Diff for Improving Relationships in Relationship Tables
| Mon, 2008-02-18 02:53 by zbinder | Mon, 2008-02-18 02:59 by zbinder | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Copy of the revision from Sun, 2008-02-17 22:50. | |||
| < previous diff | next diff > | ||
| Changes to Body | |||
| Line 1 | Line 1 | ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - |  
| + | A team encounters quite a few challenges when transitioning from unstructured to structured writing. For my team, the struggles associated with learning DITA and following the DITA structure were minor compared with the challenges presented by corralling hundreds of individual topics into a logical hierarchy. The biggest challenge we faced was managing topic relationships.
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - |  
| + | In DITA, related topics can be managed either in the DITA topics themselves, or via DITAMAPs using relationship tables <reltable>.
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | A team encounters quite a few challenges when transitioning from unstructured to structured writing. For my team, the struggles associated with learning DITA and following the DITA structure were minor compared with the challenges presented by corralling hundreds of individual topics into a logical hierarchy. The biggest challenge we faced was managing topic relationships.
| + | While topic relationships can be stored in the topics themselves, as products evolve and user interfaces change, a topic that was required for release 1.0 of a product may no longer be needed in release 2.3. If related topics are maintained at the topic level, removing a topic that is no longer part of the system may involve modifying the related topics of a dozen different DITA files.
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | In DITA, related topics can be managed either in the DITA topics themselves, or via DITAMAPs using relationship tables <reltable>.
| + | However, if related topics are managed using a relationship table in a DITAMAP, removing a topic that is no longer needed involves changing only one file. Relationship tables can be used to easily manage the related topics that are associated with each DITA topic.
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | While topic relationships can be stored in the topics themselves, as products evolve and user interfaces change, a topic that was required for release 1.0 of a product may no longer be needed in release 2.3. If related topics are maintained at the topic level, removing a topic that is no longer part of the system may involve modifying the related topics of a dozen different DITA files.
| + | After doing a lot of research into relationship tables, my team nearly abandoned the effort because mapping a large number of topics in the standard three-column relationship table was too complex. However, once we realized that a four-column approach was much more effective in creating and maintaining the relationships between DITA topics, our information modeling and online help creation process became much easier to manage.
|
| - | </p>
| + | |
| - | <p>
| + | |
| - | However, if related topics are managed using a relationship table in a DITAMAP, removing a topic that is no longer needed involves changing only one file. Relationship tables can be used to easily manage the related topics that are associated with each DITA topic.
| + | |
| - | </p>
| + | |
| - | <p>
| + | |
| - | After doing a lot of research into relationship tables, my team nearly abandoned the effort because mapping a large number of topics in the standard three-column relationship table was too complex. However, once we realized that a four-column approach was much more effective in creating and maintaining the relationships between DITA topics, our information modeling and online help creation process became much easier to manage.
| + | |
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<h1><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ExampleFiles" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ExampleFiles"></a>Example Files</h1>
| <h1><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ExampleFiles" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ExampleFiles"></a>Example Files</h1>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | To illustrate the benefits of a four-column relationship table, the following example topics will be used.
| + | To illustrate the benefits of a four-column relationship table, the following example topics will be used.
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<h2><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ConceptTopics" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ConceptTopics"></a>Concept Topics</h2>
| <h2><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ConceptTopics" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ConceptTopics"></a>Concept Topics</h2>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | The following concept topics are designed to introduce the subject matter to the reader. These topics will cover information ranging from, "What is it?" to "Why should the reader care?"
| + | The following concept topics are designed to introduce the subject matter to the reader. These topics will cover information ranging from, "What is it?" to "Why should the reader care?"
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<ul>
| <ul>
| ||
| Line 35 | Line 29 | ||
<h2><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-TaskTopics" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-TaskTopics"></a>Task Topics</h2>
| <h2><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-TaskTopics" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-TaskTopics"></a>Task Topics</h2>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | The following task topics are designed to walk the user through a procedure that goes from step 1 to step N, with the end result being the successful completion of the task at hand.
| + | The following task topics are designed to walk the user through a procedure that goes from step 1 to step N, with the end result being the successful completion of the task at hand.
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<ul>
| <ul>
| ||
| Line 46 | Line 40 | ||
<h2><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ReferenceTopics" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ReferenceTopics"></a>Reference Topics</h2>
| <h2><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ReferenceTopics" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-ReferenceTopics"></a>Reference Topics</h2>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | The following reference topics are designed to support the user in completing a task. For example, if step 3 of our task instructs the user to complete field xyz, the reference topic for that window will describe field xyz and include supporting background information that may not appear in the task.
| + | The following reference topics are designed to support the user in completing a task. For example, if step 3 of our task instructs the user to complete field xyz, the reference topic for that window will describe field xyz and include supporting background information that may not appear in the task.
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<ul>
| <ul>
| ||
| Line 54 | Line 48 | ||
<h1><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-DesiredOutcome" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-DesiredOutcome"></a>Desired Outcome</h1>
| <h1><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-DesiredOutcome" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-DesiredOutcome"></a>Desired Outcome</h1>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | Using a standard three-column relationship table and a four-column relationship table, the following relationships will be applied to each topic in the example documentation set:
| + | Using a standard three-column relationship table and a four-column relationship table, the following relationships will be applied to each topic in the example documentation set:
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | <img src="/sites/dita.xml.org/files/u1890/relationships.png" border="0" alt="" width="356" height="500" />
| + | <img src="/sites/dita.xml.org/files/u1890/relationships.png" border="0" alt="" width="356" height="500" />
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
| - | <h2><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-StandardThreeColumnRelationshipTable"></a>Standard Three-Column Relationship Table</h2>
| + | <h2><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-StandardThreeColumnRelationshipTable" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-StandardThreeColumnRelationshipTable"></a>Standard Three-Column Relationship Table</h2>
|
<p>
| <p>
| ||
Each row in a relationship table defines an individual set of relationships between topics. In the relationship table diagram below, there are seven rows that are used to define the relationships between ten different topics. The difficulty in dealing with this type of relationship table is that the relationships for some topics are defined in multiple rows. So when a topic relationship changes, the writer maintaining the DITAMAP must perform a detailed analysis of the relationship between topics in several rows to enact a change.
| Each row in a relationship table defines an individual set of relationships between topics. In the relationship table diagram below, there are seven rows that are used to define the relationships between ten different topics. The difficulty in dealing with this type of relationship table is that the relationships for some topics are defined in multiple rows. So when a topic relationship changes, the writer maintaining the DITAMAP must perform a detailed analysis of the relationship between topics in several rows to enact a change.
| ||
| Line 65 | Line 59 | ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
<br />
| <br />
| ||
| - | <img src="/sites/dita.xml.org/files/u1890/3_column.png" border="0" alt="" width="277" height="500" />
| + | <img src="/sites/dita.xml.org/files/u1890/3_column.png" border="0" alt="" width="277" height="500" />
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | In DITA, these relationships are expressed as follows:
| + | In DITA, these relationships are expressed as follows:
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| Line 152 | Line 146 | ||
</relcell><br />
| </relcell><br />
| ||
</relrow><br />
| </relrow><br />
| ||
| - | </reltable>
| + | </reltable>
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
| - | <h2><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-%26nbsp%3BFourColumnRelationshipTable"></a> Four-Column Relationship Table</h2>
| + | <h2><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-%26nbsp%3BFourColumnRelationshipTable" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-%26nbsp%3BFourColumnRelationshipTable"></a> Four-Column Relationship Table</h2>
|
<p>
| <p>
| ||
While the four-column relationship table below has three more rows than the standard three-column relationship table, the larger table makes it much easier to maintain the relationships between the various relationships between the topics. In the example below, when a topic relationship changes, the writer can simply locate and modify a single row that defines the links for that topic.
| While the four-column relationship table below has three more rows than the standard three-column relationship table, the larger table makes it much easier to maintain the relationships between the various relationships between the topics. In the example below, when a topic relationship changes, the writer can simply locate and modify a single row that defines the links for that topic.
| ||
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | <img src="/sites/dita.xml.org/files/u1890/4_column.png" border="0" alt="" width="340" height="500" />
| + | <img src="/sites/dita.xml.org/files/u1890/4_column.png" border="0" alt="" width="340" height="500" />
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | In DITA, these relationships are expressed as follows:
| + | In DITA, these relationships are expressed as follows:
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| Line 305 | Line 299 | ||
<relcell></relcell><br />
| <relcell></relcell><br />
| ||
</relrow><br />
| </relrow><br />
| ||
| - | </reltable>
| + | </reltable>
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
| - | <h1><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-Conclusion"></a>Conclusion</h1>
| + | <h1><a name="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-Conclusion" title="ImprovingRelationshipsinRelationshipTables-Conclusion"></a>Conclusion</h1>
|
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| - | Using a four column relationship table in our SunGard Higher Education DITAMAPs, we are able to easily maintain the relationships between hundreds of topics authored by a distributed writing team. Each team member can modify the specific row that applies to the topic in question without having to analyze the relationships of any other topic.
| + | Using a four column relationship table in our SunGard Higher Education DITAMAPs, we are able to easily maintain the relationships between hundreds of topics authored by a distributed writing team. Each team member can modify the specific row that applies to the topic in question without having to analyze the relationships of any other topic.
|
</p>
| </p>
| ||
<p>
| <p>
| ||
| Line 328 | Line 322 | ||
Switch based upon the context. However, for now, just delegate to a decorator
| Switch based upon the context. However, for now, just delegate to a decorator
| ||
identified directly by the context.
| identified directly by the context.
| ||
| - | -->
| + | -->
|
| + | </p>
| ||
| + | <p>
| ||
| + | -Zak Binder<br />
| ||
| + | Advisory Technical Writer<br />
| ||
| + | SunGard Higher Education<br />
| ||
| + | <a href="mailto:zak.binder@sungardhe.com">zak.binder@sungardhe.com</a>
| ||
</p>
| </p>
| ||
Improving Relationships in Relationship Tables
A team encounters quite a few challenges when transitioning from unstructured to structured writing. For my team, the struggles associated with learning DITA and following the DITA structure were minor compared with the challenges presented by corralling hundreds of individual topics into a logical hierarchy. The biggest challenge we faced was managing topic relationships.
In DITA, related topics can be managed either in the DITA topics themselves, or via DITAMAPs using relationship tables <reltable>.
While topic relationships can be stored in the topics themselves, as products evolve and user interfaces change, a topic that was required for release 1.0 of a product may no longer be needed in release 2.3. If related topics are maintained at the topic level, removing a topic that is no longer part of the system may involve modifying the related topics of a dozen different DITA files.
However, if related topics are managed using a relationship table in a DITAMAP, removing a topic that is no longer needed involves changing only one file. Relationship tables can be used to easily manage the related topics that are associated with each DITA topic.
After doing a lot of research into relationship tables, my team nearly abandoned the effort because mapping a large number of topics in the standard three-column relationship table was too complex. However, once we realized that a four-column approach was much more effective in creating and maintaining the relationships between DITA topics, our information modeling and online help creation process became much easier to manage.
Example Files
To illustrate the benefits of a four-column relationship table, the following example topics will be used.
Concept Topics
The following concept topics are designed to introduce the subject matter to the reader. These topics will cover information ranging from, "What is it?" to "Why should the reader care?"
- What is a user? (user_c.dita)
- What is a role? (role_c.dita)
- How are users and roles related? (user_role_c.dita)
Task Topics
The following task topics are designed to walk the user through a procedure that goes from step 1 to step N, with the end result being the successful completion of the task at hand.
- Create a new user account (user_create_t.dita)
- Edit an existing user account (user_edit_t.dita)
- Create a new role (role_create_t.dita)
- Edit an existing role (role_edit_t.dita)
- Associate a user account with a role (user_role_associate_t.dita)
Reference Topics
The following reference topics are designed to support the user in completing a task. For example, if step 3 of our task instructs the user to complete field xyz, the reference topic for that window will describe field xyz and include supporting background information that may not appear in the task.
- User Account window details (user_r.dita)
- Role window details (role_r.dita)
Desired Outcome
Using a standard three-column relationship table and a four-column relationship table, the following relationships will be applied to each topic in the example documentation set:
Standard Three-Column Relationship Table
Each row in a relationship table defines an individual set of relationships between topics. In the relationship table diagram below, there are seven rows that are used to define the relationships between ten different topics. The difficulty in dealing with this type of relationship table is that the relationships for some topics are defined in multiple rows. So when a topic relationship changes, the writer maintaining the DITAMAP must perform a detailed analysis of the relationship between topics in several rows to enact a change.
In DITA, these relationships are expressed as follows:
<reltable>
<relheader>
<relcolspec type = "concept"></relcolspec>
<relcolspec type = "task"></relcolspec>
<relcolspec type = "reference"></relcolspec>
</relheader>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicgroup collection-type = "family">
<topicref navtitle = "What is a user?" href="user_c.dita" type = "concept"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a role?" href="role_c.dita" type = "concept"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "How are users and roles related?" href="user_role_c.dita" type = "concept"></topicref>
</topicgroup>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a user?" href="user_c.dita" type = "concept"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new user account" href="user_create_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing user account" href="user_edit_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a role?" href="role_c.dita" type = "concept"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new role" href="role_create_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing role" href="role_edit_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "How are users and roles related?" href="user_role_c.dita" type = "concept"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell></relcell>
<relcell>
<topicgroup collection-type = "family">
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new user account" href="user_create_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing user account" href="user_edit_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new role" href="role_create_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing role" href="role_edit_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</topicgroup>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell></relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new user account" href="user_create_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing user account" href="user_edit_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "User Account window details" href="user_r.dita" type = "reference"></topicref>
</relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell></relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new role" href="role_create_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing role" href="role_edit_t.dita" type = "task"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Role window details" href="role_r.dita" type = "reference"></topicref>
</relcell>
</relrow>
</reltable>
Four-Column Relationship Table
While the four-column relationship table below has three more rows than the standard three-column relationship table, the larger table makes it much easier to maintain the relationships between the various relationships between the topics. In the example below, when a topic relationship changes, the writer can simply locate and modify a single row that defines the links for that topic.
In DITA, these relationships are expressed as follows:
<reltable>
<relheader>
<relcolspec type = "topic"></relcolspec>
<relcolspec type = "concept"></relcolspec>
<relcolspec type = "task"></relcolspec>
<relcolspec type = "reference"></relcolspec>
</relheader>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a user?" href="user_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a role?" href="role_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "How are users and roles related?" href="user_role_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new user account" href="user_create_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing user account" href="user_edit_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a role?" href="role_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a user?" href="user_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "How are users and roles related?" href="user_role_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new role" href="role_create_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing role" href="role_edit_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "How are users and roles related?" href="user_role_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a user?" href="user_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a role?" href="role_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new user account" href="user_create_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a user?" href="user_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "User Account window details" href="user_r.dita" type = "reference" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing user account" href="user_edit_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a user?" href="user_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "User Account window details" href="user_r.dita" type = "reference" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new role" href="role_create_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a role?" href="role_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Role window details" href="role_r.dita" type = "reference" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing role" href="role_edit_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a role?" href="role_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Role window details" href="role_r.dita" type = "reference" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Associate a user account with a role" href="user_role_associate_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a user?" href="user_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "What is a role?" href="role_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "How are users and roles related?" href="user_role_c.dita" type = "concept" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "User Account window details" href="user_r.dita" type = "reference" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new user account" href="user_create_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing user account" href="user_edit_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
<relrow>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Role window details" href="role_r.dita" type = "reference" linking = "sourceonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
<relcell>
<topicref navtitle = "Create a new role" href="role_create_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
<topicref navtitle = "Edit an existing role" href="role_edit_t.dita" type = "task" linking = "targetonly"></topicref>
</relcell>
<relcell></relcell>
</relrow>
</reltable>
Conclusion
Using a four column relationship table in our SunGard Higher Education DITAMAPs, we are able to easily maintain the relationships between hundreds of topics authored by a distributed writing team. Each team member can modify the specific row that applies to the topic in question without having to analyze the relationships of any other topic.
While proper up-front planning is still vital to assign topic relationships, knowing that each source topic is always located in the first column and all target topics can be found in columns based on the topic type has made the job of maintaining those relationships much easier. -->
-Zak Binder
Advisory Technical Writer
SunGard Higher Education
zak.binder@sungardhe.com
Search
Recent Content
- Forum for DITA Users
35 weeks ago - Publishing for DITA
5 years ago - Optimizing the DITA Authoring Experience — Online Course
5 years ago - Linking to another chunked topic
5 years ago - Advanced Reuse Strategies — Online Course
5 years ago - 2019 Content Management Strategies/DITA North America Conference
5 years ago
Subscribe
