---
title: "Element <property>"
source: https://dev.pageseeder.com/psml/elements/element-property.html
description: "PSML Element reference for <property>"
last_updated: 2026-08-07T17:09:54+10:00
tokens: ~2130
---

# \<property\>

## Summary

The `<property>` element is a container and editing primitive for a “[name / value pair](../../reference/glossary/name_value_pair.md)”. It can appear inside a `<properties-fragment>` or a `<properties>` element.

For further information regarding customized property editing, *see* [PSML properties editor](../../guide/configuration/psml/psml_properties_editor.md).

### Values – type and occurrence

The `<property>` object supports a number of predefined value types, as well as single or multiple values.

- When the value of the `@datatype` attribute is `"xref"`, the property value is stored as an `<xref>` element. 
- A single value `<property>` omits the `@multiple` attribute, or it has a value of `"false"` and stores the content in the `@value` attribute.
- For a multiple value `<property>,` the `@multiple` attribute is `"true"` and each value is stored as a `<value>`, `<xref>` or `<link>` element. However, the `<property>`doesn’t require any of these elements to resolve.

> **Note:** In general, a multiple value property must have `multiple="true"`, however, certain applications require multiple values in a single attribute. For example, to configure a `checkbox` in the [PSML properties editor](../../guide/configuration/psml/psml_properties_editor.md) with a `value="English,Spanish"`requires omitting the `@multiple` attribute, and then storing the options as a comma-separated list in the `@value` attribute.

> **Warning:** It is invalid for a `<property>` to have both a `@value` attribute and a `<value>` or `<xref>` element. It is also invalid to mix `<value>` and `<xref>` elements.

## Usage context

| Element category |  |
| --- | --- |
| PSML level | portable |
| Permitted content | `<value> <xref> <link> <markdown> <heading> <para> <list> <nlist> <preformat>` |
| Permitted parent | `<properties-fragment> <properties>` |
| HTML equivalent |  |
| OpenXML equivalent |  |

## Attributes

This element includes the following attributes:

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| count | `property-count` | no | The value count for the property or `n` for unbounded. **DEPRECATED.** |
| datatype | `xs:string` | no | The data type options for the `property` are: `string``date``datetime``xref``link``markdown``markup` |
| multiple | `true` | no | If present, this indicates the `property` can have multiple values |
| name | `label-name` | yes | The name of the `property` |
| title | `xs:string` | no | What title to display in the user interface for the `property` |
| value | `xs:string` | no | Whether there is a single value for the `property` |

### `@count`

A value greater than `1` or equal to `n`, indicates the `<property>` can contain multiple values. If so, the values of the property are stored in `<value>` elements instead of a `@value` attribute. By default, `<property>` has a single value.

> **Deprecated:** The `@count` is deprecated as of PSML v1.1 in PageSeeder 5.98, use `@multiple="true"` instead if required.

### `@datatype`

Indicates the types of data the `<property>` is configured to store.

The predefined data types are as follows:

- `string` – specifies unbounded text (that corresponds to [editor config](../../guide/configuration/psml/psml_properties_editor.md) types: `text`, `select`, `checkbox`). This is the default value when no other value is specified.
- `date` – specifies a type of ISO 8601 date.
- `datetime` – specifies a type of ISO 8601 which includes both date and time. *Added in PSML v1.4 for PageSeeder v6.00.*
- `xref` – specifies a PSML cross-reference.
- `link` – specifies a link to a URL. *Added in PSML v1.3 for PageSeeder v5.99.*
- `markdown`  – specifies [markdown](../../reference/glossary/markdown.md) formatted text .
- `markup`  – allows the elements `<heading>`, `<para>`, `<list>`, `<nlist>`, or `<preformat>` and anything that they can contain except for `<image>`, `<xref>`, `<placeholder>`, `@indent`, `@prefix` or `@numbered`. *Added in PSML v1.2 for PageSeeder v5.98.*

> **Note:** Custom data types are allowed, however, they might require a specific editor. If the data type is not recognized by PageSeeder, it treats the `<property>` as if the `@datatype` was `string`.

### `@multiple="true"`

If present this attribute indicates the `<property>` can contain multiple values. If so, the values are stored in `<value>` elements instead of a `@value` attribute. By default, `<property>` has a single value.

*Added as a replacement for `@count` in PSML v1.1 for PageSeeder v5.98.*

> **Note:** Properties with `datatype="markdown"` or `datatype="markup"` can not have this attribute.

### `@name`

The `@name` must be unique within the `<properties-fragment>`, valid against the following regular expression:  \[a-zA-Z0-9\_-\] and must not start with a ‘`-`’.

### `@title`

The `@title` is a user-friendly display name that is not constrained to the allowable characters of the `@name`.

For example, where a `@name` value might be “warehouse”, the corresponding `@title` value might be “Delivery address in business hours”.  The value of `@title` is displayed in the document and editing views, the value of `@name` is displayed in the [search facets](../../reference/glossary/search_facets.md).

### `@value`

The `@value` is only for a `<property>` with a single value. When `<property>` can have more than one value, `<value>` elements are used instead of this attribute.

## Examples

### Example 1 – single value property

The following expressions of a single value `<property>` element are all equivalent:

```lang-xml

<property name="part-number" value="PX-67S93Q"/>
```

```lang-xml

<property name="part-number" datatype="string" value="PX-67S93Q"/>
```

### Example 2 – multi-value property

For a `<property>` element to support multiple values.

```lang-xml

<property name="languages" multiple="true">
  <value>de</value>
  <value>en</value>
  <value>fr</value>
</property>
```

### Example 3 – xref property

A `<property>` with a `@datatype` of `xref`.

```lang-xml

<property name="author" datatype="xref">
  <xref href="/ps/authors/english/" ... >Lewis Carroll
  </xref>
</property>
```

### Example 4 – markdown property

A `<property>` with a `@datatype` of `markdown`.

```lang-xml

<property name="example" datatype="markdown">
  <markdown>The **quick** brown *fox* jumps over the `lazy` dog.
  </markdown>
</property>
```

### Example 5 – markup property

A `<property>` with a `@datatype` of `markup`.

```lang-xml

<property name="example" datatype="markup">
  <para>The <bold>quick</bold> brown <italic>fox</italic>
  </para>
  <para>jumps over the <monospace>lazy</monospace> dog
  </para>
</property>
```

## Schema

### XML Schema

```lang-xml

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

    <xs:choice>
      <xs:element name="value"
                  minOccurs="0"
                  maxOccurs="unbounded"
                  type="xs:string"/>
      <xs:element ref="xref" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
      <xs:element ref="link" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
      <xs:element ref="markdown" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1" />
      <xs:choice minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
        <xs:element ref="heading" />
        <xs:element ref="para" />
        <xs:element ref="list" />
        <xs:element ref="nlist" />
        <xs:element ref="preformat" />
      </xs:choice>
    </xs:choice>
    <xs:attribute name="title" type="xs:string"/>
    <xs:attribute name="name" type="label" use="required"/>
    <xs:attribute name="value" type="xs:string" use="optional"/>
    <xs:attribute name="datatype" type="xs:string"/>
    <xs:attribute name="count" default="1"> 
      <xs:simpleType>
        <xs:restriction base="xs:string">
          <xs:pattern value="[0-9n]+"/>
        </xs:restriction>
      </xs:simpleType>
    </xs:attribute> <!-- DEPRECATED -->
    <xs:attribute name="multiple" type="xs:boolean" fixed="true"/>
  </xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
```

### Relax Schema

```lang-relax

element property {
   attribute name { label },
   attribute title { text }?,
   attribute datatype { text }?,
   attribute count { text }?,
   attribute multiple { boolean }?,
   attribute value { text }?,
   (element value* | element link* | element xref* | element markdown
    | (element heading | element para | element list |
       element nlist | element preformat )* )
}
```

## Compatibility

This element was introduced in the first draft of PSML and is well-supported from PageSeeder 5.1.