<graphic>

Graphic

Description of and pointer to an external file containing a still image.

Remarks

The external file associated with a <graphic> holds a picture, illustration, etc., and is usually some form of binary object. The “content” of the <graphic> element (if any) is not the object itself, but merely information about the object. The external file that contains the object is named by the @xlink:href attribute.

Related Essay: For a discussion on the use of <graphic>, see Figures and Graphics.

Position: Although the @position attribute of this element may be used to indicate whether this element must be anchored at its exact location within the text or it may float, it is good practice to anchor graphics. All the graphics inside figures, tables, etc., should be anchored as well, although the outer structure (figure, boxed text) may be allowed to float.

Usage: Display component elements, such as <caption>, should always be used at the highest possible level; in other words, if a <graphic> element is inside a <fig> element, the <caption>, <long-desc>, etc., should be part of the <fig>, not part of the <graphic> element. Use a <caption> element (and similar display component elements) on a <graphic> only when the graphical object is not enclosed in any other structure or when a figure contains multiple graphical objects, each of which must have its own <caption>. For similar reasons, the @position attribute should be set to “anchor” for a <graphic> element contained inside a larger display container such as a <fig>.

Attributes

content-type Type of Content
id Identifier
mime-subtype Mime Subtype
mimetype Mime Type
orientation Orientation
position Position
specific-use Specific Use
xlink:actuate Actuating the Link
xlink:href Href (Linking Mechanism)
xlink:role Role of the Link
xlink:show Showing the Link
xlink:title Title of the Link
xlink:type Type of Link
xmlns:xlink XLink Namespace Declaration
xml:lang Language

Related Elements

This Suite contains several elements to describe non-XML material: <graphic>, <inline-graphic>, <media>, and <supplementary-material>. The elements <graphic> and <inline-graphic> are used for still images, i.e., photographs, diagrams, etc. The distinction between the two other elements is more subtle. The element <media> should be used for video, audio clips, time-dependent graphic types, and all moving images in other media formats where the material is intrinsic to the content, that is, the media object is discussed within the text or essential to the message of the text. The element <supplementary-material> should be used for films, audio clips, or other moving material or non-XML formats which enhance or supplement a document, but that are not discussed as part of the document or essential to the conclusions of the text.

Best Practice: It is best practice to tag unlabeled graphical objects (no label such as “Figure 4.”) as <graphic>s, not as <fig>s. A common test to determine whether an object is a <fig> versus a <graphic> is to ask, “If there were a List of Figures for this document, should this object appear in that list?”

Content Model

<!ELEMENT  graphic      %graphic-model;                              >

Expanded Content Model

(alt-text | long-desc | email | ext-link | uri | object-id | label | caption | attrib | permissions)*

Description

Any combination of:

This element may be contained in:

<alternatives>, <app>, <app-group>, <array>, <bio>, <body>, <boxed-text>, <chem-struct>, <chem-struct-wrap>, <disp-formula>, <disp-quote>, <fig>, <fig-group>, <floats-group>, <glossary>, <license-p>, <named-content>, <notes>, <p>, <ref-list>, <sec>, <sig>, <sig-block>, <styled-content>, <supplementary-material>, <table-wrap>, <td>, <term>, <th>

Example

...
<sec sec-type="results">
<title>Results</title>
<p>We identified 703 abstracts, of which 687 were not
relevant ... Details of randomisation procedures,
treatment schedules, and numbers of patients followed up
are given on the <italic>BMJ</italic> website.</p>
<fig id="F1">
<caption>
<title>Deaths among patients receiving day hospital care
or alternative services.</title><p>Odds ratios of death by end
of follow up were calculated by fixed effects model.
Heterogeneity between trials is presented as
&#x03C7;<sup>2</sup></p>
</caption>
<alt-text>Deaths in hospitals or with alternative services</alt-text>
<graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
xlink:href="fors2662.f1">
<object-id>456472</object-id>
</graphic>
</fig>
...
</sec>
...

Module

JATS-display1.ent