what to expect in dita 1.2 and...

A M B E R S W O P E

O C T O B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 2

What to expect in DITA 1.2 and 1.3

copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

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Overview

Introduction DITA 1.2 features DITA 1.2 features to be changed in DITA 1.3 Proposed DITA 1.3 features Questions


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Introduction

Amber Swope DITA Specialist, DITA Strategies, Inc. Over 20 years of experience in the industry at multiple

companies of varying sizes and industries Supported information developers producing DITA content in

Rational group at IBM Author of numerous papers/presentations on information

development and information architecture, including the DITA Maturity Model (with Michael Priestley)


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DITA 1.2 Features New support

• Constraint support • Key referencing support • Machinery task • General task • Classification support • Learning and Training support • Map elements • Topic elements

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Constraint support


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Allow you to limit the valid elements available for authors to use

Pro: makes it easier for authors to do the right thing Con: form of specialization that requires work and

maintenance as the content model evolves

Key referencing support


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Allows you to control reference resolution at the map level

Use case: linkage of glossary topic to or elements

Pro: can control the resolution of a reference within a topic in the map that references the topic

Con: additional layer of abstraction that requires more work; not likely for non-IA roles to do successfully

Machinery task topic


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New task topic that provides support for information the user needs to know or do before starting the task

Replaces with element Includes support for: Personnel requirements Safety conditions Support equipment Supplies Spare parts

Ideal for documenting technical/service tasks

General task


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New task topic that provides more flexible structure for tasks

Includes as option prior to Includes prior to within

Allows and in any order Recommended for use unless you need the more

restrictive, original task topic

Classification support


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Allows you to define classification values as a taxonomy and apply the values to topics and elements

Definition with map Application to entire topics within

map with Application to specific elements using attribute

values Great place to start your taxonomy work

Learning and training support


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Supports planning and creating learning content, including assessment.

Includes 142 elements in the following maps/topics: Learning Map Learning Bookmap Learning Plan Topic Learning Overview Topic Learning Content Topic Learning Summary Topic Learning Assessment Topic

Map elements


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for referencing maps Same as

for defining keys. Specialization of Sets the default value for the @processing-role attribute to "resource-

only".

for defining sets of topic references Equivalent of creating a sub map without having a separate files Requires a value for @id

for referencing References a element (same or different map)

Map elements (cont’d)


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for defining a point in a map to which to insert content from another map Allows you to “push” content from one map into another

for “pushing” topic references to the point defined by the anchor

Topic elements


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for contexts where text is allowed but neither nor are allowed. Enables reuse of text in almost any context.

for creating untitled containers within topic bodies. Intended primarily for specialization.

for creating untitled containers within sections. Intended primarily for specialization.

DITA 1.2 Features Expanded support

• Glossary support • Content referencing support • Map changes • Topic changes

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Glossary support


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Includes:

Support in glossary entry topics for more complete description of terms, definition of alternative forms, and usage information.

Content referencing support


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Content reference range allows a single element to reference a range of elements. Start and end must be of the same element type, but all

intermediate nodes are included. Allows you to content reference multiple elements with a

single @conref value with @conrefend value

Content reference push allows you to push content before, after, or in lieu of a target element. Target element must have an @id attribute. Useful for adding content to an existing component.

Content referencing support (cont’d)


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@conkeyref enables you to use a key in the @conref attribute: Facilitates changing the target of the conref Simplifies the syntax

Map changes


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element Map elements can use the element in place of the @title

attribute. Relationship table elements can have as an optional first

child.

element elements can use the element in place of the

@navtitle attribute.

Maps and elements can now contain the same metadata elements as topic element.

New attribute named @processing-role. Indicates whether or not a topic reference contributes to the

navigation structure of the containing map.

Topic changes


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The base task topic type now based on general task topic type. It has a more relaxed content model. This enables creation of a wider variety of specialized tasks, including

task specializations that do not have formal markup for individual steps. The OASIS-defined task shell document type integrates a constraint

module that imposes the same constrained content model as defined in the DITA 1.1 task topic type.

A number of content elements allow the new @keyref attribute, including the , , and elements.

includes the new @scalefit attribute, which indicates whether or not the image should be scaled to fit the presentation context.

is now allowed in most contexts. now allows as a subelement.

DITA 1.2 Features Changing in DITA 1.3

• Division support in topics (#13023)

• Learning and Training support (#13106) and (#13089)

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Division support change


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Replace all 1.2 division elements, , , , and , with a general division element, . Provide consistent, flexible support, including anywhere that

can go Backward compatible.

Learning and training changes


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Change the base type for elements that current extend

so that they extend . Fix to allow both text and phrase-level elements and block-

level elements within assessment content NOT backward compatible.

Support learning objects as separate maps with new elements Creates new map type Changes 1.2 learning maps to include refs to new map Changes 1.2 learning maps to be more flexible

Proposed DITA 1.3 Features New support

• MathML domain support (#13111)

• Strikeout support (#13031) • Ruby support (#13118) • XML markup support (#13035) • SVG domain support (#13119) • Help support (#13060/13061)

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MathML support


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Provide domain for supporting MathML standard for presenting mathematics, including where the equations need to be rendered in a variety of contexts and in accessible ways

Typical use cases include: Display and inline equations in learning content Formulas used in support of user tasks or concepts in technical

documentation Math and science textbooks Scientific, mathematics, engineering, and mathematical

(STEM) scholarly publishing.

Strikeout support


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Add elements, and to the highlight domain for indicating revisions

Use cases for include: Legal documents, where strikeouts are an important aspect of the content and

not just a side effect of automated revision marking. Legacy conversion, where the semantic of line-through content cannot be

determined. Documents where strikeouts are used rhetorically (for example, for humorous

effect) Specific editorial or typographic conventions that use line-through for some

reason. Use cases for include:

Semiconductor documentation, where overlines are used to indicate logical negation.

Linguistics, where overbar indicates different levels of syntactic structure. Physics, where overbar indicates a vector. Mathematics, when not using a more complete mathematics language.

Ruby support


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Provide a domain that provides the ruby markup from HTML5 as used by Japanese and other ideographic languages.

Includes:

XML support


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Provide "XML mention" domain for marking up mentions of XML syntactic components.

Includes:

SVG domain support


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Provide official support for SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics).

Includes:

Help window metadata support


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Provide support for specifying size, position and behavior of the window displaying the Help content. Add to Contain optional attributes: @id @name @top @left @height @width @on-top @features @relative @full-screen

Context-sensitive help metadata support


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Including context hook metadata at the map level (on and the topic level would allow processors to generate the header, map or alias text files required to integrate the Help with an application. Add element within in and

Contain optional attributes: @id @context-id @context-string @ua-window

Proposed DITA 1.3 Features Expanded support

• Application ID for element (#13008) with @appid (instead of using @id)

• Troubleshooting support in task topics (#13086) with in

• everywhere support (#13027)

• to allow (#13092)

• to allow (#13044)

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Proposed DITA 1.3 Features Expanded support

• to allow (#13177) and (#13116)

• to replace (#13010)

• to be allowed everywhere (#13029)

• to have additional value for @type attribute of “trouble” (#13098) to identify troubleshooting information

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Summary

Based on your business needs, select the appropriate DITA 1.2 support to implement

If you are considering using any of the support that will change or be newly supported in DITA 1.3, consider using the pre-release DITA 1.3 code

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Questions

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503.922.3038 copyright DITA Strategies, Inc. 2012

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What to expect in �DITA 1.2 and 1.3OverviewIntroductionDITA 1.2 FeaturesConstraint supportKey referencing supportMachinery task topicGeneral taskClassification supportLearning and training supportMap elementsMap elements (cont’d)Topic elementsDITA 1.2 FeaturesGlossary supportContent referencing supportContent referencing support (cont’d)Map changesTopic changesDITA 1.2 FeaturesDivision support changeLearning and training changesProposed DITA 1.3 FeaturesMathML supportStrikeout supportRuby supportXML supportSVG domain supportHelp window metadata supportContext-sensitive help metadata supportProposed DITA 1.3 FeaturesProposed DITA 1.3 FeaturesSummaryQuestions