Using the DITA configuration files

SDL provides a pre-built DITA configuration for the following reasons:

• Provide a cleaner UI, due to the large number of DITA elements and attributes.  These configuration files remove some and group the others into logical arrangements in order to organize and streamline the UI.  Of course, customers should review the configuration and make changes based on their needs.

• Due to the way that DITA mixes in-line and block elements, some configuration is necessary for Xopus to behave properly in regard to these elements.  For example, generic DITA allows <ol> and <p> elements to not only exist next to each other but also inside of each other.  These configuration files give a particular preference (one that we have found most of our customers use) to the elements and guidance to Xopus to more intelligently choose which elements are nested and which create new blocks.  Again, customers should review the configuration files to make sure that they match their specific needs.

• Editing generic, unmodified DITA can be quite difficult because many elements have no required sub-elements.  These configuration files allow for the creation of templates, ensuring that when new elements are created, desired sub-elements are also created at the same time, so that, for instance, when you insert a section, a <title> element and an initial <p> element are created inside of it.  As before, customers should review these configurations to ensure that they are valid and logical for their projects, adding or removing template elements as desired.

• The configuration files set up roles for elements, so that you can have your lists behave like lists, tables behave like tables and so forth. It also gives you, the customer, examples of how to set up configurations based on the class attribute, allowing the configuration to continue to be used with specializations with no additional work.  In cases where an inherited role is not desirable, you can disable it by adding ‘available=”false”’ to the <x:role> element.

We cannot emphasize strongly enough that you should review and modify these configuration files to suit your DITA usage. While these files are based off of general customer experience, the chances that you will be able to use these configuration files in your environment without any modifiation at all are very small. We believe that in most cases, the modifications will be minor but we cannot give any assurances that this will be the case.

In any case, these, files are made available as a guideline with no guarantee of suitablility for any specific or general application. Please feel free to contact Xopus Support if you encounter any problems with them or need assistance or additional information to customize them to your application.