DITA

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DITA

• Darwin Information Typing Architecture

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What is DITA?
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What is DITA

• DITA is an XML-based end-to-end architecture
  for authoring, producing, and delivering
  technical information. (Wikipedia)

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One Slide History

• Originally developed by IBM in 2000 by a
  cross-company work group after an effort to
  organize all their technical documentation into a
  single source.
• March 2004, IBM donated DITA to the Organization
  for the Advancement of Structured Information
  Systems (OASIS).
• May 3rd, 2005 - DITA version 1.0 approved as an
  OASIS Standard
• OASIS continues to update DITA and are currently
  on version 1.1

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How Does It Work?
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How It Works

• DITA divides content into small, self-contained
  topics that can be reused in different
  deliverables.
• The core of DITA consists of a topic DTD
  (Document Type Definition, an XML scheme langauge
  a.k.a XML templates) and a map DTD (topic)
• Besides generic topic type, DITA specifies three
  basic topic types, Task, Concept and Reference.
• These are then put into Topic maps.

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Topic Types?!
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If You Get HTML and XML

• lttopic id"topic"gt
• lttitlegtDancinglt/titlegt
• ltbodygt
• ltpgt Dancing is a very difficult art to master but
  fun to screw up.lt/pgt
• lt/bodygt
• lt/topicgt

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The Three Basics Topic Types

• Task Topic
• Concept Topic
• Reference Topic

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Task Topic

• Describes how to accomplish a task. It lists a
  series of steps that users follow to produce a
  specified outcome.
• (EX Move your leg)

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Task Topic Example

• lttask id "movingalimb"gt
• lttitlegtMoving a leglt/titlegt
• lttaskbodygt
• ltcontextgtIf you want to dance you have to do
  this.lt/contextgt
• ltstepsgt
• ltstepgtltcmdgtGet your brain to tell the muscles in
  you leg to movelt/cmdgtlt/stepgt
• ltstepgtltcmdgtMove your foot forward and set it down
  again.lt/cmdgtlt/stepgt
• lt/stepsgt
• lt/taskbodygt
• lt/taskgt

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Concept Topic

• Information designed to be more objective,
  containing definitions, rules, and guidelines.
• (EX History of Dance)

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Concept Topic Example

• ltconcept iddanceintro"gt
• lttitlegtHistory of Dancelt/titlegt
• ltshortdescgt People have been dancing since before
  recorded history.lt/shortdescgt
• ltconbodygt
• ltpgtSome early cultures that have records of early
  dancing arelt/pgt
• ltulgt
• ltligtGreecelt/ligt
• ltligtEgyptlt/ligt
• lt/conbodygt
• lt/conceptgt

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Reference Topic

• Describes command syntax, programming
  instructions, other reference material it
  usually contains detailed, factual material.
• (EX A Dip)

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Reference Topic Example

• ltreference id"refsample"gt
• lttitlegtThe Diplt/titlegt
• ltrefbodygt
• ltpropertiesgt
• ltpropertygt
• ltproptypegtDiplt/proptypegt
• ltpropvaluegtImpressive/Basiclt/propvaluegt
• ltpropdescgtA dip can be a basic but effective move
  for impressing a dance partner. It is executed by
  holding the partner firmly at between a 45 and 80
  degree angle. If executed poorly it can result in
  injury.ltpropdescgt
• lt/propertygt
• lt/propertiesgt
• lt/refbodygt
• lt/referencegt

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Topic Map

• Relationship Tables and Map Lists

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Map List Example

• ltmap title"Getting Started With Dance"gt
• lttopicref href"history.xml"gt
• lttopicref hrefbasictypes.xml"/gt
• lttopicref href"modernforms.xml"/gt
• lt/topicrefgt
• lttopicref hrefbasicsteps.xml"gt
• lttopicref hrefdip.xml"/gt
• lttopicref hrefspin.xml"/gt
• lttopicref hrefkicks.xml"/gt
• lttopicref hrefgroups.xml"/gt
• lttopicref hrefexotic.xml"/gt
• lttopicref hrefprofessionals.xml"/gt
• lt/topicrefgt

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Relationship Table Example
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Who Should Use DITA?

• ?

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You Should Use DITA If

• You have content online.
• You exchange technical documentation with other
  groups that use DITA.
• You have someone to enforce it

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Shouldnt Use If

• No one will use it.
• Your source is print based.

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Why Use It?
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Advantages

• Topics can be easily reused in different
  deliverables.
• Fragments of content within topics (or less
  commonly, topics themselves), can be reused
  through the use of content references.
• Improves retrievability

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Questions
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