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DITA Table Layouts

Depending on the context, DITA accepts the following table layouts:

CALS Table Model Layout

The CALS table model allows for more flexibility and table customization than other models. When choosing a CALS table model from the Insert Table dialog box, you have access to more configurable properties. The layout of a CALS table includes a colspecs section that allows you to easily configure some properties without opening the Table Properties dialog box. For example, you can change the value of column widths (@colwidth attribute) or the text alignment (@align attribute). Although they appear as part of the Author mode, the colspecs link and its controls will not appear in your output. They are just there to make it easier to adjust how the columns of your table are formatted.

Figure 1. CALS Table in DITA
Tip: A sample plugin is available that can be used as inspiration to add support for CALS tables in any XML document: Sample Plugin: Add CALS Support for any XML Document.

Simple Table Model Layout

When choosing a Simple table model from the Insert Table dialog box, you only have access to configure a few properties. For example, you can choose the number of rows and columns, specify values for frames, and choose from a few types of properties for the column width. The layout of this type of table is very simple, as the name suggests.

Figure 2. DITA Simple Table

Choice Table Model Layout

A Choice table model is used within a <step> element in a DITA Task document to describe a series of optional choices that a user must make before proceeding. The <choicetable> element is a useful device for documenting options within a single step of a task. You can insert Choice tables in DITA Task documents either by selecting choicetable from the Content Completion Assistant (within a <step> element) or by using the Insert Table action on the toolbar or from the contextual menu). The options and layout of a Choice table is similar to the Simple table model.

Figure 3. DITA Choice Table

Properties Table Model Layout

A Properties table model is used within a <refbody> element in a DITA Reference document to describe a property (for example, its type, value, and description). You can insert Properties tables in DITA Reference documents either by selecting properties(wizard) from the Content Completion Assistant (within a <refbody> element) or by using the Insert Table action on the toolbar (or from the contextual menu) and selecting Properties for the Model. The layout of a Properties table is very simple. It allows for a maximum of 3 columns (typically for property type, value, and description) and the only options available are for whether or not you want a header row and for specifying frames (borders).

Figure 4. DITA Properties Table

Table Validation in DITA

Oxygen XML Editor reports table layout problems that are detected in manual or automatic validations. When you validate a DITA map with the Validate and Check for Completeness action, if the Report table layout problems option is selected in the DITA Map Completeness Check dialog box, table layout problems will be reported in the validation results. The types of errors that may be reported for DITA table layout problems include:

CALS Tables
  • A row has fewer cells than the number of columns detected from the table @cols attribute.
  • A row has more cells than the number of columns detected from the table @cols attribute.
  • A cell has a vertical span greater than the available rows count.
  • The number of <colspecs> is different than the number of columns detected from the table @cols attribute.
  • The number of columns detected from the table @cols attribute is different than the number of columns detected in the table structure.
  • The value of the @cols, @rowsep, or @colsep attributes are not numeric.
  • The @namest, @nameend, or @colname attributes point to an incorrect column name.
Simple or Choice Tables
A row has fewer cells than the number of table columns.