def _format_items(items):
    """Format list of items (protocols/connections) to a string for CLI output."""
    list_str = ''
    for item in items:
        list_str += (
            """{line}
Public ID: {public_id}
Name: {name}
Description: {description}
Author: {author}
Version: {version}
{line}
"""
            .format(name=item['name'], public_id=item['public_id'],
            description=item['description'], author=item['author'], version
            =item['version'], line='-' * 30))
    return list_str
