Topic link direction

[Katharine]

Hello, 

I am looking for some insight on DITA xrefs. I have one common topic that is used about 6 times in one manual. The team I work for wants the topic in each section of the manual so the user can "flow" through the instructions without having to jump around, go to a different location, etc. However, when I use an xref, the topic link that displays in the PDF always links to the first instance of the topic and not the descendant which I would like. 

1. Chapter 1 
   
1. Parent topic - with link list
1. Topic A
2. Topic B
3. Topic C
2. Chapter 2 
   
1. Parent topic - with link list. **Topic A in the link list links to Topic A above and not the instance of Topic A nested in Chapter 2.**
1. Topic A
2. Topic D
3. Topic E

I'm not a fan of xrefs listed in a topic, but this a user preference that they have demanded so we must provide the information in this fashion. My preference would be to use related links for common reference material, but that is a future discussion I need to have with multiple team members before I can put it in action. 

Anyway I could use a single topic and use an attribute to determine content direction/relationship (like with the @role=descendant which is only available for the related-links element)?

A fellow writer suggested that I create a topic shell and do a conref to the source topic, but that seems messy in our database repository. Hoping someone here has a cleaner solution. 

Please let me know if I can provide any additional information. Our business materials are proprietary and confidential so unfortunately I cannot share any real content. 

Thank you for your time and help!

Kat

[Ron Wheeler]

"A fellow writer suggested that I create a topic shell and do a conref to the source topic, but that seems messy in our database repository. Hoping someone here has a cleaner solution. " seems relatively painless on the surface.

Can you elaborate on your objection "seems messy in our database repository".

Ron

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[Lief Erickson]

Hi Kat--

You can have the Topic A in your map six times. Take a look at the @copy-to attribute that's available on the topicref. By specifying @copy-to you'll create a unique addressable resource. Each Topic A that you want to link to should get its own unique @copy-to value. Additionally, each topicref should (ideally) have its own unique @keys value. 

http://docs.oasis-open.org/dita/dita/v1.3/errata02/os/complete/part3-all-inclusive/langRef/attributes/topicrefElementAttributes.html

-Lief

[Katharine]

What should the copy-to attribute value be? 

I have tried a few different values and am seeing the same result. Here is what I have tried:

TopicFileName.dita

TopicFileName.dita/@keys value

@keys value

Random value

Randomvalue_TopicFileName.dita

@keys value_TopicFileName.dita

None of them worked. I must be misinterpreting the instructions. 

[Katharine]

It means that in our CMS, we will have the source topic plus shell topics. 

For example, the folder would contain the following files:

Topic A (source)

Shell1_Topic A

Shell2_Topic A

Shell3_Topic A

Shell4_Topic A

Shell5_Topic A

This isn't the only topic that is repeated a few times in the manual. I guess it isn't too bad of a solution, but it creates a lot of "bloat" in our repository. 

I was just hoping for something sleeker. DITA is pretty malleable, but sometimes I struggle with those attribute settings being just right.

[Ron Wheeler]

I thought that the copy-to suggestion looks like a much better solution.

https://www.oxygenxml.com/dita/styleguide/webhelp-feedback/Artefact/Maps/c_copy-to_Attribute.html is a reference that I found (Google actually did all the work) that provides a better explanation of the feature and my quick reading of their page makes me think that this might solve your problem without messing with your database by creating extra content in your database..

[Katharine]

This is a great reference. I found this online too. I think Oxygen XML does a great job with help documentation. 

I still can't get the copy-to attribute to work. I am wondering if this is an error with our system. I don't know. 

Thank you Ron and Lief for your responses!

[Ron Wheeler]

Maybe you can paste some actual examples of what you have tried (without the proprietary content)

Ditamap extract and a topic or 2?

What error or behaviour do you see when you try each test.

Ron