Details about how the @processing-role attribute functions

[Kristen James Eberlein <kris@eberleinconsulting.com>]

I've started working through the comments in the DITA markup section and just responded to Tarun Garg (Adobe) about a question concerning the @processing-role attribute, which I'll copy below. Since the attribute is new with DITA 1.2, I'd welcome feedback from other TC members. This topic in question is the one titled "DITA map attributes."

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[Tarun Garg, 30 April 2010] I have a few comments regarding the 'processing-role' attribute:

1) As per the spec - If this attribute is set as 'resource-only', then the topic should not be rendered to output. It is only used for processing. - From this I assume that it can be used only as a reference from other topics. But since, it itself will not be there in the output, it can only be used for conrefs. It cannot be used for xrefs, links, etc. Any other processing purpose that it can serve ?

2) Does this attribute has any meaning for a topicref inside a reltable? I don't think it shall impact the reltable related behavior in any way.

3) In case this attribute is set as 'resource-only' for a topicref (outside the reltable) and the same topic is referred inside the reltable, then that topic shall neither act as a source nor as a target. Based on reltable, adding links to/from this topic, does that make sense, as it itself is not rendered to output.

I think we shall clarify these things as a part of this spec.

[Eberlein, 3 May 2010]

(1) Yes, the purpose of the @processing-role attribute is to indicate when a DITA topic or DITA map should be used only for processing; the referenced topic or map should not be included in the navigation. This is useful for both conref and key space resolution; in the latter context keys defined in the map specified as "resource-only" may well provide the indirect addresses specified for an <xref> or <link>.

(2) No, it does not have meaning for a <topicref> element within a relationship table.

(3) In this case, I think that the topic referred to within the reltable would be built and serve its linking purpose.

Best,

Kris

Kristen James Eberlein
Principal consultant, Eberlein Consulting
Secretary, OASIS DITA Technical Committee
Charter member, OASIS DITA Adoption Committee
www.eberleinconsulting.com
+1 919 682-2290; keberlein (skype)