# apiValueClassifier

The <apiValueClassifier> element specifies that the value is an instance of a classifier.

#### Description

This element can provide an href if the description of the API item is available. If the description is not available, the <apiValueClassifier> element can provide the name of the API item in its contents.

- If you use an href attribute to a DITA API topic that describes the related API item, you do not need any other attributes.

- If you provide an href attribute to some other format (such as HTML), you need to provide the name of the related API item inside the <apiValueClassifier> element.

- If you cannot provide an href attribute (for instance, if the description of the related API item might not be available), you must provide the name of the related API item inside the <apiValueClassifier> element and the fully qualified name of the element in the keyref attribute. The keyref attribute should provide a unique key such as a fully qualified classifier name for the named API item.

For example, in Java DITA API specialization, the <apiValueClassifier> element represents the javaMethodClass or javaMethodInterface for parameters, and javaFieldClass or javaFieldInterface for fields.

#### Example

The following example shows an <apiValueClassifier> element for a Visual Basic property:

    <apiValue id="IRXEAbstarction.Model" outputclass="property">
        <apiName>Model</apiName>
        <shortDesc>Retrieves the IRXEModel object that the element belongs to.</shortDesc>
          <apiValueDetail>
             <apiValueDef>
                <apiQualifier name="access" value="Public"/>
                <apiType name="type" value="Readonly">
                <apiValueClassifier href="IRXEModel.dita">IRXEModel</apiValueClassifier>
                <apiRelation href=”../IRXEAbstarction_intf.dita”>IRXEAbstarction Interface</apiRelation>
                <apiDefNote>
                    Returns the <keyword>IRXEModel</keyword> object that the element belongs to.
                </apiDefNote>
             </apiValueDef>
          </apiValueDetail>
          <apiDesc>
             <note>You must have an open read action before calling this property.</note>
         </apiDesc>
    </apiValue>

#### Contained by

apiValueDef, apiValueMember

#### Content model

(text data) (any number)

#### Inheritance

topic/xref reference/xref apiRef/apiRelation

Parent topic: apiValueMember
Parent topic: apiValueDef