The Attribute Inspector

This XMetaL view lets you inspect the attributes on each element and set them to the values that you require.

Attributes let you specify information on everything from xref targets to the audience language. Every element has its own set of attributes; the set varies with the element.

When first opened, the Attribute Inspector displays the list of attributes that are valid for the element where you have placed your cursor. If you need to set or view the attributes of an element's ancestor, you can select one from the drop-down list at the top of the view. This gives you a convenient way, for example, to put an "optional" attribute on a step without moving your cursor or switching into Tags-on display mode.

You can also see the hierarchy of an element's ancestors in the XMetaL editor's status bar.