Working with DITA conrefs

Create a conref

To create a conref to a DITA topic or map in your current topic or map, you first need to set up reference content in the target topics or maps.

Next, you create a direct or indirect reference to the target DITA content.

1. Place the insertion point at the location to insert the conref in a topic or map.

   To insert a conref at a location in the topic, you need to place the insertion point relevant to the conref element:

   An <li> (list item) conref element must be placed in an <ol> or <ul> list.

   A table <row> must be placed in a <table> or <simpletable>.

   In the case of a table <entry>, you cannot place the insertion point in the table <row>. You need to select the existing <entry> that you want to replace.

2. Choose Insert > Conref.

   The Insert Conref dialog is displayed.

3. You can choose to add a link as a direct or indirect reference to the target content.

   To create a direct reference to the target content:

   1. In the Insert Conref dialog, select Target: File. From the File Settings dropdown, select Current to select a reference target from the currently open file or choose any other open DITA file containing the reference target or open an existing DITA file with the Browse... button.

   2. The element list displays the elements to which unique identifiers (ID) are assigned.

      If an element is not assigned a unique ID, you can Assign a unique ID to an element.

   3. Select an element to insert as a conref in the current topic.

      The list also displays the ID and the content of the elements (in the case of text elements).

   If you make changes to a <conref> element in the source topic, you will need to save the source topic and update the container topic to view the updates.

   To create an indirect reference to the target content:

   1. Select Target: Key and click Keyspace Manager....

   2. In the DITA Keyspace Manager dialog, select the key in the defined keys list and click OK.

   3. Select an element.

      The elements in the DITA topic of the selected element that have an ID are displayed in the elements list.

   4. Select an element to insert as a conref and click OK.

4. Click Insert.

Creating a conref to a range of elements

You can create a conref to a range of elements. For example, you have a number of <p> (paragraph) elements that you want to reference. You can create one conref to all the <p> elements.

1. To select the first element in the range perform the steps in section Create a conref but do not click Insert.

2. In the Conref End Element drop-down list, choose the last element in the range to include in the conref.

3. Click Insert.

Updating conrefs

If you update a reusable element after you reference it in another topic, you need to update the conrefs in the topic to view the updates.

To update the conrefs in a topic:

1. Choose Structure > DITA > Update References.

   The DITA Update References dialog is displayed.

2. Check Update All Conrefs in File.

3. Click OK.

All the conrefs in the current topic are updated.