Creating format definitions

Format definitions are the containers used by Branch Transformation Toolkit applications to hold format elements. They are the <fmtDef> tags in the definition file for the formatters. For samples of formatters' definition files, see Formatters.

To create a format definition, follow these steps:

  1. In the main editing area of the FMTE page in the Editor view, make sure that you do not select any format definition. If you have already selected a format definition, hold the Ctrl key and click that format definition to deselect.
  2. In the Outline view, right-click on any white space.
  3. Click Add new format definition in the pop-up menu. The new format definition appears in the Outline view and the FMTE page of the Editor view.

    By default, a Record format element is also created and contained by the newly created format definition. If you do not want the format definition to contain this Record format element, right-click the format definition and select Add new format element to create a new format element and replace the existing Record format element.

  4. In the Id property of the Properties view, type the name of format definition as the property value.
  5. If this format definition is to provide format information for a CHA context, in the chaName property type the name of the CHA context as the property value.