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Language reference: All-inclusive edition
The language reference portion of the DITA specification contains a topic for each DITA element. The topic defines the element, its inheritance hierarchy, and provides examples of usage. This portion of the DITA specification also includes information about DITA attributes.
Topic elements
The base topic elements include elements that make up the core building blocks of the DITA topic, such as topic, body, and related-links, as well as elements like <p> and <ph> that are used in many topic specializations. Some of these elements are also available inside the <topicmeta> map element.
Body elements
The body elements support the most common types of content authoring for topics: paragraphs, lists, phrases, figures, and other common types of exhibits in a document.
<desc>
The <desc> element contains the description of the current element.

Specification URIs
Notices
Introduction to DITA 1.3
The Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) specification defines a set of document types for authoring and organizing topic-oriented information, as well as a set of mechanisms for combining, extending, and constraining document types.
Architectural specification: All-inclusive edition
The architectural specification portion of the DITA specification outlines the framework of DITA. It contains an overview of DITA markup; addressing; processing; configuration, specialization, generalization, and constraints; as well as information about coding DITA grammar files.
Language reference: All-inclusive edition
The language reference portion of the DITA specification contains a topic for each DITA element. The topic defines the element, its inheritance hierarchy, and provides examples of usage. This portion of the DITA specification also includes information about DITA attributes.
- Element quick reference
  This section contains a listing of DITA elements.
- Topic elements
  The base topic elements include elements that make up the core building blocks of the DITA topic, such as topic, body, and related-links, as well as elements like <p> and <ph> that are used in many topic specializations. Some of these elements are also available inside the <topicmeta> map element.
  - Basic topic elements
    The generic topic structure is used for untyped topics. While much of the DITA architecture is built on generic topics, it is generally better to use more specific information types (such as concept, task, or reference) when they are available.
  - Body elements
    The body elements support the most common types of content authoring for topics: paragraphs, lists, phrases, figures, and other common types of exhibits in a document.
    - <alt>
      The <alt> element provides alternate text for an image. It is equivalent to the @alt attribute on the <image> element; since the @alt attribute is deprecated, use the <alt> element instead. The <alt> element can be more easily edited or translated than the @alt attribute.
    - <cite>
      The <cite> element is used when you need a bibliographic citation. It specifically identifies the title of the resource.
    - <dd>
      The <dd> element contains the description of a term in a definition list entry (<dlentry>).
    - <desc>
      The <desc> element contains the description of the current element.
    - <ddhd>
      The <ddhd> element provides an optional heading or title for a column of descriptions or definitions in a definition list (<dl>).
    - <div>
      The <div> element is used to organize subsets of content into logical groups that are not intended to be or should not be contained as a topic.
    - <dl>
      A <dl> element is a list of terms and corresponding definitions. The term (<dt>) is usually flush left. The description or definition (<dd>) is usually either indented and on the next line, or on the same line to the right of the term. However, actual rendering is up to the rendering engine.
    - <dlentry>
      The <dlentry> element groups a single entry in a definition list (<dl>). The <dlentry> element includes a term (<dt>) and one or more definitions or descriptions (<dd>) of that term.
    - <dlhead>
      The <dlhead> element contains optional headings for the term and description columns in a definition list (<dl>). The definition list heading might contain a heading for the column of terms (<dthd>) and a heading for the column of descriptions (<ddhd>).
    - <dt>
      The <dt> element contains a term in a definition list entry (<dlentry>).
    - <draft-comment>
      The <draft-comment> element is designed to facilitate review and discussion of topic contents within the marked-up content. Use the <draft-comment> element to ask a question or to make a comment that you want others to review. To indicate the source of the draft comment or the status of the comment, use the @author, @time, or @disposition attributes.
    - <dthd>
      The <dthd> element provides an optional heading for the column of terms in a definition list (<dl>).
    - <example>
      The <example> element is a section that contains examples that illustrate or support the current topic.
    - <fig>
      The <fig> element is a figure (sometimes called an "exhibit") with an optional title for a wide variety of content. A figure commonly contains an image or artwork, but it can contain several kinds of text objects as well. A title is placed inside the figure to provide a caption that describes the content.
    - <figgroup>
      The <figgroup> element is used primarily for specialization, in order to create segments within a figure. The element can nest itself, which allows it to create complex specialized structures (such as the nestable groups of syntax within a syntax diagram). Figure groups can be used to contain multiple cross-references, footnotes or keywords.
    - <fn>
      The <fn> element is a footnote used to annotate text with notes that are inappropriate for inline inclusion. It is also used to indicate the source for facts or other material used in the text.
    - <image>
      Use the <image> element to include artwork or images in a DITA topic.
    - <keyword>
      The <keyword> element identifies a keyword or token, such as a single value from an enumerated list, the name of a command or parameter, product name, or a lookup key for a message.
    - <li>
      A <li> element is a single item in an ordered (<ol>) or unordered (<ul>) list. When a DITA topic is rendered, numbers and alpha characters are typically displayed with list items in ordered lists, while bullets and dashes are typically displayed with list items in unordered lists.
    - <lines>
      The <lines> element contains text where line breaks are significant but white space is not. It can be used to represent dialogs, poetry, or other text fragments where line breaks are significant. The <lines> element is similar to <pre> in that line breaks are preserved, but the font style is not typically set to monospace, and extra spaces inside the lines are not preserved.
    - <longdescref>
      The <longdescref> element supports a reference to a text description of the graphic or object. This element replaces the deprecated @longdescref attribute on <image> and <object> elements.
    - <longquoteref>
      The <longquoteref> element provides a reference to the source of a long quote.
    - <lq>
      The <lq> is used to provide extended content quoted from another source. Use the quote element <q> for short, inline quotations, and long quote <lq> for quotations that are too long for inline use, following normal guidelines for quoting other sources. The @href and @keyref attributes are available to specify the source of the quotation. The <longquoteref> element is available for more complex references to the source of a quote.
    - <note>
      A <note> element contains information that expands on or calls attention to a particular point. This information is typically differentiated from the main text.
    - <object>
      The DITA <object> element corresponds to the HTML <object> element, and attribute semantics derive from their HTML definitions. For example, the @type attribute differs from the @type attribute on many other DITA elements.
    - <ol>
      The <ol> element includes a list of items sorted by sequence or order of importance.
    - <p>
      The <p> element is a single paragraph containing a single main idea.
    - <param>
      The <param> (parameter) element specifies a set of values that might be required by an <object> at runtime. Any number of <param> elements might appear in the content of an <object> in any order, but must be placed at the start of the content of the enclosing object. This element is comparable to the XHMTL <param> element, and its attributes' semantics derive from their HTML definitions. For example, the @type attribute differs from the @type attribute on many other DITA elements.
    - <ph>
      The <ph> element is used to enclose a phrase for reuse or conditional processing (for example, when part of a paragraph applies to a particular audience). It can be used by specializations of DITA to create semantic markup for content at the phrase level, which then allows (but does not require) specific processing or formatting.
    - <pre>
      The <pre> element contains text for which all line breaks and spaces are preserved. It is typically presented in a monospaced font. Do not use <pre> when a more semantically specific element is appropriate, such as <codeblock>.
    - <q>
      The <q> element includes content quoted from another source. This element is used for short quotes that are displayed inline. Use the long quote element (<lq>) for quotations that should be set off from the surrounding text or that contain multiple paragraphs.
    - <section>
      The <section> element represents an organizational division in a topic. Sections are used to organize subsets of information that are directly related to the topic. Multiple <section> elements within a single topic do not represent a hierarchy, but rather peer divisions of that topic. Sections cannot be nested. A <section> can have an optional title.
    - <sectiondiv>
      The <sectiondiv> element allows logical grouping of content within a section. There is no additional meaning associated with the <sectiondiv> element. The <sectiondiv> element does not contain a title; the lowest level of titled content within a topic is the section itself. If additional hierarchy is required, use nested topics instead of the section.
    - <sl>
      The <sl> element contains a simple list of items of short, phrase-like content, such as a list of materials in a kit or package.
    - <sli>
      The <sli> element is an item in a simple list (<sl>). Simple list items have phrase or text content, adequate for describing package contents, for example. When a DITA topic is formatted for output, the items of a simple list should be placed each on its own line, with no other prefix such as a number (as in an ordered list) or bullet (as in an unordered list).
    - <term>
      The <term> element identifies words that might have or require extended definitions or explanations.
    - <text>
      The <text> element associates no semantics with its content. It exists to serve as a container for text where a container is needed (for example, as a target for content references, or for use within restricted content models in specializations).
    - <tm>
      The <tm> element identifies a term or phrase that is trademarked. Trademarks include registered trademarks, service marks, slogans, and logos.
    - <ul>
      The <ul> element is a list of items in which the order of list items is not significant. List items are typically styled on output with a "bullet" character, depending on nesting level.
    - <xref>
      Use the <xref> element to provide an inline cross reference. It is commonly used to link to a different location within the current topic, a different topic, a specific location in another topic, or an external resource. The target of the cross-reference is specified using the @href or @keyref attributes.
  - Table elements
    DITA topics support two types of tables. The <table> element uses the OASIS Exchange Table Model (formerly known as the CALS table model). The OASIS table supports the spanning of multiple rows or columns for special layout or organizational needs, and provides a wide variety of controls over the display properties of the data and even the table structure itself.
  - Related links elements
    The related-links section of DITA topics is a special structure that contains links. Links support navigation from a topic to other related topics or resources.
- Map elements
  Map elements include the core components of DITA maps, such as <topicref> and <reltable>, as well as general purpose map specializations in the map group domain.
- Metadata elements
  Metadata elements include information that is located within the <topicmeta> element (in maps) or <prolog> element (in topics), as well as indexing elements that can be placed in additional locations within topic content.
- Domain elements
  General purpose domains are not specific to any type of information, such as the hazard statement domain that provides elements for describing hazardous situations.
- Classification elements
  Classification elements support managing metadata. Those in the subject scheme map are used to define controlled values and to bind the controlled values to DITA attributes as enumerations. Those declared in the classification domain are used in other maps to classify content according to the scheme.
- Specialization elements
  Several DITA elements exist either for architectural reasons or for support of specialized markup yet to be designed. Although there is little need to use these elements unless you are directed to, some of them, such as <state>, can be used if your content makes use of these semantic distinctions. For example, a discussion of signals on a gate of an integrated logic circuit might use the <state> element to represent either on or off conditions of that gate.
- Legacy conversion elements
  Conversion elements exist primarily to aid in the conversion of content to DITA.
- DITAVAL elements
  A conditional processing profile (DITAVAL file) is used to identify which values are to be used for conditional processing during a particular output, build, or some other purpose. The profile should have an extension of .ditaval.
- Technical content elements
  Elements in the technical content section include the original Concept, Task, and Reference specializations, as well as specializations added in later releases. It also includes domains designed primarily for technical content.
- Learning and training elements
  Elements in the learning and training section include specialized topics, maps, content, and metadata elements specially designed to support instructional content.
- Attributes
  This section collects commonly used attributes, with common definitions. If an element uses a different definition, or narrows the scope of, an otherwise common attribute, it will be called out in the topic that defines the element.
Conformance
Conformance to the DITA specification allows documents and document types that are used with different processors or different versions of a processor to produce the same or similar results with little or no reimplementation or modification.
Acknowledgments
(Non-normative) Many members of the OASIS DITA Technical Committee participated in the creation of this specification and are gratefully acknowledged.
Non-normative information
This section contains non-normative information, including topics about new features in DITA 1.3 and migrating from DITA 1.2 to DITA 1.3.
Content models for learning and training package
For each element in the learning and training package, this section presents the content model and a list of parent elements that can contain that element.

`<desc>`

The <desc> element contains the description of the current element.

The following list outlines some usages of the <desc> element:

<table> and <fig>: Provides more information than can be contained in the title.
<xref> and <link>: Provides a description of the target; processors MAY choose to display this text as hover help for a link.
<object>: Provides alternate content to use when the context does not permit displaying the object.

Content models

See appendix for information about this element in OASIS document type shells.

Inheritance

- topic/desc

Example

<fig><title>The Handshake</title>
<desc>This image shows two hands clasped in a formal, 
business-like handshake.</desc>
<image href="handshake.jpg">
 <alt>The handshake</alt>
</image>
</fig>

Attributes

The following attributes are available on this element: Universal attribute group and outputclass.