Fix #6: Don't generate redundant `<ul>` for top-level TOC tree

items, which leads to a visual separation of TOC entries.

CHANGES

@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ New features added
   - #77: If a description environment with info field list only
     contains one ``:param:`` entry, no bullet list is generated.
 
+  - #6: Don't generate redundant ``<ul>`` for top-level TOC tree
+    items, which leads to a visual separation of TOC entries.
+
 * Configuration:
 
   - The new ``html_add_permalinks`` config value can be used to

sphinx/environment.py

@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ class BuildEnvironment:
                     else:
                         _walk_depth(subnode, depth+1, maxdepth, titleoverrides)
 
-        def _entries_from_toctree(toctreenode, separate=False):
+        def _entries_from_toctree(toctreenode, separate=False, subtree=False):
             """Return TOC entries for a toctree node."""
             includefiles = map(str, toctreenode['includefiles'])
 
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ class BuildEnvironment:
                     # resolve all sub-toctrees
                     for toctreenode in toc.traverse(addnodes.toctree):
                         i = toctreenode.parent.index(toctreenode) + 1
-                        for item in _entries_from_toctree(toctreenode):
+                        for item in _entries_from_toctree(toctreenode, subtree=True):
                             toctreenode.parent.insert(i, item)
                             i += 1
                         toctreenode.parent.remove(toctreenode)
@@ -955,12 +955,19 @@ class BuildEnvironment:
                         entries.append(toc)
                     else:
                         entries.extend(toc.children)
+            if not subtree and not separate:
+                ret = nodes.bullet_list()
+                ret += entries
+                return [ret]
             return entries
 
         maxdepth = maxdepth or toctree.get('maxdepth', -1)
         titleoverrides = toctree.get('includetitles', {})
 
-        tocentries = _entries_from_toctree(toctree, separate=True)
+        # NOTE: previously, this was separate=True, but that leads to artificial
+        # separation when two or more toctree entries form a logical unit, so
+        # separating mode is no longer used -- it's kept here for history's sake
+        tocentries = _entries_from_toctree(toctree, separate=False)
         if not tocentries:
             return None