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Subject: Re: [docbook] Linking to an Unknown Amount of Targets (1:n relationships)?


Hi Simon,

thanks for sharing your idea!

On Mon, 22 Jul 2013 05:33:31 -0400
"Dew, Simon" <Simon.Dew@sbdinc.com> wrote:
> 
> If you're using Docbook 5, and as long as we're only talking about 
> markup, I think this use case is crying out for extended links.

That was also my impression, because XLink promised to solve
exactly this problem.


> I would use locator elements in the info of each topic to associate 
> label(s) with each topic.
> 
> <info xmlns:xl="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink";>
>    <extendedlink xl:role="#see_also_labels">
>      <locator xl:label="topic_1"/>
>    </extendedlink>
> </info>

Ok, this looks good, but where do I put my category description?

For example, if I want to say, "this topic belong to the group X and Y"
then the labels(?) "X" and "Y" doesn't have to be the description.

There is a xlink:title attribute for a <locator/>, which seems to be
made for this purpose. However, adding this to *each* locator elements
for every topic in this group wouldn't be very useful. You have a lot of
duplicate code (which raises the risk of inserting a typo).

Any other idea?


> Then, wherever you want a "see also" list to be generated, I would
> use arc elements (again, in the info of the topic) to point to the
> label(s) that you want to include.
> 
> <info xmlns:xl="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink";>
>    <extendedlink xl:role="#see_also_list">
>      <arc xl:to="topic_1"/>
>      <arc xl:to="topic_2"/>
>    </extendedlink>
> </info>

Where would you insert this info? I'm a bit concerned about the
discrepancy between the definition and where it really appears in the
document.

I have a typical "cookbook style" in my book. To have more control, my
structure looks like this with added extendedlink elements:

  topic
    title
    info
      extendedlink           <-- (1)
    section role="problem"
    section role="solution"
    section role="discussion"
    section role="seealso"
      title
      itemizedlist
        info
          extendedlink       <-- (2)

(1) Contains the definition which additional, related categories (or
    groups) can be viewed.
(2) Is the actual markup which is replaced by a "real" itemized list

Based on your example above, would that fit into your idea, too?


> You'd need to find or create full URIs to identify the xl:roles and /
> or xl:arcroles, if you choose to use these attributes.

Hmn... it seems, using XLinks to markup a 1:n relationship is a
daunting task. ;)


I guess others have similar issues and it would be really, really
helpful to have an official "blessed" method how XLinks are supposed to
work in DocBook.

Maybe something for the next DocBook Technical Committee Meeting to
define an "official method"? Documented in the TDG? Supported by the
stylesheets?

Thanks for all the ideas! :-)


-- 
Gruß/Regards,
    Thomas Schraitle


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