Writing Sample #20

This writing sample explains how to create footnotes in a DITA topic.

How to create footnotes in DITA

Use the <fn> element to create footnotes in a DITA topic.1

• You can create footnotes in paragraphs and in tables.

• You can specify letters, numbers, or symbols by including the @callout attribute.

• You can repeat footnotes when necessary.

Create a footnote

Use the DITA <fn> element to create a footnote.

This is an example of a paragraph that uses the DITA footnote element. When you publish your document, DITA typically places the footnote at the bottom of the page.2

Sample <fn> code:
<p> This is an example of a paragraph that uses the DITA footnote element. When you publish your document, the footnote is typically placed at the bottom of the page.<fn>You can control the placement of footnotes using CSS or other output processing techniques.</fn>. </p>

Note: Use the @deliveryTarget attribute to specify a document type (html, pdf, epub).

For example:

<fn deliveryTarget="html">You can control the placement of footnotes using CSS
                    or other output processing techniques.</fn>

Repeat a footnote

Add an @id attribute to the <fn> element to repeat a footnote and use the <xref> element for each repeating instance of the footnote. Here is an example:

I like pets. At my house, I have a dog,3 a cat,3 and a llama.3

Sample code to repeat a footnote:
<p> I like pets. <fn id="reuse-fn">This is the name of an animal.</fn> At my house, I have a dog<xref href="testtopic.dita#testtopic/reuse-fn" type="fn"/>, a cat<xref href="testtopic.dita#testtopic/reuse-fn" type="fn"/>, and a llama<xref href="testtopic.dita#testtopic/reuse-fn" type="fn"/>. </p>

The <xref> element uses the @href attribute as a relative path to the topic that holds the original <fn> element, even if it is the footnote’s source topic.

Create a Footnote in a table

Here is an example of a table that uses the DITA <fn> element along with the @callout attribute:

The text in this table column needs a footnote.a	This table text also needs a footnote.b

Using the @callout attribute in a footnote:
<p> <strow> <stentry> The text in this table column needs a footnote.<fn callout="a">Footnote for first column.</fn> </stentry> <stentry> This table text also needs a footnote.<fn callout="b">Footnote for second table column.</fn> </stentry> </strow> </p>

Footnote Placement

When you publish your document, DITA typically places footnotes at the bottom of the page. To distinguish between paragraph and table footnotes, you can use numbered callouts for footnotes in paragraphs (1,2,3) and alphabetical callouts for footnotes in tables (a,b,c).

Creating manual footnotes for specific placement

As an alternative to using the <fn> element, you can use the <sup> element to manually create and build a superscript callout. You can then place the footnotes at any location. For example, instead of a table’s associated footnotes appearing at the bottom of the page, you can place them immediately after the table:

Sample table using manual footnotes:
This is a table entry.c
This is another table entry.d

c. Manual footnote for the first row. d. Manual footnote for the second row.

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1 Source: Oasis 3.2.2.16 <fn>

2 You can control the placement of footnotes using CSS or other output processing techniques.

3 This is the name of an animal.

a Footnote for the first column.

b Footnote for the second table column.

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