Map an output structure
You can use a DITA map to organize a set of resources, such as topics, into a hierarchy. This feature is useful when producing structured content, such as XHTML, PDF, or Windows Help. In most output formats, the structure of the map becomes the structure of the table of contents. You can also use maps to define and resolve keys, references, and links. You can create and manage DITA maps using Inspire's Oxygen-based map editor. You can also create specialized types of DITA maps, such as a subject scheme or classification map.
FAQ's
- Do I have to create submaps?
- You don't have to create an entire publication using a single map. It's generally good practice to break up a large publication into several smaller submaps that are easier to manage. You can reuse submaps in multiple publications by including them in each of the main maps. For example, if you want to reuse content using keys, you can create a submap just to define those keys.
- When should I use a subject map?
- You can use a subject map to provide semantics that can be used in classification maps that make it possible to create a taxonomy from a list of controlled values. For example, a company wants to allow the use of only the operating systems they support. The company defines a subject category for "Operating system", with a key set to "os". There are sub-categories for Windows and specific Linux variants: Red Hat Linux and SuSE Linux. The company then binds the values that are enumerated in the "Operating system" category to the @platform attribute. The enumeration limits valid values for the @platform attribute to the following: "linux", "redhat", "suse", and "windows". If a processor encounters any other values when validating against the scheme, the processor issues a warning.
- You can use subject scheme maps to define keys and specify a collection of controlled values rather than a collection of topics. The highest level of map that uses the set of controlled values must reference the subject scheme map where you've defined those controlled values.
- You can use classification maps to identify topics according to the subject to which they pertain. Subjects can be defined in the subject scheme map.