### 3.6 Using wildcards in configuration settings

In a variable-key setting, you can apply the same value to multiple keys by substituting a wildcard “*” or “?” for all or part of the key name, as follows:

- A question mark can appear anywhere in a key name, substituting for any one character; multiple question marks substitute for the same number of characters.
- An asterisk can appear only at the end of a key name, substituting for one or more characters, except in element paths, where it can appear anywhere in the path.

You can use wildcards whenever the key is a format name or an identifier, provided you have not turned off wildcard usage (see §4.1.10 Specifying how to treat cases, spaces, and wildcards). For example, to make all paragraphs whose format names start with Heading appear bold and centered in HTML output:

    [HTMLParaStyles]
    Heading*=Bold Center

You can exclude one or more key names from a group by listing the exceptions first:

    [HTMLParaStyles]
    Heading4=
    Heading3=Bold Left
    Heading*=Bold Center
    z????title=Bold Right
    *=Left

In this example:

- No HTML style properties would apply to Heading4 paragraphs.
- Heading3 paragraphs would appear left-aligned and bold in HTML.
- All remaining Heading* paragraphs would be centered and bold.
- All paragraphs whose format names start with z, followed by any four characters, and end with title, would be right-aligned and bold.
- Paragraphs in all other formats would be left-aligned.

DITA2Go applies the first entry in a section that matches for each key name, so always put the exceptions before the general case.

Previous Topic: 3.5 Specifying file paths in configuration settings

Next Topic: 3.7 Commenting out configuration sections

Parent Topic: 3. Editing configuration files

Sibling Topics:

3.1 Working with DITA2Go configuration files

3.2 Editing files with the Configuration Manager

3.3 Understanding where project settings come from

3.4 Understanding the rules for configuration settings

3.5 Specifying file paths in configuration settings

3.7 Commenting out configuration sections

3.8 Ending a configuration file

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