Can DITA facilitate variations in content structure and layout for different languages in mining documentation?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Adapting content structure and layout to accommodate variations in different languages is a key challenge in mining documentation. DITA XML offers robust capabilities to address this challenge, allowing mining companies to maintain consistency in technical content while tailoring the presentation to meet linguistic and cultural requirements.

Conditional Text

DITA XML provides a feature known as conditional text, which allows authors to specify different content variations based on conditions. This is particularly useful for handling variations in content structure and layout for different languages. For example, a DITA topic can include conditional text that displays different images, layouts, or formatting based on the target language. This ensures that the visual presentation of content aligns with linguistic and cultural expectations, while the core technical content remains consistent.

Localization Attributes

Another valuable aspect of DITA XML is the use of localization attributes. These attributes can be applied to various elements within a topic to control language-specific behaviors. For instance, mining companies can use localization attributes to specify the direction of text flow (left-to-right or right-to-left), date formats, and other language-specific settings. This ensures that the content structure and layout are adapted appropriately for each target language, enhancing readability and user experience.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA XML can be used to manage variations in content structure and layout for different languages:


<topic id="mining_operations">
  <title>Mining Operations Overview</title>
  <body>
    <p>This image shows the mining process:
      <image href="mining_process_en.png" conkeyref="en"/><image href="mining_process_fr.png" conkeyref="fr"/>
    </p>
  </body>
  <val conref="mining_process.dita" conkey="en"/>
  <val conref="mining_process.dita" conkey="fr"/>

In this example, conditional text is used to display different images based on the language conditions specified by the conkeyref attribute. The English version of the image is shown when the “en” condition is met, while the French version is displayed for the “fr” condition, ensuring content structure and layout variations for different languages.