Given the size and complexity of the specification, it is not generated as a single XHTML file. Instead, each DITA topic is rendered as a separate XHTML file. The XHTML version of the specification uses certain formatting conventions to aid readers in navigating through the specification and locating material easily: Link previews and navigation links.
The DITA specification uses the content of the DITA
<shortdesc>
element to provide link previews for its
readers. These link previews are visually highlighted by a border and a colored
background. The link previews are not normative; they contain the content of the
<shortdesc>
element for the child topic, which is
rendered in a normative context as the first paragraph of the topic; the content is
identical in both renditions. The link previews serve as enhanced navigation aids,
enabling readers to more easily locate content. This usability enhancement is one of
the ways in which the specification illustrates the capabilities of DITA and
exemplifies DITA best practices.
The following screen capture illustrates how link previews are displayed in the XHTML version of the specification:
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dita-v1.3-csd01-part1-base Standards Track Work Product | Copyright © OASIS Open 2015. All Rights Reserved. | 30 June 2015 |