[texhax] nested lists with out top sep

[Joe Corneli]

I may have rejoiced too soon, since on further reflection what I now
get is something like this:

1:  1: a=b
    2: c=d
2: e=f

My current code looks like this:

\newenvironment{123listcolonstyle}{
\begin{list}{\arabic{123listcolonstylectr}:}{\usecounter{123listcolonstylectr}}}
{\end{list}\setcounter{123listcolonstylectr}{0}}

\makeatletter
\newenvironment{123listcolonstyletwo}{ 
\@noparitemtrue \begin{list}{\arabic{123listcolonstylectrtwo}:}{\usecounter{123listcolonstylectrtwo}}}
{\end{list}\setcounter{123listcolonstylectrtwo}{0}}
\makeatother

\def\defn#1{{\footnotesize \noindent 
\begin{123listcolonstyle} \setlength{\itemsep}{0em}
\setlength{\topsep}{0em} \setlength{\parsep}{0em} #1 \end{123listcolonstyle}}}

\def\innerdefn#1{
{\footnotesize %\noindent
\begin{123listcolonstyletwo} \setlength{\itemsep}{0em}
\setlength{\topsep}{5em} \setlength{\parsep}{0em} #1 \end{123listcolonstyletwo}}}


Uncommenting that ``\noindent'' in innerdefn undoes what
\@noparitemtrue accomplished.  I'm guessing that there is a
complementary command to \@noparitemtrue that will shift everything
in the inner defn to the left (or rather, avoid shifting everything right).

If you could tell me what command to use I'd really appreciate it!

Also, if you could tell me where to look this stuff up for myself
that would be super too.  Is there a good texinfo package out there that
has these kinds of details in it?

Thanks,
Joe