## Text Encoding Initiative

### The XML Version of the TEI Guidelines

# pointer

`pointer` | defines a set of attributes used by all elements which point to other elements by means of one or more `IDREF` values.
Member of classes | (none)
Members | alt join link pointerGroup [altGrp joinGrp linkGrp] ptr ref xPointer [xptr xref]

Declaration

    <!ENTITY % a.pointer '
          type CDATA #IMPLIED
          resp CDATA #IMPLIED
          crdate %ISO-date; #IMPLIED
          targType CDATA #IMPLIED
          targOrder (Y | N | U) "U"
          evaluate ( all | one | none ) #IMPLIED'>

Attributes

(In addition to global attributes)

`type` | categorizes the pointer in some respect, using any convenient set of categories.
| Datatype: CDATA
| Values: The type should indicate the intended function of the pointer, or the rhetorical relationship between its source and target.
| Default: #IMPLIED

`resp` | specifies the creator of the pointer.
| Datatype: CDATA
| Values: any string of characters, usually the initials or name of the creator.
| Default: #IMPLIED
`crdate` | specifies when the pointer was created.
| Datatype: %ISO-date;
| Values: A date in ISO 8601 format, generally yyyy-mm-dd.
| Default: #IMPLIED
`targType` | specifies the kinds of elements to which this pointer may point.
| Datatype: CDATA
| Values: A list of valid element names declared in the DTD of the current document.
| Default: #IMPLIED
Note | If this attribute is supplied, every element specified as a target must be of one or other of the types specified. An application may choose whether or not to report failures to satisfy this constraint as errors, but may not access an element of the right identifier but the wrong type.
`targOrder` | where more than one identifier is supplied as the value of the `target` attribute, this attribute specifies whether the order in which they are supplied is significant.
| Datatype: (Y | N | U)

Legal values are:

Y | Yes: the order in which IDREF values are specified as the value of a target attribute should be followed when combining the targeted elements.
N | No: the order in which IDREF values are specified as the value of a target attribute has no significance when combining the targeted elements.
U | Unspecified: the order in which IDREF values are specified as the value of a target attribute may or may not be significant.

| Default: U
`evaluate` | specifies the intended meaning when the target of a pointer is itself a pointer.
| Datatype: ( all | one | none )

Legal values are:

all | if the element pointed to is itself a pointer, then the target of that pointer will be taken, and so on, until an element is found which is not a pointer.
one | if the element pointed to is itself a pointer, then its target (whether a pointer or not) is taken as the target of this pointer.
none | no further evaluation of targets is carried out beyond that needed to find the element specified in the pointer's target.

| Default: #IMPLIED
Note | If no value is given, the application program is responsible for deciding (possibly on the basis of user input) how far to trace a chain of pointers.

Module Declared in file teiclas2.ent; Declared in file teilink2.ent; Core tag sets: enabled when any TEI base is enabled
See further 6.6 Simple Links and Cross References

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