# et al config

**URL:** <https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/et-al-config/249>\
**Category:** CSL Development\
**Created:** [March 21, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/et-al-config/249 "2007-03-21T03:20:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bruce\_D\_Arcus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Bruce\_D\_Arcus1](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/u/Bruce_D_Arcus1)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/et-al-config/249/1 "2007-03-21T03:20:34Z")

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Jim asked about using a different string for “et al.” It’s not  
currently supported, and my first hunch to solve it is this:

```
 <et-al
	term-name="and-others"
	min-authors="6" use-first="6" position="first"/>

```

So it would involve an optional term-name attribute on the element, and  
default would be understood as the “et-al” term.

Any objections or affirmations?

The one thing I dislike about it is that it’s not then globally  
configured, but would presumably require specifying it multiple times.  
The alternative would be to allow the et-al element in the defaults  
section, absent the min, etc. rules perhaps.

Bruce

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**Author:** ![James\_M\_Safley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9dc877/32.png) [@James\_M\_Safley](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/u/James_M_Safley)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 1:18pm UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/et-al-config/249/2 "2007-03-21T13:18:06Z")

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Bruce,

The idea is a good one, though I share your concerns about it not being globally configured. My question is why not allow with _all_ of its attributes (min-authors, use-first, and position) in the defaults section?

Also, so I’m clear, during what circumstance would I use position=“first” and position=“subsequent”?----- Original Message -----  
From: Bruce D’Arcus \<@Bruce\_D\_Arcus1\>  
Date: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:20 pm  
Subject: [xbiblio-devel] et al config

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bruce\_D\_Arcus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Bruce\_D\_Arcus1](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/u/Bruce_D_Arcus1)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 1:25pm UTC](https://discourse.citationstyles.org/t/et-al-config/249/3 "2007-03-21T13:25:27Z")

</div>

> The idea is a good one, though I share your concerns about it not  
> being globally configured. My question is why not allow with  
> _all_ of its attributes (min-authors, use-first, and position) in the  
> defaults section?

Yeah, let’s do that, and assume it has the same override behavior.

> Also, so I’m clear, during what circumstance would I use  
> position=“first” and position=“subsequent”?

Because some styles (like APA) have different rules depending on  
position, which means in the text (occurrence is another word that gets  
at the idea).

Bruce