In DITA XML, creating links to user assistance and help resources involves using various elements and attributes to define the relationships between content. DITA offers flexibility in linking to diverse resources, including topics, glossaries, references, or external documentation, enriching the user experience and providing valuable information at the right moment.

One common way to create links in DITA is by using the <xref> element. This element allows you to reference other DITA topics or content, both within the same document or in external files. You can specify attributes like href to indicate the path to the target resource and format to define the format of the linked content, such as “dita,” “html,” or “pdf.” For example:

<!-- Example of creating a link to another DITA topic using <xref> -->
<xref href="other-topic.dita" format="dita">Link text</xref>

In this example, the <xref> element is used to link to the “other-topic.dita” DITA topic. The “Link text” serves as the visible link in the content, and users can click it to access the linked topic.

Another way to link to user assistance and help resources in DITA is by using the <link> element. The <link> element allows you to create links to a wide range of resources, including external web pages, documents, or even email addresses. You can use the href attribute to specify the URL or location of the resource you want to link to. For example:

<!-- Example of creating a link to an external web page using <link> -->
<link href="https://example.com">Visit our website</link>

In this example, the <link> element is used to create a hyperlink to the external web page “https://example.com,” and the link text is “Visit our website.” Users can click on this link to access the external resource.

DITA XML provides a comprehensive set of tools for linking content, whether it’s within the DITA documentation set or to external resources. These linking mechanisms enable you to create an interconnected, user-friendly experience and ensure that users can easily access relevant help and assistance resources when they need them.