\NeedsTeXFormat{LaTeX2e}
\ProvidesPackage{thinlist}
                [1996/09/28 1.00 Adapted from mdwlist.dtx]
% \end{meta-comment}
%
% \begin{macro}{\makecompactlistn}
%
% We're given two arguments: the name of the new environment to create, and
% the name of the existing list environment to create.
%
% The first thing to do is to ensure that the environment we're creating is
% actually valid (i.e., it doesn't exist already, and it has a sensible
% name).  We can do this with the internal \LaTeX\ macro |\@ifdefinable|.
%
%    \begin{macrocode}
\def\makecompactlistn#1#2{%
  \expandafter\@ifdefinable\csname#1\endcsname%
    {\makecompactlistn@i{#1}{#2}}%
}
%    \end{macrocode}
%
% We also ought to ensure that the other environment already exists.  This
% isn't too tricky.  We'll steal \LaTeX's error and message for this.
%
%    \begin{macrocode}
\def\makecompactlistn@i#1#2{%
  \@ifundefined{#2}{\me@err{Environment `#2' not defined}\@ehc}{}%
%    \end{macrocode}
%
% Now to build the new environment.  I'm using |\edef| because it makes
% life easier, I think.
%
%    \begin{macrocode}
  \expandafter\edef\csname#1\endcsname{%
%    \end{macrocode}
%
% First we open the list environment
%
%    \begin{macrocode}
    \expandafter\noexpand\csname#2\endcsname%
%    \end{macrocode}
%
% Now fiddle with the list environment parameters to remove extraneous
% vertical space.
%
%    \begin{macrocode}
    \parskip\z@%
    \itemsep\z@%
%    \end{macrocode}
% This is what I added (Nick), to make these lists Really thin:
%    \begin{macrocode}
    \topsep\z@%
    \partopsep\z@%
    \parsep\z@%
%    \end{macrocode}
% That's all we need to do here.
%
%    \begin{macrocode}
  }%
%    \end{macrocode}
%
% Now to define the end of the environment; this isn't terribly difficult.
%
%    \begin{macrocode}
  \expandafter\let\csname end#1\expandafter\endcsname%
                  \csname end#2\endcsname%
%    \end{macrocode}
%
% That's a compacted environment created.  Easy, no?
%
%    \begin{macrocode}
}
%    \end{macrocode}
%
% \end{macro}
%
% \begin{environment}{itemize**}
% \begin{environment}{enumerate**}
% \begin{environment}{description**}
%
% Let's build some compacted environments now.  These are easy now that
% we've done all the work above.
%
%    \begin{macrocode}
\makecompactlistn{itemize**}{itemize}
\makecompactlistn{enumerate**}{enumerate}
\makecompactlistn{description**}{description}
%    \end{macrocode}
%
% \end{environment}
% \end{environment}
% \end{environment}
%
%