HTML to DITA Elements

 

HTML Element

Usage

DITA Element

Common to All Topic Types

<h1>

Topic title

<title> (of topic)

n/a

An alternate title from the topic title; used for single-sourcing topics

<titlealts>

n/a

A title used for navigation when actual title isn’t appropriate; can be used for language-specific indicators

<navtitle>

<title> (for header in file)

Title at the top of the resulting XHTML file and for Search results

<searchtitle>

May be in comments

Metadata, including <indexterm> and VSNET topic info

<prolog>

<html>

Main content for the topic (topic-type-specific <conbody>, <refbody>, <taskbody>)

<body>

<p> (first one)

First paragraph that describes the topic. Also, appears in hover text over link and in links to children within the parent topic and for searching. Can customize migration to put this in the shortdesc.

<shortdesc>

<h2>…<h3>

Information in sections in a topic

<section>

?

Related links to other topics

<related-links>

Formatting used in Multiple Topic Types

<href>

Link to a different location within the current topic, or a different topic within the same help system (can also point to external sources)

<xref>

<dl>

Definition list, which is a series of <dlentry> consisting a term <dt> and corresponding definition <dd>

<dl>

<dd>

Single cell in a table <table>

<entry>

?

Figure, display context (sometimes called an “exhibit”) with an optional title for a wide variety of content

<fig>

<img>

Artwork or images

<image>

<p> - or project specific format such as <p><b>Note: </b>…</p>

Notices, such as note, important, caution

<note type=” “>

<p>

Paragraph of plain text

<p>

<span>, <b>, <i>, <em>, <strong>

Phrase or content for reuse or conditional processing

<ph> or content-specific tag such as <uicontrol>

Reference Topics

 

Syntax or signature content

<refsyn>

 

List of properties for the subject of the current topic (<property> for each property)

<properties>

 

Property name

<property>

 

Property type

<proptype>

 

Property description

<propdesc>

 

Property value(s)

<propvalue>

 

HTML Element

Usage

DITA Element

Concept Topics

 

Can contain all common formatting, UI control, and code elements, plus <example>)

Task Topics

<p>  or project-specific special tagging

Prerequisite info that user needs to know or do before starting the current task (can include <note>)

<prereq> - need to customize migration

<p> - before the first list

Background information that helps the user understand what the purpose of the task is and what they will gain by completing the task (can include <note>)

<context>

<ol> or <ul>

Series of steps that the user must follow to accomplish the task (must include <step>)

<steps>

<ol>

Single-step tasks (must include <step>)

<steps-unordered>

<li>

Step in a task (must include <cmd>; can include <substep>, <choices> or <choicetable>, <info>, <stepresult>, <stepxmp>

<step>

Phrase within <li>

Instruction for completing the step; should not be more than one sentence

<cmd>

Result of  text within <li>

Additional information about the step (can include <note>)

<info>

-

Expected outcome of a step

<stepresult> - need to customize to support creating this tag

-

Text to illustrate a step (can include <codeph> and <codeblock>)

<stepxmp>- need to customize to support creating this tag

 

Sub-steps where the user must choose which action to take that include additional information (<chrow> for the option and <chdesc> for description>

<choicetable>

 

Sub-steps where the user must choose which action to take that contain only the command for the option (<choice> for each option)

<choices>

<li> or <ul> within a <li>

Sub-steps for a step that user is required to perform to complete the step (<substep> for each step)

<substeps>

<p> after first <li> or <ul>

Expected outcome for the entire task

<result>

-

Steps or tasks that the user should do after the successful completion of the current task

<postreq>  - need to customize to support creating this tag

-

Example that illustrate or support the current topic (can include <codeph> and <codeblock>)

<example>- need to customize to support creating this tag

 

 

HTML Element

Usage

DITA Element

Formatting used in Multiple Topic Types

 

Row in a table <table>

<row>

 

Row in a simple table <simpletable>

<strow>

 

Table with cells that span multiple columns or rows and/or needs a caption)

<table>

 

Table with regular in structure and do not need a caption

<simpletable>

 

series of rows <row> in a table <table>

<tbody>

 

container for table specifications

<tgroup>

 

table header

<thead>

 

unordered list, ordered list, simple list (short, phrase-like content) <li>

<ul>, <ol>, <sl>

 

<xref>

link to a different location within the current topic, to another topic, or to an external location (URL)

 

<draft-comment>

simple review and discussion of topic contents within the marked-up content

 

<fn>

footnote

Code Formatting

<pre>

<codeblock>

lines of program code, preserves line endings and is output in a monospaced font

<tt> or <span>

<codeph>

snippet of code within the main flow of text