1 files changed, 24 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/descr-text.el b/lisp/descr-text.el
index 72a3009ebd3..d9e5d6f4282 100644
--- a/lisp/descr-text.el
+++ b/lisp/descr-text.el
@@ -98,10 +98,28 @@ if that value is non-nil."
 PROPERTIES should be a list of overlay or text properties.
 The `category' property is made into a widget button that call 
 `describe-text-category' when pushed."
-  (while properties
-    (widget-insert (format "  %-20s " (car properties)))
-    (let ((key (nth 0 properties))
-          (value (nth 1 properties)))
+  ;; Sort the properties by the size of their value.
+  (dolist (elt (sort (let ((ret nil)
+                           (key nil)
+                           (val nil)
+                           (len nil))
+                       (while properties
+                         (setq key (pop properties)
+                               val (pop properties)
+                               len 0)
+                         (unless (or (eq key 'category)
+                                     (widgetp val))
+                           (setq val (pp-to-string val)
+                                 len (length val)))
+                         (push (list key val len) ret))
+                       ret)
+                     (lambda (a b)
+                       (< (nth 2 a)
+                          (nth 2 b)))))
+    (let ((key (nth 0 elt))
+          (value (nth 1 elt)))
+      (widget-insert (propertize (format "  %-20s" key)
+                                 'font-lock-face 'italic))
       (cond ((eq key 'category)
              (widget-create 'link 
                             :notify `(lambda (&rest ignore)
@@ -110,9 +128,8 @@ The `category' property is made into a widget button that call
             ((widgetp value)
              (describe-text-widget value))
             (t
-             (describe-text-sexp value))))
-    (widget-insert "\n")
-    (setq properties (cdr (cdr properties)))))
+             (widget-insert value))))
+    (widget-insert "\n")))
 
 ;;; Describe-Text Commands.