DITA Technical Communication SC

Hi, This thread is interesting. It's clear that authors utilize ordered list to achieve the desired formatting when step-like things are needed within choice and choicetable. Do we contend that having step-like things inside of choice and choicetable are not a valid use-cases? I believe that they are valid use-cases, especially when you consider that Information Mapping advocates this construct in their if-then tables. If we agree that step-like things within choice and choicetable are valid use-cases, then it would be better to offer the semantically correct element for the use cases in choice and chdesc. I deliberately omitted choption from having substeps because I contend the choption content is to help the reader select among choices. Ordered list would have to remain in the content model for backward compatibility. But, a newly adopting organization could remove it with a constraint. I suspect that the current models were arrived at only after lengthy discussion. Should we decide to pursue this, it would be useful to have the rationale for the decisions. Best Regards, -- Bob Thomas +1 720 201 8260 Skype: bob.thomas.colorado Instant messaging: Gmail chat ( bob.thomas@tagsmiths.com ) or Skype Time zone: Mountain (GMT-7)

Hi, Having substeps within choice would simplify documenting some complex wizards. For example, we have a series of them where we have to document the choices, followed by: if you choose this, go to Step #. That ends up with a procedure that's very complicated to follow. Jane From: Bob Thomas < bob.thomas@tagsmiths.com > Date: Thursday, December 12, 2013 7:46 AM To: " dita-techcomm@lists.oasis-open.org " < dita-techcomm@lists.oasis-open.org > Subject: [dita-techcomm] User on Yahoo suggests substep as a child of choice and within choicetable Hi, This thread is interesting. It's clear that authors utilize ordered list to achieve the desired formatting when step-like things are needed within choice and choicetable. Do we contend that having step-like things inside of choice and choicetable are not a valid use-cases? I believe that they are valid use-cases, especially when you consider that Information Mapping advocates this construct in their if-then tables. If we agree that step-like things within choice and choicetable are valid use-cases, then it would be better to offer the semantically correct element for the use cases in choice and chdesc. I deliberately omitted choption from having substeps because I contend the choption content is to help the reader select among choices. Ordered list would have to remain in the content model for backward compatibility. But, a newly adopting organization could remove it with a constraint. I suspect that the current models were arrived at only after lengthy discussion. Should we decide to pursue this, it would be useful to have the rationale for the decisions. Best Regards, -- Bob Thomas +1 720 201 8260 Skype: bob.thomas.colorado Instant messaging: Gmail chat ( bob.thomas@tagsmiths.com ) or Skype Time zone: Mountain (GMT-7)

I can bring this up at a TC meeting in the new year. I certainly struggled with this when I was an information developer. Best, Kris Kristen James Eberlein Principal consultant, Eberlein Consulting Co-chair, OASIS DITA Technical Committee Charter member, OASIS DITA Adoption Committee www.eberleinconsulting.com +1 919 682-2290; kriseberlein (skype) On 12/12/2013 10:46 AM, Bob Thomas wrote: Hi, This thread is interesting. It's clear that authors utilize ordered list to achieve the desired formatting when step-like things are needed within choice and choicetable. Do we contend that having step-like things inside of choice and choicetable are not a valid use-cases? I believe that they are valid use-cases, especially when you consider that Information Mapping advocates this construct in their if-then tables. If we agree that step-like things within choice and choicetable are valid use-cases, then it would be better to offer the semantically correct element for the use cases in choice and chdesc. I deliberately omitted choption from having substeps because I contend the choption content is to help the reader select among choices. Ordered list would have to remain in the content model for backward compatibility. But, a newly adopting organization could remove it with a constraint. I suspect that the current models were arrived at only after lengthy discussion. Should we decide to pursue this, it would be useful to have the rationale for the decisions. Best Regards, -- Bob Thomas +1 720 201 8260 Skype: bob.thomas.colorado Instant messaging: Gmail chat ( bob.thomas@tagsmiths.com ) or Skype Time zone: Mountain (GMT-7)

This is likely a good 2014 project for the Tech Comm SC. Joann JoAnn T. Hackos, PhD President Comtech Services Inc. 710 Kipling Street, Suite 400 Denver, CO 80215 Joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com 303-232-7586   CIDM will be hosting the Content Management Strategies/DITA NA Conference 2014 in Seattle, Washington April 28-30. More information at: http://www.cm-strategies.com/2014/index.htm From: Kristen Eberlein < kris@eberleinconsulting.com > Date: Thursday, December 12, 2013 9:38 AM To: DITA Tech Comm SC < dita-techcomm@lists.oasis-open.org > Subject: Re: [dita-techcomm] User on Yahoo suggests substep as a child of choice and within choicetable I can bring this up at a TC meeting in the new year. I certainly struggled with this when I was an information developer. Best, Kris Kristen James Eberlein Principal consultant, Eberlein Consulting Co-chair, OASIS DITA Technical Committee Charter member, OASIS DITA Adoption Committee www.eberleinconsulting.com +1 919 682-2290; kriseberlein (skype) On 12/12/2013 10:46 AM, Bob Thomas wrote: Hi, This thread is interesting. It's clear that authors utilize ordered list to achieve the desired formatting when step-like things are needed within choice and choicetable. Do we contend that having step-like things inside of choice and choicetable are not a valid use-cases? I believe that they are valid use-cases, especially when you consider that Information Mapping advocates this construct in their if-then tables. If we agree that step-like things within choice and choicetable are valid use-cases, then it would be better to offer the semantically correct element for the use cases in choice and chdesc. I deliberately omitted choption from having substeps because I contend the choption content is to help the reader select among choices. Ordered list would have to remain in the content model for backward compatibility. But, a newly adopting organization could remove it with a constraint. I suspect that the current models were arrived at only after lengthy discussion. Should we decide to pursue this, it would be useful to have the rationale for the decisions. Best Regards, -- Bob Thomas +1 720 201 8260 Skype: bob.thomas.colorado Instant messaging: Gmail chat ( bob.thomas@tagsmiths.com ) or Skype Time zone: Mountain (GMT-7) --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from this mail list, you must leave the OASIS TC that generates this mail. Follow this link to all your TCs in OASIS at: https://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/portal/my_workgroups.php