#### 7.2.2 Specifying paths to your own format configuration files

To specify the names and locations of format configuration files:

    [Templates]
    ; Formats = path to file containing properties for text formats.
    Formats = path/to/mytextformats.ini
    ; Tables = path to file containing properties for table formats.
    Tables = path/to/mytableformats.ini
    ; Pages = path to file containing properties for RTF page layouts.
    Pages = path/to/mypagelayouts.ini
    ; SubFormats = path to .ini file containing properties for subformats.
    SubFormats = path/to/mysubformats.ini

Your project configuration file should already reference a DITA2Go-supplied chain of general configuration templates; see §39.1.3 Understanding how templates are chained together. That chain already references the appropriate format template chain. For example, in d2rtf_config.ini:

    [Templates]
    Formats=%OMSYSHOME%\d2g\local\formats\local_d2rtf_formats.ini

The supplied text-format template in turn references a table-format template, and a format-component template. For RTF output, the text-format template also references a page-layout template; see §39.1.5 Understanding how format templates are organized.

If you want to use any of the supplied format definitions, and you have your own text format template (which you reference directly from your project configuration file), that template must reference the supplied chain of format templates. This is because it is an either/or situation: DITA2Go builds one format chain or the other, but not both; see §7.2.3 Understanding how DITA2Go builds format chains.

In other words: the way you reference your own format templates from your project configuration file is with a [Templates]Formats setting. Once you make that setting, any [Templates]Formats setting in the general-configuration template chain is null and void. You overrode it. Therefore you must put a reference to the supplied text-format template into your own text-format configuration file, so you still get the supplied settings (except where settings in your own text-format file override them, of course).

If you do not reference format template files of your own, you still have access to the supplied templates, as long as your project configuration file references the chain of general configuration templates.

Previous Topic: 7.2.1 Understanding where to define output formats

Next Topic: 7.2.3 Understanding how DITA2Go builds format chains

Parent Topic: 7.2 Working with format configuration files

Sibling Topics:

7.2.1 Understanding where to define output formats

7.2.3 Understanding how DITA2Go builds format chains

7.2.4 Understanding how DITA2Go processes format chains