Conditional processing in DITA plays a vital role in tailoring equipment documentation for different mining equipment models, maintenance scenarios, and operational contexts. This capability allows content creators to deliver targeted information to specific audiences without creating separate documents for each variation. Here’s how conditional processing works in DITA and its benefits:

Conditional Attributes

DITA introduces conditional attributes that can be applied to elements in the XML content. These attributes, such as “product,” “audience,” or “delivery,” enable content authors to specify conditions under which particular content should be included or excluded. For example, maintenance instructions for a specific mining equipment model can be marked with a condition that ensures they are only included in documentation related to that model.

Tailoring Content

Conditional processing allows for the dynamic assembly of documentation based on the specific requirements of the reader. For instance, maintenance personnel working on a particular mining equipment model will receive documentation that is customized for their needs. Similarly, operational guides can adapt to the user’s role or expertise level. This tailoring ensures that users get the most relevant information, improving usability and efficiency.

Example:

Here’s an example of how conditional processing can be used in DITA to tailor equipment documentation:

<topic id="maintenance_guide">
  <title>Equipment Maintenance Guide</title>
  <section>
    <title>General Maintenance</title>
    <p>This section contains general maintenance instructions applicable to all equipment models.</p>
  </section>
  <section conref="maintenance_type_a.dita"/>
  <section conref="maintenance_type_b.dita"/>

In this DITA XML example, the “conref” attribute is used to conditionally include maintenance instructions specific to “maintenance_type_a” and “maintenance_type_b” based on the equipment model. Conditional processing ensures that the relevant content is included in the final documentation based on the mining equipment model.