Can images be resized and aligned within DITA content?

In DITA, images can be resized and aligned within content to control their dimensions and positioning. This is accomplished using attributes like scale, scalefit, and align within the <image> element.

Adjusting the size and position of images in DITA is done with attributes like scale, scalefit, and align.

Resizing Images with scale and scalefit:

The scale attribute allows for adjusting the size of an image, specifying a percentage of the original. For example, scale="50%" will reduce the image to half its original size. This is helpful for maintaining consistency in the layout of content.

The scalefit attribute is used to fit an image within a specific width or height. If scalefit="yes", DITA scales the image proportionally to fit within the provided width or height, preserving its aspect ratio.

Aligning Images with align:

The align attribute is used to control the horizontal alignment of the image within the content. This attribute can take values like “left,” “right,” “center,” and “justify.” Aligning images can improve the visual flow of content and provide a professional look.

Example:

An image of a technical diagram needs to be included in DITA content. It must be resized to a specific width and aligned to the right.


<p>Below is a technical diagram of the XYZ-5000. <image href="images/technical_diagram.png" alt="Technical Diagram" scale="75%" align="right"/></p>

In this example, the <image> element includes the scale attribute set to “75%” to reduce the image to 75% of its original size. The align attribute is set to “right” to align the image to the right within the paragraph. This allows creating a more visually appealing and structured presentation of the technical diagram within DITA content.