Conditional processing in DITA plays a crucial role in tailoring safety documentation for different aircraft models. In the aerospace industry, safety documentation often needs to address specific requirements and configurations of various aircraft models. DITA allows for the creation of conditional content, enabling authors to include or exclude information based on the aircraft model, making the documentation more relevant and accurate.

One way conditional processing is achieved in DITA is through the use of conditional attributes. Authors can apply conditional attributes to elements or sections of content. For instance, they can mark content with attributes like ‘product-a,’ ‘product-b,’ or ‘generic’ to indicate which aircraft model the content is relevant to. When generating documentation for a particular aircraft model, the conditional attributes are used to filter and include only the content that applies to that model.

Example:

Here’s an example of conditional processing in DITA using a conditional attribute to specify content for a hypothetical aircraft model ‘XYZ-2000’:

<!-- Conditional content for XYZ-2000 aircraft model -->
<steps product-a="yes">
  <step>Check the XYZ-2000 engine pressure.</step>
  <step>Verify the XYZ-2000 avionics system.</step>
</steps>

<steps product-b="yes">
  <step>Inspect the ABC-300 engine pressure.</step>
  <step>Review the ABC-300 avionics system.</step>
</steps>

By utilizing conditional processing like this, safety documentation can be tailored to meet the specific needs and configurations of different aircraft models, ensuring that pilots, maintenance personnel, and operators have access to the precise information required for each aircraft.