<section>

The <section> element represents an organizational division in a topic. Sections are used to organize subsets of information that are directly related to the topic. Multiple <section> elements within a single topic do not represent a hierarchy, but rather peer divisions of that topic. Sections cannot be nested. A <section> can have an optional title.

For example, the titles Reference Syntax and Properties might represent section-level discourse within a topic about a command-line process—the content in each <section> relates uniquely to the subject of that topic.

Note (non-normative):
For maximum flexibility, sections allow plain text as well as phrase and block level elements. Because of the way XML grammars are defined within a DTD, any element that allows plain text cannot restrict the order or frequency of other elements. As a result, the <section> element allows <title> to appear anywhere as a child of <section>. However, the intent of the specification is that <title> should only be used once in any <section>, and when used, it should precede any other text or element content.

Content models

See appendix for information about this element in OASIS document type shells.

Inheritance

- topic/section

Example

This section is non-normative.

<reference id="reference">
 <title>Copy Command</title>
 <refbody>
  <section>
   <title>Purpose</title>
   <p>This little command copies
   things.</p>
  </section>
 </refbody>
</reference>

Content model

(Text | <dl> | <div> | <fig> | <image> | <lines> | <lq> | <note> | <object> | <ol> | <p> | <pre> | <simpletable> | <sl> | <table> | <ul> | <boolean> | <cite> | <keyword> | <ph> | <q> | <term> | <text> | <tm> | <xref> | <state> | <data> | <data-about> | <foreign> | <unknown> | <sectiondiv> | <title> | <draft-comment> | <fn> | <indextermref> | <indexterm> | <required-cleanup>)*

Contained by

<body>, <bodydiv>

Zero or more of the following
  • Text
  • <boolean>
  • <cite>
  • <data>
  • <data-about>
  • <div>
  • <dl>
  • <draft-comment>
  • <fig>
  • <fn>
  • <foreign>
  • <image>
  • <indexterm>
  • <indextermref>
  • <keyword>
  • <lines>
  • <lq>
  • <note>
  • <object>
  • <ol>
  • <p>
  • <ph>
  • <pre>
  • <q>
  • <required-cleanup>
  • <sectiondiv>
  • <simpletable>
  • <sl>
  • <state>
  • <table>
  • <term>
  • <text>
  • <title>
  • <tm>
  • <ul>
  • <unknown>
  • <xref>

Contained by

  • <body>
  • <bodydiv>

Inheritance

- topic/section

The <section> element is a base element type. It is defined in the topic module.

Attributes

The following attributes are available on this element: Universal attribute group, outputclass, and spectitle.