Hi Hans, thanks for the additional hints. The width calculation method is very instructive. Yet, I think I can not use it, because I do not know in advance what kind of text is used as item labels. Maybe a label text contains already a comma. Is there another \processXXX-Makro for example \processampersandlist that can be used (because ampersands can not appear unescaped in normal text)? --Stefan PS: I found nowhere a description of \charwd
\def\determinecommalistwidth[#1]% {\scratchdimen\zeropoint \def\docommand##1% {\setbox\scratchbox\hbox{##1}% \ifdim\wd\scratchbox>\scratchdimen \scratchdimen\wd\scratchbox \fi}% \processcommalist[#1]\docommand}
\determinecommalistwidth[a),b),c)]
\the\scratchdimen
(or use \charwd cum suis)