DITA Best Practices : How to Insert a Release Note Snippet

Created by Kelly Mankenberg, last modified on Oct 09, 2017

Background

Individual release note entries within the changelogs are structured within <simpletable> elements. These simpletable elements are then referenced on the Release Notes page.
For ease of insertion, the <simpletable> template has been provided as a template in the form of oXygen Actions.

Recommended Prerequisite

It is advised to add the GRC Styles to the oXygen Author mode prior to adding snippets. To do so, follow the procedure in the InfoDev WIKI:
How to display the WKFS GRC Authoring Styles

Step-by-step guide

Making the Simpletable Snippet Action Available

  1. Select Options>Preferences>Document Type Association and then select the document type DITA - WKFS-GRC, and then click Edit.

  2. Click Author.
  3. Click Actions.
  4. Click + to create a new action.
  5. In the ID field type a name (e.g., insert.Expere.RN).
  6. In the Name field type a descriptive name to use on the toolbar (e.g., Expere RN).
  7. In the Operation field,click Choose and then select InsertFragmentOperation.
  8. Within the Arguments table, double-click the fragment row to edit.

  9. In the Value box, enter the text from Expere Release Note Snippet Text below.

    Note

    This text is stored on the Vasont server at D:\DITA-OT\DITA-OT-WKFS\~snippets

  10. Click OK.

  11. Click OK.

  12. Back in the Document Type dialog, click Toolbar.

  13. Scroll the Available actions list and add insert.Expere.RN.

  14. Click OK.

  15. Click OK.
    The Expere RN button appears in the chosen toolbar.

    Note

    Using this action inserts a simpletable in any location of the XML content that is valid.

Expere Release Note Snippet Text

<simpletable frame="none" relcolwidth="1.0*">
  <sthead>
    <stentry outputclass="rntitle">TITLE</stentry>
  </sthead>
  <strow>
    <stentry>
      <ul>
        <li><b>Type:</b> Defect/Enhancement</li>
        <li><b>Reference:</b> PBINumber</li>
        <li><b>Compliance Impacts:</b> This item is/is not a compliance or regulatory issue.</li>
        <li><b>Documentation Impacts:</b> No documentation impact</li>
      </ul>
    </stentry>
  </strow>
  <strow>
    <stentry>
      <b> Issue/Summary:</b>
    </stentry>
  </strow>
  <strow>
    <stentry>
      <b> Solution/Technical:</b>
    </stentry>
  </strow>
  <strow>
    <stentry>
      <b> Implementation Notes:</b> This feature requires a Requirements and Content Editor Tool / Expere Engine / Content Style Sheets / Expere Server Tools (choose one: Expere Administration Tool/Customer Facing Outlines/Build Doc Previews/Data Dictionary Builder) update.</stentry>
  </strow>
</simpletable>