(j3.2006) Choices for typesetting intrinsic function argumens

[W. Van Snyder]

I have developed three ways of typesetting intrinsic function arguments 
that have long names and "(optional)" (see EXECUTE_COMMAND_LINE, for 
example).

1.  Set the argument name and "(optional)" as a paragraph and the 
argument description as what LaTeX calls a "minipage".  This results in 
having only one line number, even if the description is several lines.

You get
    ARGUMENT      First line of description
12  (optional)    Second line of description

2.  Set the argument name and "(optional)" as a paragraph that is a list 
item label, and the argument description as  the list item text.  If the 
argument name is long enough that "(optional)" comes on the second line 
of the paragaph that is the list item label, and the argument 
description takes more than one line, there is a blank line between the 
first and second line of the description text (adjacent to the 
"(optional)").  But... line numbers work correctly.

You get
12  ARGUMENT      First line of description
13  (optional)
14                Second line of description

3. Set the argument name and "(optional)" as a list item label without 
making it a paragraph, and the argument description as the list item 
text.  If the argument name and "(optional)" are wider than the space 
allocated for the list item label, it extends into the description's 
space;  the first line of the description is indented so the label and 
description don't clobber  each other; subsequent lines begin where they 
would begin if the argument name were short.  Line numbers work correctly.

You get
12  ARGUMENT (optional)  First line of description
13                Second line of description

Which do you prefer?

Van