Unable to redefine the ordered list counter using {:start="4"}

[mairas]

Describe the bug

I want to start an ordered list with a number other than 1. Normally, you'd add the html5 start element with {:start="4"}. However, the custom ol CSS counter definitions in Just the Docs override this, and the list always starts with 1.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

This source:

1. Do this 
2. And that
3. And even this.

If you want to share your work, follow these three additional steps:

{:start="4"}
4. Also do this.
5. And even more.
6. Does this ever end?

Expected behavior

The second list should start with number 4.

Screenshots

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: MacOS 12.1
• Browser: Chrome
• Version: 97.0.4692.71 (Official Build) (arm64)

[bentookey-yotta]

We make extensive use of this in our product's Help site, often breaking up ordered lists with screenshots.
CNR issue with a different Jekyll theme. Therefore, it would be great if this issue could be expedited please!

[pdmosses]

This theme uses CSS counters to override the browser's default styling of ol elements in _sass/content.scss. This should be regarded as a feature, rather than a bug, I think...

It appears that one can resume an interrupted list as follows:

Source:

1. Do this
2. And that
3. And even this.

If you want to share your work, follow these three additional steps:

{:style="counter-reset:none"}
4. Also do this.
5. And even more.
6. Does this ever end?

Result:

The required block IAL looks a bit ugly, but it avoids the need to use a specific number with the start attribute: inserting a new list item doesn't require renumbering.

[pdmosses]

@mairas thanks for reporting the issue with the start attribute.

PR #856 adds tests that show how to use CSS styling to start at a given value, as well as to continue an interrupted list (as wanted by @bentookey-yotta). If that is adequate, please close this issue.

Using CSS Counters has further examples. However, it doesn't seem possible to reverse the direction of counting without customising the CSS used by this theme.

[bentookey-yotta]

@pdmosses Thanks so much for explaining this, it's solved a major issue with our Help!
With this solution, I agree this issue can probably be closed.

[pdmosses]

@bentookey-yotta good to hear that you're happy with the solution that I found. I'm not familiar with the CSS used by this theme, nor with CSS counters, and I was puzzled to see that the specific attributes provided by HTML for manipulating the numbering in ordered lists don't work. AFAIK, the only documentation for the theme is what we see on the theme website, together with the occasional comment in the code…

Let's leave this issue open for now: PR #856 should close it automatically when it gets merged.

When all the more pressing issues have been addressed by the theme maintainers, it would be good to investigate whether the theme could and should use the automatically incremented list item counters instead of custom counters.