var

Within a syntax diagram, the <var> element defines a variable for which the user must supply content, such as their user name or password. It is represented in output in an italic font. This element is part of the DITA programming domain, a special set of DITA elements designed to document programming tasks, concepts and reference information.

Example

<syntaxdiagram frame="bottom">
 <title>CopyFile</title>
 <groupseq><kwd>COPYF</kwd></groupseq>
 <groupcomp><var>input-filename</var><kwd>*INFILE</kwd></groupcomp>
 <groupseq><var>output-filename</var><kwd>*OUTFILE</kwd></groupseq>
 <groupchoice><var>input-filename</var><kwd>*INFILE</kwd></groupchoice>
 <groupchoice><var>output-filename</var><kwd>*OUTFILE</kwd></groupchoice>
</syntaxdiagram>

Contains

Doctype	Content model
ditabase, topic, task, reference, concept, glossary	( text data or keyword or option or parmname or apiname or cmdname or msgnum or varname or wintitle or term or data or data-about or foreign or unknown) (any number)

Contained by

Doctype	Parents
ditabase, topic, task, concept, reference, glossary	synph, groupseq, groupchoice, groupcomp

Inheritance:

+ topic/ph pr-d/var

Attributes

Name	Description	Data Type	Default Value	Required?
importance	The attribute indicates whether this item in a syntax diagram is optional, required, or default. Output processors may indicate this designation in a generated diagram. See Using the -dita-use-conref-target value for more information on the conref value.	optional \| required \| default \| -dita-use-conref-target	#IMPLIED	No
props	Root attribute from which new metadata attributes can be specialized. This is a property attribute which supports conditional processing for filtering or flagging. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. The attribute takes a space delimited set of values. However, when acting as a container for generalized attributes, the content model will be more complex; that model is documented in the "attribute generalization" section of the DITA architectural specification.	CDATA	#IMPLIED	No
base	A generic attribute that has no specific purpose, but is intended to act as a base for specialized attributes that have a simple value syntax like the conditional processing attributes (one or more alphanumeric values separated by whitespace). The attribute takes a space delimited set of values. However, when acting as a container for generalized attributes, the content model will be more complex; that model is documented in the "attribute generalization" section of the DITA architectural specification.	CDATA	#IMPLIED	No
platform	Indicates operating system and hardware. This is a property attribute which supports conditional processing for filtering or flagging. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. The attribute takes a space delimited set of values.	CDATA	#IMPLIED	No
product	Contains the name of the product to which the topic applies. This is a property attribute which supports conditional processing for filtering or flagging. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. The attribute takes a space delimited set of values.	CDATA	#IMPLIED	No
audience	Indicates the intended audience for the element. This is a property attribute which supports conditional processing for filtering or flagging. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. The attribute takes a space delimited set of values.	CDATA	#IMPLIED	No
otherprops	This attribute can be used for any other properties that might be needed to describe an audience, or to provide selection criteria for the element. This is a property attribute which supports conditional processing for filtering or flagging. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor. The attribute takes a space delimited set of values.	CDATA	#IMPLIED	No
rev	Indicates revision level of an element. It is useful for flagging outputs based on revision. If no value is specified, but the attribute is specified on an ancestor within a map or within the related-links section, the value will inherit from the closest ancestor.	CDATA	#IMPLIED	No
status	The status of the current element.	new \| changed \| deleted \| unchanged \| -dita-use-conref-target	#IMPLIED	No
%id-atts; (id, conref)	A set of related attributes, described at %id-atts;	parameter entity	PE not applicable	Not applicable
%localization-atts; (translate, xml:lang, dir)	A set of related attributes, described at %localization-atts;.	parameter entity	PE not applicable	Not applicable
%global-atts; (xtrf, xtrc)	A set of related attributes, described at %global-atts;	parameter entity	PE not applicable	Not applicable
class, outputclass	Common attributes described in Other common DITA attributes