Hi Marco,

···<date: 2012-09-14, Friday>···<from: Marco Patzer>···

> \definedescription
>   [description]
>   [alternative=hanging,
>    width=broad]
<... />
> In the second case the “Thus,” should be placed on the line after
> the head. How do I achieve that? My current workaround is to append
> a \hbox{  } to the problematic entries.

you can hack the hanging alternative and substitute a glue for
the kern that is used for spacing (strc-con.mkvi):

·······································································

\definedescription
  [description]
  [alternative=hanging,
   width=broad]

\unprotect
\startsetups[\??constructionrenderings:\v!hanging]
    % tricky: leftskipadaption is somewhat unpredictable
    \let\\=\crlf
    \noindent
    \advance\leftskip-\leftskipadaption\relax
    \ifdim\leftskipadaption=\zeropoint
        \leftskipadaption1.5\emwidth\relax % just some default
        \ifnum\c_strc_constructions_nested_state=\plusone
            \ifdim\leftskip>\zeropoint \relax
                \leftskipadaption\leftskip
            \fi
        \fi
    \fi
    \ifnum\c_strc_constructions_nested_state>\zerocount % was \ifnum\c_strc_constructions_nested_state=\plusone
        \advance\leftskip\leftskipadaption % but we're already further on
    \fi
    \hskip-\leftskipadaption\relax
    \ifhbox\constructionheadbox\unhcopy\else\copy\fi\constructionheadbox
    %% here’s the change: ·············································
    % \kern\ifdim\constructionsheaddistance=\zeropoint .75\emwidth\else\constructionsheaddistance\fi
    \hskip\ifdim\constructionsheaddistance=\zeropoint .75\emwidth\else\constructionsheaddistance\fi
    \useconstructionstyleandcolor\c!style\c!color
    \ignorespaces
\stopsetups
\protect

\starttext
\startdescription{conclusion that}
  \input knuth
\stopdescription

\startdescription{conclusion that the designer of a new system must not only be literally}
  \input knuth
\stopdescription
\stoptext

·······································································

But maybe this could be made an option?

Regards
Philipp



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