---
title: "<publishing>"
source: https://dev.pageseeder.com/guide/configuration/psml/psml_document_config/document_publishing.html
description: "How to use the <publishing> element in the PSML document-config.xml file or the publish-config.xml file to customize the Ant scripts that can be run by the Publish Engine"
last_updated: 2026-08-11T16:32:49+10:00
tokens: ~2802
---

# \<publishing\> element

This article describes how the `<publishing>` element can be modified to provide custom processing for different types of documents. The content on this element determines the options that are presented to users when the [publisher](../../../../reference/glossary/publisher.md) is invoked.

*See also* [PSML Ant scripts](../psml_ant_scripts.md).

`<publishing>` is valid in the following files:

- `document-config.xml` – the `<publishing>` element is under the `<document-config>` element and controls processing for a specific **document type**.


  - To access this file, go to the *administration* menu, **template configuration page**, Config column, then select the row for the document type.
- `url-config.xml` – the `<publishing>` element is under the `<url-config>` element and controls processing for a specific **URL type**.


  - To access this file,


    - Go to the **global template page**, click **Manage global types**.
    - Or, go to the *administration* menu, **template configuration page**, click the **Edit global types** button at top right, under heading URL types then Config column, select the row for the URL type.
- `publish-config.xml`– is the root element of the file and controls publishing across all groups, folders and documents or a batch of search results in a project.


  - To access this file, from the project, *administration* menu, select **Template** \> **Template files \> publish** folder, then select the edit option on the right of the config file.

The configuration follows the structure below:

```xml
<publishing>
  <action ... />*
</publishing>
```

> **Note:** When editing config files in PageSeeder, **ctrl-space** provides suggestions that are contextually correct at the insertion point. This ensures that the config file is valid.

## Behavior

By default, the actions contained in this element will be added to the default publish actions. To instead replace the default actions, add the `@override="true"` attribute to the `<publishing>` element.

```xml
<publishing override="true">
  <action ... />*
</publishing>
```

If the `<publishing>` element is not specified, or the config file doesn’t exist, options are inherited from the default files. To view the default `document-config.xml` and `publish-config.xml`, from the *system administration* menu, select **Templates** \> **Default files**.

## Element details

### `<action>`

Each `<action>` defines:

| Attribute | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `type` | One of the following actions (required) `export\|publish\|process` or actions only valid in `publish-config.xml` `upload\|upload-preview*` |

> **Deprecated:** \* The type `upload-preview` is deprecated as of PageSeeder v5.98 and only supported in the v5 UI. Use `@previewname` on `<target>` below instead.

#### `<source>`

In `publish-config.xml,` each `<action>` element must have a `<source>` element. *The `batch` type requires PageSeeder v5.98 or higher and only works in the v6 UI. The `publication` type requires PageSeeder v6.2 or higher and runs on publication root documents.* The `<source>` element can define:

| Attribute | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `type` | The type of object (required) `group\|folder\|batch\|document\|publication` |
| `extension` | The extension of the source file (required if `type="document"` ) |

#### `<target>`

Each `<action>` element must have one or more `<target>` elements that corresponds to each target in the [Ant script](../../../../reference/glossary/publish_script.md). The **`<target>`** element defines:

| Attribute | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `name` | Must match the target name in the Ant script (required) |
| `previewname` | The target name in the Ant script for previewing the action (only supported in the v6 UI and only for `upload` actions) |
| `perspective` | Determines which perspective the target name is displayed in (to hide the target use `none`) `\|developer\|none\|` Values `lab` and `standard` have no effect in v6. |
| `role` | The minimal role required to run the process `contributor\|manager\|approver` |
| `configfile` | The name of the config file in the same folder as the build.xml which can be edited by contributors (only `word-export-config.xml`, `word-import-config.xml` and `pdf-export-config.xml` are currently supported) |
| `override` | If `true`, this target overrides any target with the same name and action type (e.g. `<target name="create-consolidated-docx" override="true">` overrides the default DOCX export but leaves the other default exports available) - default `false`. |

Each `<target>` element must have a `<description>` element to describe the process in the user interface. Each `<target>` element can have one or more `<param>` elements for the specified parameters.

##### `<param>`

Each `<param>` element can have the following attributes and can also contain an `<autosuggest>` element when `@type="document"` .

| Attribute | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `name` | The name of the parameter (required) |
| `label` | Displayed next to the field (required) |
| `type` | One of the following values (default is `text`). See below for further detail. `text\|select\|checkbox\| date\|number\|localdocumentversion\| documentversion\| documentlabel\| documentstatus\|fragmentlabel \| localpublicationid \| publicationid \| document \| folder` |
| `perspective` | Which [perspective](../../../../reference/version_5/other/perspectives.md) the target name is to be displayed in. |
| `description` | Text displayed as a tooltip or info box. *Requires PageSeeder v6.1 or higher.* |
| `placeholder` | Guidance text to display inside a field |
| `pattern` | A regular expression to constrain the value of a field |
| `default` | The default value of a field |
| `min` | The minimum value for a `number` field only |
| `max` | The maximum value for a `number` field only |
| `required` | Whether this parameter is required - `true`\|`false` (default is `false`) *requires PageSeeder v5.9807 or higher*. |
| `step` | The allowable value by which the minimum number can increment to the maximum number (default is `1`). |

Following are the available options when the value of `@type` is `text`:

- `text` – displays an input box for text to be entered manually.


  - `placeholder` – can be used to display a hint in the box when no value has been specified.
  - `pattern` – can specify a regular expression that the value must match to be submitted. This can constrain the format or value of the field.

> **Note:** Where `type="date"`, the pattern can override the date picker default (e.g. dd-mm-yyyy for 01-11-2017).

When the value of `@type` is `select`, the `<param>` element can have one or more `<value>` elements for the valid choices.

- `select` – displays a drop-down list and allows only one value to be selected. The content of each `<value>` element is displayed as an option in the list.
- `checkbox` – displays a checkbox which has possible values of `true` or `false`.
- `date` – invokes a date picker interface and stores the value as ISO8601 (yyyy-mm-dd).
- `number` – displays a number field which allows only valid numbers as defined by the `@min`, `@max` and `@``step` attributes.

The following options provide additional flexibility for users to select content for processing:

- `documentversion` – drop-down list of all document versions used in the current group.
- `localdocumentversion` – drop-down list of document versions in the current document.
- `publicationid` – drop-down list of all publication IDs in the current group.
- `localpublicationid` – drop-down list of publication IDs for the current document.
- `documentlabel` – drop-down list of document labels for the current group.
- `documentstatus` – drop-down list of document status values for the current group.
- `fragmentlabel` – drop-down list of fragment labels for the current group.
- `document` or `folder` – allows selection of a document or folder through browse. Sends four parameters to the publish script by adding the following suffixes to the parameter name: `.group.name, .uri.path, .uri.id, .uri.document.id, .uri.document.type` (e.g. if the name was `dest` the params would be `dest.group.name, dest.uri.path, dest.uri.id, dest.uri.document.id, dest.uri.document.type` ). *Requires PageSeeder v5.9802 or higher.*

### Auto-suggest configuration

This uses the same search as the search box. It is configured through the following attributes on the `<autosuggest>` element. *Requires PageSeeder v5.99 or higher.*

| Attribute | Description | Default value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `displayfields` | A comma-separated list of fields to display in the search results. `pstitle` and `psid` are always displayed. To include the path, add these fields – `psfolder`, `psfilename` | `psfolder,psfilename` |
| `filters` | A comma-separated list of `filters` (`field:value`) to focus search results. For example: `pslabel:car,pssubtype:image` |  |
| `group` | The project and group to search for target documents (for example, `acme-specs`) | `[current group]` |
| `questionfields` | A comma-separated list of index fields to search | `pstitle,psfilename, psdocid,psid` |

## Examples

### File `document-config.xml`

Following is an example of the `<publishing>` element deployed to a `document-config.xml` file:

```xml
<publishing>
  <action type="publish">
    <target name="psml-to-website">
      <description>Publish to website</description>
    </target>
    <target name="psml-to-blog">
      <description>Publish to blog</description>
    </target>
  </action>
  <action type="export" >
    <target name="psml-to-pdf-columns" perspective="developer">
      <description>Export as PDF in 3 columns</description>
      <param name="depth"
             label="Depth of XRefs
             to publish"
             type="number"
             min="1"
             max="8" />
      <param name="isbn"
             type="text"
             label="ISBN"
             placeholder="Enter a valid ISBN number (97xxxxxxxxxxx)"
             pattern="97[89][0-9]{10}" />
      <param name="in-stock"
             type="checkbox"
             label="In Stock"
             default="true"
             perspective="developer" />
      <param name="language"
             type="select"
             label="Language"
             default="Spanish">
        <value>English</value>
        <value>French</value>
        <value>Spanish</value>
      </param>
    </target>
  </action>
</publishing>
```

### File `publish-config.xml`

Following is an example of the `<publishing>` element deployed to a `publish-config.xml` file:

```xml

<publishing>
  <action type="export">
    <source type="document" extension="psml" />
    <target name="psml-to-pdf-columns" perspective="developer">
      <description>Export as PDF in 3 columns</description>
    </target>  
  </action>
  <action type="publish">
    <source type="folder" />
    <target name="psml-to-website">
      <description>Publish to website</description>
      <param name="depth"
             label="Depth of XRefs to publish"
             type="number"
             min="1"
             max="8" />
    </target>
  </action>
</publishing>
```