#### 7.4.4 Understanding the basis of format properties

The properties you can specify for output formats are based on CSS rules, even if you are generating RTF output. If you are not familiar with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), see §31.2 Understanding how to use CSS.

DITA2Go augments CSS rules with the following features:

Number streams (allowing more complexity than CSS permits)

Based formats, for incorporating properties of another format

Output-type-specific properties such as CSS and RTF

Content-adding properties such as Start, End, Before, After, Replace.

Number streams

Format numbering is handled in the SubFormat templates. The idea is to provide building blocks, so you do not have to repeat the numbering properties in every block format that uses them.

Based

Format property based allows you to base a format on the properties already defined for another format. See §7.4.5 Basing format properties on other formats.

CSS

Format property css allows you to assign any CSS to a format, for HTML output.

RTF

Format property rtf allows you to assign any RTF control words to a format, for RTF output. See §7.4.7 Applying CSS and RTF code to output formats.

Start, End, Before, After, Replace

Format properties start, end, before, and after add text or code around every instance of a format, and replace substitutes text or code for every instance. See §7.4.8 Assigning content-adding properties to formats.

Previous Topic: 7.4.3 Documenting output formats

Next Topic: 7.4.5 Basing format properties on other formats

Parent Topic: 7.4 Understanding how to define output formats

Sibling Topics:

7.4.1 Naming output formats

7.4.2 Assigning values to format properties

7.4.3 Documenting output formats

7.4.5 Basing format properties on other formats

7.4.6 Modifying DITA2Go default output formats

7.4.7 Applying CSS and RTF code to output formats

7.4.8 Assigning content-adding properties to formats