Author XML code with attribute IDs shown

When you are working in the Oxygen editor and updating the structure and content in Edit XML source mode, attribute tags are shown by default. If you want to see less code, you can temporarily hide attribute tags using a button on the tool bar. To manage attribute tags or see them again, you can use an option to show them again in the XML code.

Tips and tricks

  • For help writing XML code for a DITA topic, refer to Oxygen's XML guide: Introduction to DITA 1.3
  • If you make a coding error, you only see a warning when you try to save the component.

    • You can fix the error in Edit XML source mode and try again to save your changes.
    • You can also Switch to Author mode and use the right panel option for validation.

      The Validation pane provides you with a More details link to learn more about the XML language rules.

      Check for errors in the Validation pane

You may or may not see element IDs. An administrator can configure an element to never be assigned an ID.

For example, if a Ditabase component is created or imported into Inspire, normally an ID is automatically added to the root level <Dita>. For Ditabase, this ID makes the component invalid when opened in the XML editor because ID is not allowed on a Dita component.

If an element is configured to not use IDs:

  • When content is imported, no ID is generated
  • In the Oxygen editor, no ID is generated when the Generate IDs or Save and Submit options are used
  • This behavior is enforced even if the automaticIds option is turned on

To author XML code with attribute IDs shown:

  1. Click Components_TopMenuOpt Components.
  2. In the Folders pane, navigate to the folder where you've saved the component.
  3. In the Components pane, select the component you want to open.
  4. To open the file in the Oxygen editor, double-click the component.
    You can also open a component in the following ways:
    • To select the row, click it, then right-click and select Edit...
    • To select the row, click it, then click and select Edit...
  5. By default Oxygen opens a component for editing in Author mode. To switch to Edit XML, do one of the following:
    • In the editor, click and then select Edit XML Source
    • Use the keyboard shortcut keys Alt+fn+F5
  6. If attribute IDs are hidden, select the Show Ids button to show attribute IDs again.