---
title: "Element <author>"
source: https://dev.pageseeder.com/psml/elements/element-author.html
description: "PSML Element reference for <author>"
last_updated: 2026-08-07T17:09:54+10:00
tokens: ~510
---

# \<author\>

## Summary

A group member that is the author of a [version](../../reference/glossary/version.md).

This element is [informational](../universal_format/psml_upload.md) (ignored by upload).

## Usage context

| Element category | metadata |
| --- | --- |
| PSML level | metadata |
| Permitted content | `<fullname>` |
| Permitted parent | `<version>` `<note>` |
| HTML equivalent |  no equivalent |
| OpenXML equivalent |  no equivalent |

## Attributes

This element includes the following attributes:

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| firstname | `xs:string` | no | The first name of the author member |
| id | `xs:long` | no | The ID of the author member |
| surname | `xs:string` | no | The surname of the author member |

### `@firstname`

The first name of the member.

When generated by PageSeeder, the first name won't exceed 50 characters.

### `@id`

The ID of the member.

> **Note:** This ID is specific to a PageSeeder server.

### `@surname`

The family, or second, name of the member.**\*\***

When generated by PageSeeder, the surname won't exceed 50 characters.

\*\**apologies to cultures that do not present their family name after their given names.*

## Examples

```lang-xml

<author firstname="John" surname="Smith" id="725362" >
  <fullname>John Smith</fullname>
</author>
```

## Schema

### XML Schema

```lang-xml

<xs:element name="author" >
  <xs:complexType>

    <xs:sequence>
      <xs:element name="fullname" type="xs:string" />
    </xs:sequence>

    <xs:attribute name="id" type="xs:long" />
    <xs:attribute name="firstname" type="xs:string" />
    <xs:attribute name="surname" type="xs:string" />
  </xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
```

### Relax Schema

```lang-relax

element author {
   attribute id      { xs:long },
   attribute firstname  { text },
   attribute surname    { text },
   element fullname     { text }?
}
```

## Compatibility

This element was introduced in the beta 0.8 version of PSML and is well-supported from PageSeeder 5.7.