3.1.1.2.6 dl

A definition list (<dl>) is a list of terms and corresponding definitions. The term (<dt>) is usually flush left. The description or definition (<dd>) is usually either indented and on the next line, or on the same line to the right of the term. However, actual rendering is up to the rendering engine.

You can also provide an optional heading for the terms and definitions, using the <dlhead> element, which contains header elements for those columns. The default formatting for the <dlhead> generally looks like a table with a heading row, but this is also up to the rendering engine.

Contains

Note: These models represent only the default document types distributed by OASIS. Actual content models will differ with each new document type.
Doctype Content model
topic, map, concept, ditabase, glossary, glossentry, glossgroup, reference, task, bookmap, classifyMap, subjectScheme, machineryTask, learningAssessment, learningBookmap, learningContent, learningMap, learningOverview, learningPlan, learningSummary ( (dlhead) (optional) then (dlentry) (one or more) )

Contained by

Doctype Content model
topic (base) desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo
map (base), classifyMap, subjectScheme, learningBookmap, learningMap desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry
topic (technical content) desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, pd
map (technical content), bookmap desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, pd
concept desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, conbody, pd
ditabase desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, conbody, prereq, context, steps-informal, stepsection, info, tutorialinfo, stepxmp, choice, choptionhd, chdeschd, choption, chdesc, stepresult, result, postreq, refsyn, proptypehd, propvaluehd, propdeschd, propdesc, glossdef, glossUsage, glossScopeNote, pd
glossary, glossentry, glossgroup desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, conbody, glossdef, glossUsage, glossScopeNote, pd
reference desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, refsyn, proptypehd, propvaluehd, propdeschd, propdesc, pd
task (strict), task (general) desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, prereq, context, steps-informal, stepsection, info, tutorialinfo, stepxmp, choice, choptionhd, chdeschd, choption, chdesc, stepresult, result, postreq, pd
machineryTask desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, prereq, context, steps-informal, stepsection, info, tutorialinfo, stepxmp, choice, choptionhd, chdeschd, choption, chdesc, stepresult, result, postreq, reqcond, reqcontp, personnel, perscat, perskill, esttime, supequi, supply, spare, safecond
learningAssessment, learningOverview, learningSummary desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, lcIntro, lcAudience, lcPrereqs, lcSummary, lcNextSteps, lcReview, lcResources, lcChallenge, lcInstruction, lcInteractionBase, lcInstructornote
learningContent desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, lcIntro, lcAudience, lcPrereqs, lcSummary, lcNextSteps, lcReview, lcResources, lcChallenge, lcInstruction, prereq, context, steps-informal, stepsection, info, tutorialinfo, stepxmp, choice, choptionhd, chdeschd, choption, chdesc, stepresult, result, postreq, conbody, refsyn, proptypehd, propvaluehd, propdeschd, propdesc, lcInteractionBase, lcInstructornote
learningPlan desc, p, note, lq, li, itemgroup, dd, fig, figgroup, stentry, draft-comment, fn, entry, abstract, body, bodydiv, section, sectiondiv, example, linkinfo, lcIntro, lcAudience, lcPrereqs, lcSummary, lcNextSteps, lcReview, lcResources, lcChallenge, lcInstruction, lcClient, lcPlanTitle, lcCIN, lcModDate, lcDelivDate, lcPlanSubject, lcPlanDescrip, lcPlanPrereqs, lcGeneralDescription, lcGoals, lcNeeds, lcValues, lcOrgConstraints, lcEdLevel, lcAge, lcBackground, lcSkills, lcKnowledge, lcMotivation, lcSpecChars, lcWorkEnvDescription, lcPlanResources, lcProcesses, lcTaskItem, lcAttitude, lcPlanObjective, lcJtaItem, lcGapItemDelta, lcLearnStrat, lcAssessment, lcDelivery, lcLMS, lcNoLMS, lcHandouts, lcClassroom, lcOJT, lcConstraints, lcW3C, lcPlayers, lcGraphics, lcViewers, lcResolution, lcFileSizeLimitations, lcDownloadTime, lcSecurity, lcInteractionBase, lcInstructornote

Inheritance

- topic/dl

Examples

Figure 1. Simple definition list example
<dl>
<dlentry>
<dt>Bytes returned</dt>
<dd>The number of bytes of data returned.</dd>
</dlentry>
<dlentry>
<dt>Bytes available</dt>
<dd>The number of bytes of data available to be returned.</dd>
</dlentry>
<dlentry><dt>Handle</dt>
<dd>The returned handle value</dd>
</dlentry>
</dl>
Figure 2. Definition list with a heading
<dl>
 <dlhead>
  <dthd>Image File View Selection</dthd>
  <ddhd>Resulting Information</ddhd>
 </dlhead>
 <dlentry>
  <dt>File Type</dt>
  <dd>Image's file extension</dd>
 </dlentry>
 <dlentry>
  <dt>Image Class</dt>
  <dd>Image is raster, vector, metafile or 3D</dd>
 </dlentry>
 <dlentry>
  <dt>Number of pages</dt>
  <dd>Number of pages in the image</dd>
 </dlentry>
 <dlentry>
  <dt>Fonts</dt>
  <dd>Names of the fonts contained within a vector image</dd>
 </dlentry>
</dl>

Rendering of definition lists will vary by application and by display format. The second example may, but need not, be rendered as follows.

Image File View Selection
Resulting Information
File Type
Image's file extension
Image Class
Image is raster, vector, metafile or 3D
Number of pages
Number of pages in the image
Fonts
Names of the fonts contained within a vector image

Attributes

Name Description Data Type Default Value Required?
compact Indicates close vertical spacing between the list items. Expanded spacing is the default value. The output result of compact spacing depends on the processor or browser. Allowed values are:
yes
Indicates compact spacing.
no
Indicates expanded spacing.
-dita-use-​conref-​target
See Using the -dita-use-conref-target value for more information.
(yes | no | -dita-use-​conref-​target) #IMPLIED No
spectitle The specialized title attribute allows architects of specialized types to define a fixed or default title for a specialized element. Not intended for direct use by authors. CDATA #IMPLIED No
univ-atts attribute group (includes select-atts, id-atts, and localization-atts groups) A set of related attributes, described in univ-atts attribute group      
global-atts attribute group (xtrf, xtrc) A set of related attributes, described in global-atts attribute group      
class, outputclass Common attributes described in Other common DITA attributes      

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OASIS DITA Version 1.2 -- OASIS Standard, 1 December 2010
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