Style Guidelines

This page contains style guidelines for UAXes. Some of these guidelines are also more generally applicable to UTSes and UTRs.

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Cross References

This section explains the style guidelines for cross references between the core specification ("book") and UAXes. Most examples show HTML style, followed by the implementation of that style. The links in the examples simply go to this page, not to the actual example pages.

1.  Referencing within the book text (mostly via FM styles)

Standard

the Unicode Standard

The book

The Unicode Standard, Version 5.2

Chapter

Chapter 5, Name of Chapter

Section

Section 5.7, Name of Section

Subsection

"Name of Subsection" in Section 5.7, Name of Section

Table

Table 3-12

Figure

Figure 5-2

2. Referencing UAXes from the book text

Annex

Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database"

Section

Section 5.7, Name of Section, in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database"

Table

Table 10, Name of Table, in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database"

Figure

Figure 2, Name of Figure, in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database"

Conformance Clause, Rule, or Definition

clause C1 in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database"

rule R1 in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database"

definition BD1 in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database"

3. Referencing book text from UAXes

Standard

the Unicode Standard

Standard

[<link>Unicode</link>] 

[Unicode]

Versioned

[<link>Unicode5.2</link>]

[Unicode5.2]

Chapter

<i>Chapter 5, Name of Chapter</i> in [<link>Unicode</link>]

Chapter 5, Name of Chapter in [Unicode]

Section

<i>Section 5.7, Name of Section</i> in [<link>Unicode</link>]

Section 5.7, Name of Section in [Unicode]

Subsection

"Name of Subsection" in <i>Section 5.7, Name of Section</i> in [<link>Unicode</link>]

"Name of Subsection" in Section 5.7, Name of Section in [Unicode]

Table

Table 3-12, Name of Table in [Unicode]

Figure

Figure 5-2, Name of Figure in [Unicode]

4. Referencing UAXes from other UAXes

Annex

Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database" [<link>UAX44</link>]

Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database" [UAX44]

Section

<i>Section 5.7, Name of Section</i>, in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database" [<link>UAX44</link>]

Section 5.7, Name of Section, in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database" [UAX44]

Table

Table 10, Name of Table in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database" [UAX44]

Figure

Figure 2, Name of Figure in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database" [UAX44]

Conformance Clause, Rule, or Definition

clause C1 in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database" [UAX44]

rule R1 in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database" [UAX44]

definition BD1 in Unicode Standard Annex #44, "Unicode Character Database"[UAX44]

5. Referencing within a UAX

Section

<i>Section 1.2, <link>Name of Section</link></i>

Section 1.2, Name of Section

Table

At point of introduction to table, omit the table name. The link to the table is optional, but may help with bookmarking:

Table 10

Elsewhere:

Table 10, Name of Table

Figure

At point of introduction to figure, omit the figure name. The link to the figure is optional, but may help with bookmarking:

Figure 2

Elsewhere:

Figure 2, Name of Figure

Conformance Clause, Rule, or Definition

clause C1

rule R1

definition BD1

In context, if it is apparent what kind of item the cross references is referring to, as in repeated use or in a list of cross references, the "clause", "rule", or "definition" can be omitted.

If a rule or definition has a clear name associated with it, and if use of that name would help at the point of cross reference, then it can also be added to the cross-reference:

definition BD2 embedding level

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Anchors

This section specifies which elements of UAXes should systematically be marked with anchors, and the guidelines for how the text of those anchors should be constructed.

Sections and Subsections

Each numbered section (<h2>) or subsection (<h3>) in a UAX should be given an anchor in the section or subsection head. If numbering extends systematically to a subsubsection (<h4>) level as well, with those subsubsections expected to be externally referenceable and listed in the table of contents, then those subsubsections should also be given anchors.

The anchors for sections and subsections should not make references to the section numbers. Instead, they should be short words or phrases (joined by underscores) identifiably related to the content of that section or subsection. Shorter is better, as long as the anchor text is not too obscure.

Table

Each numbered table in a UAX should be given an anchor. The anchor should not make reference to the number of the table. Instead it should be based in some recognizable way on the caption of the table. Shorter is better, as long as the anchor text is not too obscure.

Figure

Each numbered figure in a UAX should be given an anchor. The anchor should not make reference to the number of the figure. Instead it should be based in some recognizable way on the caption of the figure. Shorter is better, as long as the anchor text is not too obscure.

Conformance Clauses, Rules and Definitions

Each formally defined and numbered conformance clause, rule or definition in a UAX should be given an anchor. The anchor, with few exceptions, should be based on the label given to the conformance clause (e.g. "C1"), rule (e.g. "R1") or definition (e.g. "D1"), including its number. Numbering for conformance clauses, rules and definitions is assumed to be more stable for UAXes than table or figure numbering.

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Captions

This section specifies the format for captions for tables and figures in UAXes. It also specifies the structure of the HTML which should be used for those captions, for consistency.

Captions for numbered Figures and Tables are centered, set in boldface, and use a period to set off the Figure or Table number from its caption. For example:

Table 8. Property Type Key
Figure 2. Farsi Example with ZWNJ
In order to avoid inconsistencies for figures not based on tables, and to keep some style options available, captions should not be implemented via the caption attribute on tables. Instead, each caption for a numbered figure or table is implemented as a separate, paragraph ahead of the actual figure or table, using a "caption" style. The recommended HTML for this in UAXes is:

<p class="caption"><a name="Type_Key_Table"></a>Table 8. Property Type Key</p>
<div align="center">
<table class="simple">
[ Table content goes here. ]
</table>
</div>