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We're working on implementing pop-out glossary text and images in HTML (glossterm, glossdef, glossref, etc.) and are concerned about reuse. I'd love to chat about any current implementations to see how you have resolved some of our reuse concerns.
We're working on implementing pop-out glossary text and images in HTML (glossterm, glossdef, glossref, etc.) and are concerned about reuse. I'd love to chat about any current implementations to see how you have resolved some of our reuse concerns.
Hello Nick!
We are in fact using the DITA glossary elements, both in a separate glossary publication, but also as appendices in end user manuals.
We have seen that several fragments used in the special glossary elements are useful in other contexts too, so we reuse them wherever applicable. The <glossterm>, <glossdef>, <glossref>. elements (and others) cannot be reused in a concept, task or reference topics, but the elements you use within these can easily be reused. This means that we reuse <p>, <ol>, <lq> and similar elements by placing them in library topics. I'd also like to reuse the <div> element, but I haven't tested that yet.
Keep in mind that you can also reuse the <ph> element, which can be inserted almost everywhere. The <ph> element is a favourite in our organization, and it is the most common element we reuse. We place the <ph> elements (with content) in our library topics, and then reuse them in <p>, table cells, <title>- yes basically everywhere.
regards Ragnar
Kongsberg Maritime
Thank you for the feedback Ragnar. I appreciate it!
It sounds like you are using variable libraries to handle reused glossary elements in concept and task topics. That was how I was leaning, but wasn't sure how much additional overhead that would add for our authors. It's good to know that you've had success using this method - I'll play around a bit to see how well that works in our implementation.
Question - do you create a separate variable library for the glossary elements used in a publication, or do you work them into an existing library?
Thank you for the feedback Ragnar. I appreciate it!
It sounds like you are using variable libraries to handle reused glossary elements in concept and task topics. That was how I was leaning, but wasn't sure how much additional overhead that would add for our authors. It's good to know that you've had success using this method - I'll play around a bit to see how well that works in our implementation.
Question - do you create a separate variable library for the glossary elements used in a publication, or do you work them into an existing library?