Implementing This Tag Set

Modular DTD Design

This Suite has been written as a series of XML DTD modules that can be combined into a number of different Tag Sets. The modules are separate physical files that, taken together, define all element structures (such as tables, math, chemistry, paragraphs, sections, figures, footnotes, and reference elements), as well as attributes and entities in the Suite.

Modules in the Suite are primarily intended to group elements for maintenance. There are different kinds of modules. A module may:

The major disadvantage of a modular system is the longer learning curve, since it may not be immediately obvious where within the system to find a particular element or attribute cluster. To help with this, each element page includes an expanded content model and also names the module in which that element is defined.

There are many advantages to such a modular approach. The smaller units are written once, maintained in one place, and used in many different tag sets. This makes it much easier to keep lower level structures consistent across document types, while allowing for any real differences that analysis identifies. A Tag Set for a new function (such as an authoring tag set) or a new publication type can be built quickly, since most of the necessary components will already be defined in the Suite. Editorial and production personnel can bring the experience gained on one tagging project directly to the next with very little loss or retraining. Customized software (including authoring, typesetting, and electronic display tools) can be written once, shared among projects, and modified only for real distinctions.

How to Start Using This Tag Library

If you want to learn about this Tag Set in order to write a new Tag Set based on this Tag Set or to modify any of the Suite Tag Sets:

Subsidiary sections:

How To Make New Tag Sets

Tag Set and Suite Naming Conventions

Modules in the JATS DTD Suite