DITA maps enable the scalable reuse of content across multiple contexts. They can be
used by information architects, writers, and publishers to plan, develop, and deliver
content.
DITA maps support the following uses:
- Defining an information architecture
- Maps can be used to define the topics that are required for a particular audience, even
before the topics themselves exist. DITA maps can aggregate multiple topics for a single
deliverable.
- Defining what topics to build for a particular output
- Maps reference topics that are included in output processing. Information architects,
authors, and publishers can use maps to specify a set of topics that are processed at the same
time, instead of processing each topic individually. In this way, a DITA map can serve as a
manifest or bill of materials.
- Defining navigation
- Maps can define the online navigation or table of contents for a deliverable.
- Defining related links
- Maps define relationships among the topics they reference. These relationships are defined
by the nesting of elements in the DITA map, relationship tables, and the use of elements on
which the
@collection-type attribute is set. On output, these relationships
might be expressed as related links or the hierarchy of a table of contents (TOC).
- Defining an authoring context
- The DITA map can define the authoring framework, providing a starting point for
authoring new topics and integrating existing ones.
- Defining keys and key scopes
- Maps can define keys, which provide an indirect addressing mechanism that enhances
portability of content. The keys are defined by
<topicref> elements or
specializations of <topicref> elements, such as
<keydef>. The <keydef> element is a convenience
element; it is a specialized type of a <topicref> element with the
following attributes:
- A required
@keys attribute
- A
@processing-role attribute with a default value of
"resource-only".
- Maps also define the context or contexts for
resolving key-based references, such as elements that specify the
@keyref or
@conkeyref attribute. Elements within a map
structure that specify a @keyscope attribute create a new context for key
reference resolution. Key references within such elements are resolved against the set of
effective key definitions for that scope.
Specialized maps can provide additional semantics beyond those of organization,
linking, and indirection. For example, the subjectScheme map specialization adds the semantics of
taxonomy and ontology definition.