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

["Bob Stayton" <bobs@sagehill.net>]

I agree with Simon that extendedlink was created for this purpose.  I've 
never used it, so I simply forgot about it.  I think this would be a good 
use case for getting at least an example of extendedlink into the 
stylesheets.

I know the issue in the past with adding it to the stylesheet was: How do 
you render a multi-link?  We assumed it required a dynamic presentation, so 
when the user clicked on the link they got a list of targets to choose from. 
In HTML, you could generate a pop-up list, but in PDF?

This use case avoids that problem by rendering the multi-link statically as 
a list.  I'll post this to the DocBook TC and see if they have any thoughts 
on it.

Bob Stayton
Sagehill Enterprises
bobs@sagehill.net

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Thomas Schraitle" <tom_schr@web.de>
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2013 6:25 AM
To: <docbook@lists.oasis-open.org>
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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