XML Element Reference

Structured Document Management supports the XML elements and attributes used to create the document map and individual topics.

These details provide basic details about the elements. The Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) maintains the Lightweight DITA standard. For complete details about the elements, see OASIS DITA.

This page discusses:

Document Map Editor

The document map editor can include the elements listed in this table:

Element Description
<topicref> Provides the reference details for a DITA topic located in a separate file.
<topicmeta> Provides metadata that can apply to the document map or topic references.

Topic Editor

The topic editor can include the elements listed in this table. The table shows the open element tag; the close element tag is also required.

Element Description
<title> The topic's title. Required for all topics.
<shortdesc> A short description rendered as the topic's first paragraph.
<p> A formatted paragraph. Text in the paragraph can be bold, italic, or other supported formats.
<dl> A list of terms and their definitions. Can contain these elements:

Element Description
<dlentry> Definition list entry. Contains the <dt> and <dd> elements.
<dt> Definition term
<dd> Definition

The structure for a definition list looks like this:

<dl>
   <dlentry>
      <dt>...</dt>
      <dd>...</dd>
   </dlentry>           
   <dlentry>
      <dt>...</dt>
      <dd>...</dd>
   </dlentry>
</dl>
<note> A note. The note must include a type (such as warning), and components such as paragraphs and lists that contain the note's content.
<fn> Content displayed as a footnote with a callout that references a text location in the main content.
<fig> A figure with a title, text, and one or more images or tables. Figures are auto-numbered and other content can reference them. The published document can include a table of figures.
<table> A table of rows and columns. This element contains these elements:

Element Description
<tgroup> Contains a table heading and body (<thead> and <tbody>) elements.
<thead> Contains one or more rows for the table heading.
<row> Contains <entry> elements, one for each column.
<entry> The contents of a cell in the table.

The structure for a table with column headings, 3 rows, and 2 columns looks like this:

<table>
   <tgroup>
      <thead>
         <row>
            <entry>...</entry>
            <entry>...</entry>
         </row>
      </thead> 
      <tbody>      
         <row>
            <entry>...</entry>
            <entry>...</entry>
         </row>
          <row>
            <entry>...</entry>
            <entry>...</entry>
         </row>
         <row>
            <entry>...</entry>
            <entry>...</entry>
         </row>
      </tbody>
   </tgroup>
</table>
<ol> An ordered (numbered) list that contains any number of list item <li> elements.
<ul> An unordered (bulleted) list that contains any number of list item <li> elements.
conref attribute Defines a reference to content that exists elsewhere, to render at this location. The conref is added as an attribute of another element.
<xref> A cross-reference to content that exists in this or another topic and displayed as a hyperlink.
<data> Metadata that can be included in the topic but is not rendered in the published document.
<image> Adds an image element. You can include an <alt> element to provide alternate text when the image cannot be displayed.
<pre> Preformatted text, displayed using a fixed-width font, and preserving spaces and new lines.
<section> Defines a subsection for the topic and contain its own <title>, <p>, and other elements.
<ph> A phrase within a paragraph.