Fenced div problem: listing with `date-format: long` and `lang: de`

[siHopp-oowv]

I have:

• searched the issue tracker for similar issues
• installed the latest version of Quarto CLI
• formatted my issue following the Bug Reports guide

Bug description

I recently upgraded to Quarto 1.7.32.
I have a quarto project with the language set to German in the _quarto.yml. When I use a listing with date-format: long, I get multiple warnings like this one:

[WARNING] Div at line 12 column 1 unclosed at line 128 column 1, closing implicitly.
WARNING
The following string was found in the document: :::
This usually indicates a problem with a fenced div in the document. Please check the document for errors.

The document ist rendered, but the page with the listing looks weird and has multiple ":::" displayed on the page.

Steps to reproduce

GitHub repository containing a reproducible example

Actual behavior

No response

Expected behavior

No response

Your environment

No response

Quarto check output

Quarto 1.7.32
[>] Checking environment information...
[>] Checking versions of quarto binary dependencies...
Pandoc version 3.6.3: OK
Dart Sass version 1.85.1: OK
Deno version 1.46.3: OK
Typst version 0.13.0: OK
[>] Checking versions of quarto dependencies......OK
[>] Checking Quarto installation......OK
Version: 1.7.32
CodePage: 1252

[>] Checking tools....................OK
TinyTeX: v2025.08.02
Chromium: (not installed)

[>] Checking LaTeX....................OK
Using: TinyTex
Version: 2025

[>] Checking Chrome Headless....................OK
Using: Chrome found on system
Source: Windows Registry

[>] Checking basic markdown render....OK

[>] Checking Python 3 installation....OK
Version: 3.13.6
Jupyter: 5.9.1
Kernels: python3

[>] Checking Jupyter engine render....OK

[>] Checking R installation...........OK
Version: 4.5.1
knitr: 1.50
rmarkdown: 2.30

[>] Checking Knitr engine render......OK

[mcanouil]

@siHopp-oowv Current stable version is 1.8, could you upgrade and confirm the issue on the current version?

Accessibility: For better accessibility, please ensure link text is descriptive and meaningful rather than using generic terms such as "here" or "example". This helps all users understand the link's destination. See Writing meaningful link text (WCAG).

[mcanouil]

I believe the issue to be that the date is parsed as markdown and 4. November 2025 in markdown / Pandoc means a list which lead to improper nesting, etc. of the other elements of the listing page.

[siHopp-oowv]

@siHopp-oowv Current stable version is 1.8, could you upgrade and confirm the issue on the current version?

No, I can't. I don't have the permission to upgrade software on my machine.

[mcanouil]

Thanks, could you still edit your "example" link to something more meaningful? @siHopp-oowv

[mcanouil]

The issue appears for both "grid" and "default".
Now, what should be done is tricky as the current behaviour is to allow to have markdown (outside or raw block on purpose):

• quarto-cli/src/resources/projects/website/listing/item-default.ejs.md

  Lines 98 to 100 in 537a0f9

  	<% if (fields.includes('date') && item.date) { %>
  	<div class="listing-date"><%= item.date %></div>
  	<% } %>

• quarto-cli/src/resources/projects/website/listing/item-grid.ejs.md

  Lines 126 to 128 in 537a0f9

  	<% if (showField('date')) { %>
  	<div class="listing-date"><%= item.date %></div>
  	<% } %>

Checking if date-format actually allows markdown.

edit: it does date-format: "D. [**bold**] YYYY".

[mcanouil]

A workaround: date-format: "[ ]D. MMMM YYYY" or add anything before the D. such as dddd, D. MMMM YYYY (full)