When indenting a region, first check if there is any item to move.

lisp/org-list.el

@@ -690,88 +690,88 @@ function ends."
 When number ARG is a negative, item will be outdented, otherwise
 it will be indented.
 
-If a region is active and its first line is an item beginning,
-all items inside will be moved.
+If a region is active, all items inside will be moved.
 
 If NO-SUBTREE is non-nil, only indent the item itself, not its
 children.
 
 Return t if successful."
   (save-restriction
-    (unless (or (org-at-item-p)
-		(and (org-region-active-p)
-		     (goto-char (region-beginning))
-		     (org-at-item-p)))
-      (error "Not on an item"))
-  ;; Are we going to move the whole list?
-  (let ((specialp (and (cdr (assq 'indent org-list-automatic-rules))
-		       (not no-subtree)
-		       (= (org-list-top-point) (point-at-bol)))))
-    ;; Determine begin and end points of zone to indent. If moving by
-    ;; subtrees, ensure we don't drag additional items on subsequent
-    ;; moves.
-    (unless (and (memq last-command '(org-shiftmetaright org-shiftmetaleft))
-		 (memq this-command '(org-shiftmetaright org-shiftmetaleft)))
-      (if (org-region-active-p)
-	  (progn
-	    (set-marker org-last-indent-begin-marker (region-beginning))
-	    (set-marker org-last-indent-end-marker (region-end)))
-	(set-marker org-last-indent-begin-marker (point-at-bol))
-	(set-marker org-last-indent-end-marker
-		    (save-excursion
-		      (cond
-		       (specialp
-			(org-list-bottom-point))
-		       (no-subtree
-			(org-end-of-item-or-at-child))
-		       (t (org-end-of-item)))))))
-    ;; Get everything ready
-    (let* ((beg (marker-position org-last-indent-begin-marker))
-	   (end (marker-position org-last-indent-end-marker))
-	   (struct (progn
-		     (when specialp (narrow-to-region beg end))
-		     (org-list-struct beg end (< arg 0))))
-	   (origins (org-list-struct-origins struct))
-	   (beg-item (assq beg struct)))
+    (let* ((regionp (org-region-active-p))
+	   (rbeg (and regionp (region-beginning)))
+	   (rend (and regionp (region-end))))
       (cond
-       ;; Special case: moving top-item with indent rule
-       (specialp
-	(let* ((level-skip (org-level-increment))
-	       (offset (if (< arg 0) (- level-skip) level-skip))
-	       (top-ind (nth 1 beg-item)))
-	  (if (< (+ top-ind offset) 0)
-	      (error "Cannot outdent beyond margin")
-	    ;; Change bullet if necessary
-	    (when (and (= (+ top-ind offset) 0)
-		       (string-match "*" (nth 2 beg-item)))
-	      (setcdr beg-item (list (nth 1 beg-item)
-				     (org-list-bullet-string "-"))))
-	    ;; Shift ancestor
-	    (let ((anc (car struct)))
-	      (setcdr anc (list (+ (nth 1 anc) offset) "" nil)))
-	    (org-list-struct-fix-struct struct origins)
-	    (org-list-struct-apply-struct struct))))
-       ;; Forbidden move
-       ((and (< arg 0)
-	     (or (and no-subtree
-		      (not (org-region-active-p))
-		      (org-list-struct-get-child beg-item struct))
-		 (let ((last-item (save-excursion
-				    (goto-char end)
-				    (skip-chars-backward " \r\t\n")
-				    (org-beginning-of-item)
-				    (org-list-struct-assoc-at-point))))
-		   (org-list-struct-get-child last-item struct))))
-	(error "Cannot outdent an item without its children"))
-       ;; Normal shifting
+       ((and regionp
+	     (goto-char rbeg)
+	     (not (org-search-forward-unenclosed org-item-beginning-re rend t)))
+	(error "No item in region"))
+       ((not (org-at-item-p))
+	(error "Not on an item"))
        (t
-	(let* ((shifted-ori (if (< arg 0)
-				(org-list-struct-outdent beg end origins)
-			      (org-list-struct-indent beg end origins struct))))
-	  (org-list-struct-fix-struct struct shifted-ori)
-	  (org-list-struct-apply-struct struct)))))))
-  ;; Return value
-  t)
+	;; Are we going to move the whole list?
+	(let ((specialp (and (cdr (assq 'indent org-list-automatic-rules))
+			     (not no-subtree)
+			     (= (org-list-top-point) (point-at-bol)))))
+	  ;; Determine begin and end points of zone to indent. If moving
+	  ;; more than one item, ensure we keep them on subsequent moves.
+	  (unless (and (memq last-command '(org-shiftmetaright org-shiftmetaleft))
+		       (memq this-command '(org-shiftmetaright org-shiftmetaleft)))
+	    (if regionp
+		(progn
+		  (set-marker org-last-indent-begin-marker rbeg)
+		  (set-marker org-last-indent-end-marker rend))
+	      (set-marker org-last-indent-begin-marker (point-at-bol))
+	      (set-marker org-last-indent-end-marker
+			  (save-excursion
+			    (cond
+			     (specialp (org-list-bottom-point))
+			     (no-subtree (org-end-of-item-or-at-child))
+			     (t (org-end-of-item)))))))
+	  ;; Get everything ready
+	  (let* ((beg (marker-position org-last-indent-begin-marker))
+		 (end (marker-position org-last-indent-end-marker))
+		 (struct (progn
+			   (when specialp (narrow-to-region beg end))
+			   (org-list-struct beg end (< arg 0))))
+		 (origins (org-list-struct-origins struct))
+		 (beg-item (assq beg struct)))
+	    (cond
+	     ;; Special case: moving top-item with indent rule
+	     (specialp
+	      (let* ((level-skip (org-level-increment))
+		     (offset (if (< arg 0) (- level-skip) level-skip))
+		     (top-ind (nth 1 beg-item)))
+		(if (< (+ top-ind offset) 0)
+		    (error "Cannot outdent beyond margin")
+		  ;; Change bullet if necessary
+		  (when (and (= (+ top-ind offset) 0)
+			     (string-match "*" (nth 2 beg-item)))
+		    (setcdr beg-item (list (nth 1 beg-item)
+					   (org-list-bullet-string "-"))))
+		  ;; Shift ancestor
+		  (let ((anc (car struct)))
+		    (setcdr anc (list (+ (nth 1 anc) offset) "" nil)))
+		  (org-list-struct-fix-struct struct origins)
+		  (org-list-struct-apply-struct struct))))
+	     ;; Forbidden move
+	     ((and (< arg 0)
+		   (or (and no-subtree
+			    (not regionp)
+			    (org-list-struct-get-child beg-item struct))
+		       (let ((last-item (save-excursion
+					  (goto-char end)
+					  (skip-chars-backward " \r\t\n")
+					  (org-beginning-of-item)
+					  (org-list-struct-assoc-at-point))))
+			 (org-list-struct-get-child last-item struct))))
+	      (error "Cannot outdent an item without its children"))
+	     ;; Normal shifting
+	     (t
+	      (let* ((shifted-ori (if (< arg 0)
+				      (org-list-struct-outdent beg end origins)
+				    (org-list-struct-indent beg end origins struct))))
+		(org-list-struct-fix-struct struct shifted-ori)
+		(org-list-struct-apply-struct struct)))))))))))
 
 ;;; Predicates