What role do profiling attributes play in managing content variants during translation?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Profiling attributes play a crucial role in managing content variants during translation in DITA XML. They provide a means to classify and filter content based on specific criteria, enabling precise control over which content variants are included in the translation process.

Content Classification

Profiling attributes allow you to classify content based on attributes such as language, audience, product version, or any other relevant criteria. This classification helps content authors specify which variant of the content is applicable in different scenarios, ensuring that the right content is included in the translation workflow.

Profiling Attributes Example:

Here’s an example of how profiling attributes are used in DITA to manage content variants:


<topic id="product_description">
  <title>Product Description</title>
  <body>
    <p>This is the product description for the general audience.</p>
    <p prof="language=es">Este es la descripción del producto en español para el público hispanohablante.</p>
    <p prof="audience=tech">This is the technical product description for experts.</p>
  </body>

In this example, profiling attributes such as “language” and “audience” are applied to the content, allowing for precise classification and management of content variants.

Precise Translation Control

Profiling attributes ensure that translation management systems can accurately identify and process content variants based on the specified criteria. This level of control makes the translation workflow more efficient and prevents the inclusion of irrelevant content, ultimately delivering translated documentation that aligns with the intended audience, language, or other criteria.