###### 3.1.1.2.4 desc

The <desc> element contains the description of the current element. In elements that also allow a title, such as table and fig, this is used to provide more information than is appropriate for the title. In the xref and link elements it contains a description of the target; processors may (but need not) choose to display this as hover help for a link. In the object element, desc provides alternate content to use when the context does not permit displaying the object.

###### Contains

Doctype | Content model
topic (base), map (base), classifyMap, subjectScheme, learningBookmap, learningMap | ( text data or dl or image or lines or lq or note or hazardstatement or ol or p or pre or sl or ul or boolean or cite or keyword or ph or b or i or sup or sub or tt or u or q or term or tm or xref or state or data or data-about or foreign or unknown) (any number)
topic (technical content), map (technical content), concept, ditabase, glossary, glossentry, glossgroup, reference, task, bookmap | ( text data or dl or parml or image or lines or lq or note or hazardstatement or ol or p or pre or codeblock or msgblock or screen or sl or ul or boolean or cite or keyword or apiname or option or parmname or cmdname or msgnum or varname or wintitle or ph or b or i or sup or sub or tt or u or codeph or synph or filepath or msgph or systemoutput or userinput or menucascade or uicontrol or q or term or abbreviated-form or tm or xref or state or data or data-about or foreign or unknown) (any number)
machineryTask | ( text data or dl or image or lines or lq or note or hazardstatement or ol or p or pre or screen or sl or ul or boolean or cite or keyword or wintitle or ph or b or i or sup or sub or tt or u or menucascade or uicontrol or q or term or tm or xref or state or data or data-about or foreign or unknown) (any number)
learningAssessment, learningContent, learningOverview, learningPlan, learningSummary | ( text data or dl or image or lines or lq or note or lcInstructornote or ol or p or pre or sl or ul or boolean or cite or keyword or ph or b or i or sup or sub or tt or u or q or term or tm or xref or state or data or data-about or foreign or unknown) (any number)

###### Contained by

Doctype | Content model
topic (base), topic (technical content), concept, ditabase, glossary, glossentry, glossgroup, reference, task (strict), task (general), machineryTask, learningAssessment, learningContent, learningOverview, learningPlan, learningSummary | fig, object, xref, table, link, linklist
map (base), map (technical content), bookmap, classifyMap, subjectScheme, learningBookmap, learningMap | fig, object, xref, table

###### Inheritance

- topic/desc

###### Example

    <fig><title>The Handshake</title>
    <desc>This image shows two hands clasped in a formal,
    business-like handshake.</desc>
    <image href="handshake.jpg">
     <alt>The handshake</alt>
    </image>
    </fig>

###### Attributes

Name | Description | Data Type | Default Value | Required?
univ-atts attribute group (includes select-atts, id-atts, and localization-atts groups) | A set of related attributes, described in 3.4.1.3 univ-atts attribute group |  |  |
global-atts attribute group (xtrf, xtrc) | A set of related attributes, described in 3.4.1.2 global-atts attribute group |  |  |
class, outputclass | Common attributes described in 3.4.1.9 Other common DITA attributes |  |  |

Previous Topic: 3.1.1.2.3 dd

Next Topic: 3.1.1.2.5 ddhd

Parent Topic: 3.1.1.2 Body elements

Sibling Topics:

3.1.1.2.1 alt

3.1.1.2.2 cite

3.1.1.2.3 dd

3.1.1.2.5 ddhd

3.1.1.2.6 dl

3.1.1.2.7 dlentry

3.1.1.2.8 dlhead

3.1.1.2.9 dt

3.1.1.2.10 draft-comment

3.1.1.2.11 dthd

3.1.1.2.12 example

3.1.1.2.13 fig

3.1.1.2.14 figgroup

3.1.1.2.15 fn

3.1.1.2.16 image

3.1.1.2.17 keyword

3.1.1.2.18 li

3.1.1.2.19 lines

3.1.1.2.20 longdescref

3.1.1.2.21 longquoteref

3.1.1.2.22 lq

3.1.1.2.23 object

3.1.1.2.24 note

3.1.1.2.25 ol

3.1.1.2.26 p

3.1.1.2.27 param

3.1.1.2.28 ph

3.1.1.2.29 pre

3.1.1.2.30 q

3.1.1.2.31 section

3.1.1.2.32 sectiondiv

3.1.1.2.33 sl

3.1.1.2.34 sli

3.1.1.2.35 term

3.1.1.2.36 text

3.1.1.2.37 tm

3.1.1.2.38 ul

3.1.1.2.39 xref