32.7.2 Overriding settings in a DITA content model

You can override features of a built-in or previously defined DITA content model without creating a specialized type, by providing a content-model configuration file that lists only the differences from the original model. You can use this method to modify maps as well as topic types; see §32.7.4 Overriding declarations in a DITA map content model.

To override settings in a DITA content model:

1. Create a new DITAtopictype.ini configuration file from scratch, named for the topic type you are overriding. Do not use dtd2ini to generate this file from a DTD.

2. In configuration file DITAtopictype.ini, specify the name of the topic type you are overriding:

[Topic]

; TopicDerivation = name of type from which it is derived,

;  either one of the defined types (topic, concept, task,

;  reference, glossary, or map) or another specialized type

;  for which an .ini is available.

TopicDerivation = topictype

TopicDerivation can be any of the built-in topic types (topic, concept, task, reference, glossary, map, or bookmap), or any specialized type for which a content-model configuration file named DITAtopictype.ini is available (see §32.7 Specializing or modifying DITA topic types). Do not use TopicDerivation in content-model configuration files generated by dtd2ini; those content models are always complete.

3. Other than a value for TopicDerivation, include settings in DITAtopictype.ini only for elements you are adding or modifying.

4. In your project configuration file, list the name of the topic type you are overriding:

[DITAContentModels]

topictype = any text here (ignored)

See §32.7.5 Listing DITA topic type configuration files.

5. Place DITAtopictype.ini where Mif2Go can find it; see §32.7.6 Locating DITA topic type configuration files.

For example, to change the PUBLIC declaration for glossary topics (to conform to XMetaL requirements) without changing the declaration for any other topic type:

[Topic]

ModelName = glossary

TopicDerivation = glossary

TopicRoot = glossentry

PrologDType = "-//OASIS//DTD DITA Composite//EN"

PrologDTD = "ditabase.dtd"

In your project configuration file:

[DITAContentModels]

glossary = my modified model for XMetaL (a comment)

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