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Subject: RE: [dita] transitional text and conref with delta
Hi, JoAnn:
I'd agree that the structure of the topic can accomodate transitional text (which is maybe an argument not to invent new structures for the transitions).
I understand the issue to be how content creators can avoid compromising the reuse of standalone content while still decorating the content with context-specific transitions that give a sense of narrative flow.
Here follows an attempt at an example.
Let's say we have a useful standalone concept:
. <concept id="ajaxExplained">
. <title>AJAX explained</title>
. <abstract>
. <p><shortdesc>AJAX has restored a more interactive experience to web applications.</shortdesc>
. Prior to AJAX, the portlet approach ensured thin clients but often had a poor user experience.</p>
. </abstract>
. <conbody>
. ...
. </conbody>
. </concept>
Let's say we want to pull this standalone concept about "AJAX Explained" into a chapter of a book:
. <bookmap>
. ...
. <chapter href=""writingRichWebApplications.dita">
. <topicref href=""ajaxExplained.dita"/>
. <topicref href=""dhtmlExplained.dita"/>
. ...
. </chapter>
. ...
. </bookmap>
In this context, we want to insert and append contextual text to transition to the prior and following content, in effect creating a context-specific topic:
. <concept id="ajaxExplainedForRichWeb" conref="...">
. <title>... existing title ...</title>
. <abstract>
. <p>Before writing a Rich Web application, you should understand the role of AJAX in such applications.</p>
. ... the existing content of the abstract ...
. </abstract>
. <conbody>
. ... the existing content of the body ...
. <p>As the next section explains, the other important technology for Rich Web applications is Dynamic HTML.</p>
. </conbody>
. </concept>
If we can maintain the transitional text as a distinct, context-specific delta, we can still reuse the standalone concept in many other contexts (potentially with different transitional text in those contexts).
The before and after transitional text can be seen as special cases of context-specific tweaks. In the example, we might also decide to drop a paragraph with an xref into the body of the "AJAX Explained" concept to provide a forward reference to a discussion of Dojo support for AJAX later in the chapter. That forward reference shouldn't, however, show up when the "AJAX Explained" concept is reused in other contexts.
Of course, these overlays would require extra effort to maintain, so you'd only be willing to make that investment where flow is really necessary.
Another approach would be to put the transitional content into the "AJAX Explained" concept with a ForRichWeb condition so the transition can be filtered out in other contexts. That can turn into a maintenance nightmare if a topic gets a lot of reuse. Also, the transitional text for each context is easier to maintain close to the other stuff that's specific to the context.
Thanks,
Erik Hennum
ehennum@us.ibm.com
PS. Providing credit where due, the conref with delta proposal is from the mind of Priestley. I just want to use it.
"JoAnn Hackos" <joann.hackos@comtech-serv.com>
05/23/2006 04:11 PM |
|
Hi, Esteemed Technical Committee:
As a followup to today's discussion, I'd like to add one more alternative to Robert's list of options for transitional text:
http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/dita/200605/msg00031.html
If DITA 1.2 introduces the feature of conref push or pull with delta:
http://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/dita/download.php/15120/IssueNumber17e.html
http://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/dita/download.php/15117/IssueNumber17b.html
a writer could insert or append transitional text to any topic.
This approach has several benefits:
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