Re: ordered list items start with letters?

["Thomas S. Dye" <tsd@tsdye.com>]

On Mar 22, 2010, at 3:23 AM, Xiao-Yong Jin wrote:

> On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 08:08:36 +0100, David Maus wrote:
>
>> Xiao-Yong Jin wrote:
>>> Hi, is it possible to use a single letter to start an
>>> ordered list item?  Such as
>
>>> a) first
>>> b) second?
>
>> No, not yet.  Although sometimes I would like have single letter
>> lists.
>
>> The question would be:  What to do when we reach z)?
>
> Simply print out a message saying we have reached maximum
> number of items possible?  I guess usually we don't need to
> count to 'z' for such kind of lists.
> -- 
> J    c/*    __o/*
> X    <\     * (__
> Y    */\      <
>
>

Aloha all,

Here is an error message raised with a 27 item list in LaTeX:

ERROR: LaTeX Error: Counter too large.

--- TeX said ---

See the LaTeX manual or LaTeX Companion for explanation.
Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
  ...

l.31 \item ?

--- HELP ---
1. Some object that is numbered with letters, probably an item in a
enumerated list, has received a number greater than 26. Either you're
making a very long list or you've been resetting counter values.

2. Footnotes are being ``numbered'' with letters or footnote symbols
and LaTeX has run out of letters or symbols. This is probably caused
by too many \thanks commands.

All the best,
Tom