Section attributes

General

Attributes can be set on sections / clauses to instruct Metanorma on how to treat them.

Language and script

The language and script of a section is indicated via the optional attributes language and script:

Example 1. Example of setting language to a clause

[language=fr]
== Section 3

Example 2. Example of setting script to a clause

[appendix,script=Zmth]
== Math Appendix

Obligations

The obligation of a section — whether it is normative or informative — is indicated via the attribute obligation.

For most sections, this is fixed.
For annexes and clauses, the default value of the obligation is normative. Users need to set the obligation to "informative" as a section attribute if needed.

Example 3. Example of setting obligation

[[AnnexA]]
[appendix,obligation=informative]
== Determination of defects

Type

Clauses can have types.

In Metanorma, clause types are usually set automatically based on the titles.

Example 4. Example of automatically set clause types

All clauses with the title "Scope" or heading= attribute "scope" are of type scope.

The type of a clause can be explicitly set by the user through the type attribute [added in https://github.com/metanorma/metanorma-standoc/releases/tag/v1.7.4].

This is useful particularly for any semantic processing of the document downstream.

Example 5. Example of setting clause type

[type=reagents]
== Reagents

Numbering

As with block element numbering, a clause number may be provided manually to override auto-numbering.

For instance, in order to number out-of-sequence clauses in updated documents or amendments [added in https://github.com/metanorma/metanorma-standoc/releases/tag/v1.7.3].

A manual clause number is specified with the attribute number.

Example 6. Example of manually setting clause numbering

== Clause 7

[number=0]
=== Zeroth Subclause

Elements subsequent to the manually numbered element will be auto-numbered so as to follow the previous element.

The auto-numbering mechanism increments the final letter in an alphanumeric clause number (e.g. 7a followed by 7b.)

Numerics are used as the clause number unless otherwise specified.

So:

Example 7. Example of manually specifying a clause number with a letter and the autonumbering that follows

== Clause 7

[number=0]
=== Zeroth Subclause

[number=a]
=== Letter-numbered subclause

==== Letter-numbered nested Subclause

=== Letter-numbered next subclause

is rendered as:

7. Clause 7.

7.0 Zeroth Subclause

7.a Letter-numbered subclause

7.a.1 Letter-numbered nested subclause

7.b Letter-numbered next subclause

Example 8. Example of manually specifying a clause number with a series of numbers and the autonumbering that follows

== Clause 7

[number=6.2.1]
=== Autonumber overridden subclause

=== Autonumber overridden next subclause

==== Autonumber overridden nested subclause

is rendered as:

7. Clause 7.

7.6.2.1 Autonumber overridden subclause

7.6.2.2 Autonumber overridden next subclause

7.6.2.2.1 Autonumber overridden nested subclause

If resumption of auto-numbering is not intended for subsequent clauses (e.g. 7aa should not be followed by 7ab, or 6.2.1 should not be followed by 6.2.2), an explicit number also needs to be given to those clauses separately.

Example 9. Example of manually specifying clause number progressions not based on character increments (Latin numbering)

== Clause 7

[number=7bis]
== Interpolated clause

[number=7ter]
== Next interpolated clause

These are top-level clauses, and render as:

7. Clause 7.

7bis Interpolated clause

7ter Next interpolated clause

Without the explicit [number=7ter] markup, Metanorma (which does not know Latin numbering) would assume the next clause number after bis is 7bit, using the next letter after s.

If the clause number value needs to be overridden for the entire hierarchical branch, that value is given as branch-number [added in https://github.com/metanorma/metanorma-standoc/releases/tag/v2.6.3].

Example 10. Example of overriding the clause number for the entire hierarchical branch

== Clause 7

[branch-number=6.2.1]
=== Branch-numbered subclause

==== Branch-numbered nested subclause

=== First subclause

This renders as:

7. Clause 7.

6.2.1 Branch-numbered subclause

6.2.1.1 Branch-numbered nested subclause

7.1 First subclause

Notice that subsequent clauses ignore the presence of branch-number; so First subclause is numbered as if Zeroth Subclause did not exist.

branch-number can also be used when an atomic section number is required, as can occur in terms and definitions sections inheriting their term identifiers from a termbase.

If numbering is to be skipped for a clause, that can be indicated with an %unnumbered option on the clause, as with blocks; that attribute will result in all child clauses also being unnumbered [added in https://github.com/metanorma/metanorma-standoc/releases/tag/v2.8.8].

Example 11. Example of an unnumbered clause

[%unnumbered]
== Unnumbered clause 7
=== Unnumbered subclause
=== Unnumbered subclause

Note	Because of the importance of clause referencing in standards, making a clause unnumbered is not recommended.

Inline headings

Inline subclause headings (e.g. for test methods in ISO) are indicated by preceding the heading with the [%inline-header] option attribute.

Example 12. Example of test methods headings encoded as inline headings (from ISO Rice)

So in the Rice Model document,

[%inline-header]
==== Sieve,

with round perforations of diameter 1,4 mm.

renders as

A.2.1.1. Sieve, with round perforations of diameter 1,4 mm.