step

The <step> element represents an action that a user must follow to accomplish a task. Each step in a task must contain a command <cmd> element which describes the particular action the user must do to accomplish the overall task. The step element can also contain information <info>, substeps <substeps>, tutorial information <tutorialinfo>, a step example <stepxmp>, choices <choices> or a stepresult <stepresult>, although these are optional.

Example

<task id="sqlj">
<title>Creating an SQLJ file</title>
<taskbody>
<context>Once you have set up SQLJ, you need to create a new SQLJ file.
</context>
<steps>
<step>
 <cmd>Select <menucascade><uicontrol>File</uicontrol><uicontrol>New</uicontrol></menucascade>.</cmd>
 <info>New files are created with default values based on a standard template.</info>
</step>
</steps>
</taskbody>
</task>

Contains

Doctype Content model
ditabase, task ( cmd then ( info or substeps or tutorialinfo or stepxmp or choicetable or choices) (any number) then ( stepresult) (optional) )

Contained by

Doctype Parents
ditabase, task steps, steps-unordered

Inheritance:

- topic/li task/step

Attributes

Name Description Data Type Default Value Required?
importance Describes whether the current step or substep is optional or required. Output processors may (but need not) highlight steps that are optional or required. optional | required | -dita-use-conref-target #IMPLIED No
props Root attribute from which new metadata attributes can be specialized. This is a property attribute which supports conditional processing for filtering or flagging. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. The attribute takes a space delimited set of values. However, when acting as a container for generalized attributes, the content model will be more complex; that model is documented in the "attribute generalization" section of the DITA architectural specification. CDATA #IMPLIED No
base A generic attribute that has no specific purpose, but is intended to act as a base for specialized attributes that have a simple value syntax like the conditional processing attributes (one or more alphanumeric values separated by whitespace). The attribute takes a space delimited set of values. However, when acting as a container for generalized attributes, the content model will be more complex; that model is documented in the "attribute generalization" section of the DITA architectural specification. CDATA #IMPLIED No
platform Indicates operating system and hardware. This is a property attribute which supports conditional processing for filtering or flagging. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. The attribute takes a space delimited set of values. CDATA #IMPLIED No
product Contains the name of the product to which the topic applies. This is a property attribute which supports conditional processing for filtering or flagging. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. The attribute takes a space delimited set of values. CDATA #IMPLIED No
audience Indicates the intended audience for the element. This is a property attribute which supports conditional processing for filtering or flagging. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. The attribute takes a space delimited set of values. CDATA #IMPLIED No
otherprops This attribute can be used for any other properties that might be needed to describe an audience, or to provide selection criteria for the element. This is a property attribute which supports conditional processing for filtering or flagging. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. The attribute takes a space delimited set of values. CDATA #IMPLIED No
rev Indicates revision level of an element. It is useful for flagging outputs based on revision. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. CDATA #IMPLIED No
status The status of the current element. new | changed | deleted | unchanged | -dita-use-conref-target #IMPLIED No
%id-atts; (id, conref) A set of related attributes, described at %id-atts; parameter entity PE not applicable Not applicable
%localization-atts; (translate, xml:lang, dir) A set of related attributes, described at %localization-atts;. parameter entity PE not applicable Not applicable
%global-atts; (xtrf, xtrc) A set of related attributes, described at %global-atts; parameter entity PE not applicable Not applicable
class, outputclass Common attributes described in Other common DITA attributes      

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OASIS DITA Language Specification v1.1 -- Committee Draft 02, 8 May 2007
Copyright © OASIS Open 2005, 2007. All Rights Reserved.