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RE: Re: [dita] Finding descriptions of DITA attributes

  • 1.  RE: Re: [dita] Finding descriptions of DITA attributes

    Posted 10-14-2010 14:28 
    




    Chasing attributes I have 
sometimes wished for a sort of "where used" index such as the "contained by" 
list that we provide with each element. It's all well and good to search on an 
attribute name and find the same too-terse (but it fits in a table cell) 
description repeated in a jillion places, and to find as 
well the description of one or more features that mention some aspect 
of its use in context, but a description in one place with the "contained 
by" or "where used" list would be most helpful. 
    

     
    

        /B

    

    
  
    
  
    
  From: donday@learningbywrote.com 
  [mailto:donday@learningbywrote.com]
    Sent: Thursday, October 14, 
  2010 8:17 AM
    To: Doug Morrison; dita@lists.oasis-open.org; 
  dita-adoption@lists.oasis-open.org
    Subject: Re: [dita] Finding 
  descriptions of DITA attributes

    
  
    This can be done by direct processing of the common attr 
  definitions file, with a bit of logic to make contextual differences more 
  explicit (@type for example). Worth a follow up discussion perhaps related to 
  other post-approval artifacts.

    Thanks Kris for submitting the review 
  request.
    Don

    Sent from my HTC on the Now Network from 
Sprint!

    
  
    ----- Reply message -----
    From: "Doug Morrison" 
  <dmorrison@dita4all.com>
    Date: Thu, Oct 14, 2010 3:44 am
    Subject: 
  [dita] Finding descriptions of DITA attributes
    To: 
  <dita@lists.oasis-open.org>, 
  <dita-adoption@lists.oasis-open.org>

    Hi Su-Laine,

    I 
  completely agree with you. Perhaps this could be a priority item for the 
  improvements to OASIS-sponsored DITA adoption websites.

    (Thank you for 
  not suggesting changing all attribute names to something unusual like "xtrf". 
  I have a strong suspicion that some nitpickers would regard this as a 
  substantive change to the DITA 1.2 draft! ;) )
    Regards,

Doug Morrison
Information Architect
http://dita4all.com


    On 14/10/2010 01:41, Su-Laine Yeo wrote: 
  
    BECDDDED92C3B949A38F5BC4BF56D21F03F92EC0@van-mail.jena.local" type="cite">
    
    
    Hi 
    everyone,
    
    
    (Please note that this is not 
    a request to change the DITA 1.2 draft :) )
    
    
    It has come to my attention 
    that if you are trying to understand the purpose of a particular DITA 
    attribute, the language reference leaves something to be desired. If you want 
    to know more about a particular element, there is an alphabetical list 
    of elements. For attributes, there is no alphabetical list, and 
    the documentation is in organized according to what the attributes are used 
    for. So you sort of have to already know something about what an attribute 
    is used for in order to find out what it is used for.
    
    
    Doing a plain-text search on 
    the attribute name 
    is useful, if circuitous, for attributes 
    with odd names like "xtrf". It 
    is a lot 
    less useful for attributes with 
    English names like "base". 
    
    
    A hyperlinked alphabetical 
    list of DITA 
    attributes would be very helpful. Does 
    anyone know of a quick way to generate one? 
    
    
    Regards,
    
    
    Su-Laine
    
    
    
    
    Su-Laine 
    Yeo
    Solutions Consultant 
    
    
    JustSystems Canada, 
    Inc.
    Office: 
    778-327-6356
    syeo@justsystems.com
    
    
    
    
    XMetaL Community 
    Forums: http://forums.xmetal.com
    
    
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    only: http://www.justpartnercenter.com


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