#### 8.1.1 Understanding where to define format components

Unlike other format types, you can reference format components even if they are not defined in the same format-file chain as the referencing format. For example, if you reference LightBorder in a table format, but LightBorder is defined only in your page-layout file, DITA2Go can find the definition. However, any definition in the file that contains the reference overrides definitions of the same format component in other format configuration files.

You define format components in a format configuration file referenced either from another format template file or from your project configuration file; see §7.2 Working with format configuration files.

To reference a format component configuration file:

    [Templates]
    ; Subformats = path to a file where format components are defined
    Subformats=%omsyshome%\d2g\formats\d2g_subformats.ini

Subformats specifies a path to a general format component file, for use when a format component is missing in the present format or general configuration file. If a format component is defined in both the referenced and the referencing file, DITA2Go uses the definition in the referencing file; the definitions are not merged.

Associated with certain format components are labels, headings, and other fixed text components. The default settings for these text values are located in language configuration files; see §8.9 Localizing output headings, labels, and names. You can override the default values in your project configuration file, or anywhere in the chain of general configuration templates; but not in a format component or format configuration file.

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Parent Topic: 8.1 Managing format components

Sibling Topics:

8.1.2 Basing format component properties on other components

8.1.3 Assigning additional names to format components

8.1.4 Understanding format-component name lookups

8.1.5 Including typographic tags and character formats