List

List class

Represents formatting of a list.

To learn more, visit the Working with Lists documentation article.

public class List : IComparable<List>

Properties

NameDescription
Document { get; }Gets the owner document.
IsListStyleDefinition { get; }Returns true if this list is a definition of a list style.
IsListStyleReference { get; }Returns true if this list is a reference to a list style.
IsMultiLevel { get; }Returns true when the list contains 9 levels; false when 1 level.
IsRestartAtEachSection { get; set; }Specifies whether list should be restarted at each section. Default value is false.
ListId { get; }Gets the unique identifier of the list.
ListLevels { get; }Gets the collection of list levels for this list.
Style { get; }Gets the list style that this list references or defines.

Methods

NameDescription
CompareTo(List)Compares the specified list to the current list.
CompareTo(object)Compares the specified object to the current object.
Equals(List)Compares with the specified list.
override Equals(object)Determines whether the specified object is equal in value to the current object.
override GetHashCode()Calculates hash code for this list object.
HasSameTemplate(List)Returns true if the current list and the given list are created from the same template.

Remarks

A list in a Microsoft Word document is a set of list formatting properties. Each list can have up to 9 levels and formatting properties, such as number style, start value, indent, tab position etc are defined separately for each level.

A List object always belongs to the ListCollection collection.

To create a new list, use the Add methods of the ListCollection collection.

To modify formatting of a list, use ListLevel objects found in the ListLevels collection.

To apply or remove list formatting from a paragraph, use ListFormat.

Examples

Shows how to restart numbering in a list by copying a list.

Document doc = new Document();

// A list allows us to organize and decorate sets of paragraphs with prefix symbols and indents.
// We can create nested lists by increasing the indent level. 
// We can begin and end a list by using a document builder's "ListFormat" property. 
// Each paragraph that we add between a list's start and the end will become an item in the list.
// Create a list from a Microsoft Word template, and customize its first list level.
List list1 = doc.Lists.Add(ListTemplate.NumberArabicParenthesis);
list1.ListLevels[0].Font.Color = Color.Red;
list1.ListLevels[0].Alignment = ListLevelAlignment.Right;

// Apply our list to some paragraphs.
DocumentBuilder builder = new DocumentBuilder(doc);

builder.Writeln("List 1 starts below:");
builder.ListFormat.List = list1;
builder.Writeln("Item 1");
builder.Writeln("Item 2");
builder.ListFormat.RemoveNumbers();

// We can add a copy of an existing list to the document's list collection
// to create a similar list without making changes to the original.
List list2 = doc.Lists.AddCopy(list1);
list2.ListLevels[0].Font.Color = Color.Blue;
list2.ListLevels[0].StartAt = 10;

// Apply the second list to new paragraphs.
builder.Writeln("List 2 starts below:");
builder.ListFormat.List = list2;
builder.Writeln("Item 1");
builder.Writeln("Item 2");
builder.ListFormat.RemoveNumbers();

doc.Save(ArtifactsDir + "Lists.RestartNumberingUsingListCopy.docx");

Shows how to apply custom list formatting to paragraphs when using DocumentBuilder.

Document doc = new Document();

// A list allows us to organize and decorate sets of paragraphs with prefix symbols and indents.
// We can create nested lists by increasing the indent level. 
// We can begin and end a list by using a document builder's "ListFormat" property. 
// Each paragraph that we add between a list's start and the end will become an item in the list.
// Create a list from a Microsoft Word template, and customize the first two of its list levels.
List list = doc.Lists.Add(ListTemplate.NumberDefault);

ListLevel listLevel = list.ListLevels[0];
listLevel.Font.Color = Color.Red;
listLevel.Font.Size = 24;
listLevel.NumberStyle = NumberStyle.OrdinalText;
listLevel.StartAt = 21;
listLevel.NumberFormat = "\x0000";

listLevel.NumberPosition = -36;
listLevel.TextPosition = 144;
listLevel.TabPosition = 144;

listLevel = list.ListLevels[1];
listLevel.Alignment = ListLevelAlignment.Right;
listLevel.NumberStyle = NumberStyle.Bullet;
listLevel.Font.Name = "Wingdings";
listLevel.Font.Color = Color.Blue;
listLevel.Font.Size = 24;

// This NumberFormat value will create star-shaped bullet list symbols.
listLevel.NumberFormat = "\xf0af";
listLevel.TrailingCharacter = ListTrailingCharacter.Space;
listLevel.NumberPosition = 144;

// Create paragraphs and apply both list levels of our custom list formatting to them.
DocumentBuilder builder = new DocumentBuilder(doc);

builder.ListFormat.List = list;
builder.Writeln("The quick brown fox...");
builder.Writeln("The quick brown fox...");

builder.ListFormat.ListIndent();
builder.Writeln("jumped over the lazy dog.");
builder.Writeln("jumped over the lazy dog.");

builder.ListFormat.ListOutdent();
builder.Writeln("The quick brown fox...");

builder.ListFormat.RemoveNumbers();

builder.Document.Save(ArtifactsDir + "Lists.CreateCustomList.docx");

Shows how to work with list levels.

Document doc = new Document();
DocumentBuilder builder = new DocumentBuilder(doc);

Assert.False(builder.ListFormat.IsListItem);

// A list allows us to organize and decorate sets of paragraphs with prefix symbols and indents.
// We can create nested lists by increasing the indent level. 
// We can begin and end a list by using a document builder's "ListFormat" property. 
// Each paragraph that we add between a list's start and the end will become an item in the list.
// Below are two types of lists that we can create using a document builder.
// 1 -  A numbered list:
// Numbered lists create a logical order for their paragraphs by numbering each item.
builder.ListFormat.List = doc.Lists.Add(ListTemplate.NumberDefault);

Assert.True(builder.ListFormat.IsListItem);

// By setting the "ListLevelNumber" property, we can increase the list level
// to begin a self-contained sub-list at the current list item.
// The Microsoft Word list template called "NumberDefault" uses numbers to create list levels for the first list level.
// Deeper list levels use letters and lowercase Roman numerals. 
for (int i = 0; i < 9; i++)
{
    builder.ListFormat.ListLevelNumber = i;
    builder.Writeln("Level " + i);
}

// 2 -  A bulleted list:
// This list will apply an indent and a bullet symbol ("•") before each paragraph.
// Deeper levels of this list will use different symbols, such as "■" and "○".
builder.ListFormat.List = doc.Lists.Add(ListTemplate.BulletDefault);

for (int i = 0; i < 9; i++)
{
    builder.ListFormat.ListLevelNumber = i;
    builder.Writeln("Level " + i);
}

// We can disable list formatting to not format any subsequent paragraphs as lists by un-setting the "List" flag.
builder.ListFormat.List = null;

Assert.False(builder.ListFormat.IsListItem);

doc.Save(ArtifactsDir + "Lists.SpecifyListLevel.docx");

See Also