The output writer provides the following rules for each output element. (In the descriptions, moduleName stands for a module that provides an element or attribute, elementName stands for an element, and attributeName stands for an attributeName.) Each rule consists of a mode:

moduleName.elementName.out

Generates the elementName element from the moduleName module. For instance, the topic.keyword.out rule generates a <keyword> element. The rule also fires the wrapper rules to request the attributes and content of the element.

moduleName.elementName.atts.in

Provides a wrapper for requesting the attributes of the elementName element from moduleName module.

moduleName.elementName.attributeName.att.in

Requests the value of attributeName in the context of the elementName element from the moduleName module. The default handler for this rule requests the value of attributeName in any context.

attributeName.att.in

Requests the value of attributeName in any context.

moduleName.elementName.content.in

Provides a wrapper for requesting the content of the elementName element from moduleName module. If the content model isn't shared, the default handler for this rule requests content from the children and text (if the content model supports mixed content) of the current input node.

If the content model is shared, the default handler invokes a rule for the shared content model. For instance, elements that accept content conforming to the words.cnt group invoke the rule for words.cnt.text.in.

If the content model takes a simple sequence, the default handler for this rule requests the subelements in sequence.

moduleName.elementName.child

Requests the current input element as a child in the context of the elementName element from the moduleName module. The default handler for this rule requests the current input element as a child in any context.

child

Requests the current input element as a child in any context.

moduleName.elementName.in

Requests the elementName element from the moduleName module. This rule gets invoked only by a content wrapper when the content model has a simple sequence.

The reader can handle a request in a specific output context or in any context as appropriate. For instance, the Docbook reader handles a context-free request for an id attribute by copying the id (if present) on the current input element to the output. In addition, however, the Docbook reader handles the request for an id attribute in a topic context by generating an id if necessary.