs
   }\item\relax}
  {\endlist}

\begin{document}

With \texttt{quote} and \verb|\item|:
\begin{quote}
\textit{\textbf{User:}} ``hi''
\item \textit{\textbf{user2:}} ``hi''
\item \textit{\textbf{User:}} ``blah blah''
\item \textit{\textbf{user2:}} ``blah blah''
\end{quote}

With \texttt{conversation}
\begin{conversation}
\textit{\textbf{User:}} ``hi''

\textit{\textbf{user2:}} ``hi''

\textit{\textbf{User:}} ``blah blah''

\textit{\textbf{user2:}} ``blah blah''
\end{conversation}

\end{document}

enter image description here

A different approach exploiting \item is to define a \speaks command:

\documentclass{article}

\newenvironment{conversation}
  {\list{}{%
     \setlength{\rightmargin}{\leftmargin}% what quote does
     \setlength{\itemsep}{4ex}% more spaces between paragraphs
   }}
  {\endlist}
\newcommand{\speaks}[1]{\item\textbf{\textit{#1:}}}

\begin{document}

\begin{conversation}
\speaks{User} ``hi''
\speaks{user2} ``hi''

\speaks{User} ``blah blah''
\speaks{user2} ``blah blah''
\end{conversation}

\end{document}

As shown, you have more liberty in adding or not blank lines. Using \speaks allows for lighter syntax.

egreg
  • 1,121,712
  • ah thankyou. Christians suggestion did indeed work, but I knew there must be a package for relaying a dialogue. I'll give this a try thanks – Bat Jan 19 '19 at 10:44