Flagging based on metadata attributes

When rendering content, a conditional processing profile can be used to specify whether an element's content is flagged based on its conditional processing attributes.

For example, flagging can be used to highlight the fact that content applies to a specific audience or operating system. Flagging can also draw a reader's attention to content that has been marked as being revised.

When deciding whether to flag a particular element, a processor evaluates each conditional processing attribute. Wherever an attribute value that has been set as flagged appears (for example, audience="administrator"), the processor adds the flag. When multiple flags apply to a single element, multiple flags are rendered, the order in which they are applied is implementation specific.

Flagging behavior is determined based on the DITAVAL rule that matches a conditional processing attribute value. Flagging options for the content of an element include setting a text style, color, or background color. It also includes the ability to place an image or text at the start or end of the flagged content. If the @add-outputclass attribute is present in the matching DITAVAL rule, the flagged element is treated as if the specified value is added to its @outputclass attribute.

If a matching DITAVAL rule uses the attribute value action="passthrough", a processor is instructed to pass the attribute directly through to rendered output, which enables flagging within rendering tools. How the attribute is passed through is implementation-specific and will depend on the requirements of those rendering tools.

When the same element evaluates as both flagged and included, the element is both flagged and included. When the same element evaluates as both flagged and filtered, the element is filtered. For example, an element that is flagged because of a value for the @audience attribute and filtered because of a value for the @product attribute will be filtered.

When flagging methods are specified for elements at different levels of the containment hierarchy, the flagging method that is specified for the element at the lowest level of the hierarchy applies.

When conflicting flagging methods are specified for the same element, the <style-conflict> element in the DITAVAL document provides a mechanism for resolving the conflict. If no <style-conflict> element is present, it is implementation dependent how the conflict is resolved.