RestructuredText: Enumerated sub-list doesn't not change value

Question

When I try to create a enumerated sub-list in HTML using RestructuredText, the sub-list does not change value in HTML, according to how I wrote it in RST. Below is an example of what I mean.

Here is how I wrote an enumerated list and sub-list in RestructuredText:

1. Step 1

   a. Step a
   
   b. step b

2. Step 2 

Here is the result in HTML:

Any idea on how to resolve this?

Answer 1

Unfortunately that's by design because you use the same format (x. where x is either a number or a letter).

The correct way to create nested is to use different format, such as

1. Item 1 initial text.

   a) Item 1a.
   b) Item 1b.

https://docutils.sourceforge.io/docs/ref/rst/restructuredtext.html#enumerated-lists