Hi, Gershon:
Just to sketch out some possibilities for a constrained model ...
Terminology:
divisions = example, section
structures = dl, ol, simpletable, table, ul
containers = dd, entry, fig, fn, note, li, stentry
blocks = lines, lq, p, pre
inline = cite, keyword, ph, term, xref
Constraints:
divisions exclude inline and text and add sequence (optional title, then any data, followed by structures and blocks)
containers exclude inline and text (except li allows an initial ph for consistency with step)
blocks allow only inlines and text
image and object allowed in divisions, blocks, and containers
What do you think?
Erik Hennum
Gershon L Joseph <> wrote on 02/12/2008 08:01:16 AM:
> This is certainly interesting, and I like the idea of demonstrating
> constraints this way. I'd prefer to call these topics something
> other than "simple", since that may scare authors off to use the
> base "complex/confusing/loose" DTDs instead. I'd like to brain-storm
> this idea further...
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Erik Hennum <>
> To: Gershon L Joseph <>
> Cc: ; Eliot Kimber <>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 5:48:38 PM
> Subject: Re: [dita] Need Clarification on Implications of Different
> List Markup Patterns
>
> Would it make sense for core DITA 1.2 to include a simplifying
> constraint module (for instance, limiting nesting for some blocks)
> and to provide some parallel shells (conceptSimple, taskSimple, etc)
> that apply those constraints?
>
> That might meet the concern you identify below and illustrate constraints.
>
>
> Hoping that's interesting,
>
>
> Erik Hennum
>
>
>
> Gershon L Joseph <> wrote on 02/12/2008 07:37:17 AM:
>
> > I still feel that the DITA spec should provide a loose set of DTDs
> > for users to specialize from, but that it should also provide a
> > tight set of DTDs that authors can use out of the box. IMO the
> > current base topic DTDs are too loose to be useful. The sad fact is
> > we see tons of users applying bad markup -- effectively marking up
> > their DITA XML content the way they applied styles in Word or FrameMaker.
