What role does conditional processing play in tailoring pre-delivery documentation for different vehicle models and trims?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Conditional processing is a powerful feature in DITA that plays a pivotal role in tailoring pre-delivery documentation for different vehicle models and trims. It allows automotive organizations to create a single source of content while selectively including or excluding information based on specific criteria, such as vehicle model, trim level, or options. This ensures that vehicle owners receive documentation that is relevant to their specific vehicle configuration.

Conditional Attributes

DITA provides conditional attributes that can be applied to elements within a document. For example, a conditional attribute could be used to mark a section of content as relevant only to a particular vehicle model or trim. When the document is processed, the conditional attributes are evaluated, and the content is included or excluded accordingly. This allows automotive organizations to maintain a unified document source while generating tailored documentation for different vehicle variants.

Example:

Here’s an example of how conditional processing can be used in DITA to tailor documentation for different vehicle models and trims:


<!-- DITA Content with Conditional Processing -->
<topic id="vehicle_manual">
  <title>Vehicle Owner's Manual</title>
  <body>
    <section id="introduction">
      <title>Introduction</title>
      <p>This manual provides important information about your vehicle.</p>
    </section>
    <section id="maintenance" conkeyref="model:luxury">
      <title>Maintenance Schedule</title>
      <p>Follow this schedule for regular maintenance of your luxury vehicle.</p>
    </section>
    <section id="warranty" conkeyref="model:sport,trim:special">
      <title>Warranty Information</title>
      <p>Warranty coverage details for your special sport model.</p>
    </section>
  </body>
</topic>

In this example, conditional processing is used to include maintenance and warranty information selectively based on the vehicle model and trim. The “conkeyref” attribute specifies the conditions under which each section should be included in the final documentation. This flexibility allows for the creation of tailored owner’s manuals and guides for different vehicle configurations.