title: Zettelmarkup: Inline-mode Transclusion
role: manual
tags: #manual #zettelmarkup #zettelstore
syntax: zmk

Inline-mode transclusion is applied to any zettel that is parsed in a non-trivial way, such as when the content is structured text.
For instance, this applies to zettel written in [[Zettelmarkup|00001007000000]] or [[Markdown|00001008010000]].

Since this type of transclusion involves [[inline-structured elements|00001007040000]], the transclusion specification must be replaced with an appropriate inline-structured content.
Specifically, the transclusion specification is replaced with an [[inline span|00001007040100#inline-span]] containing the inline-structured content.

The process begins by reading the referenced zettel.
If the zettel contains other transclusions, these will be expanded recursively.
If an infinite recursion is detected, the expansion is halted, and an error message replaces the transclusion specification.

The result of this (indirect) transclusion is searched for inline-structured elements.

* If only a [[zettel identifier|00001006050000]] was specified, the first top-level [[paragraph|00001007030000#paragraphs]] is used.
  Since a paragraph is basically a sequence of inline-structured elements, these elements will replace the transclude specification.

  Example: ``{{00010000000000}}`` (see [[00010000000000]]) is rendered as ::{{00010000000000}}::{=example}.

* If a fragment identifier was additionally specified, the element with the given fragment is searched:
** If it specifies a [[heading|00001007030300]], the next top-level paragraph is used.

   Example: ``{{00010000000000#reporting-errors}}`` is rendered as ::{{00010000000000#reporting-errors}}::{=example}.

** In case the fragment names a [[mark|00001007040350]], the inline-structured elements after the mark are used.
   Initial spaces and line breaks are ignored in this case.

   Example: ``{{00001007040322#spin}}`` is rendered as ::{{00001007040322#spin}}::{=example}.

** Just specifying the fragment identifier will reference something on the current page.
   This is not allowed, to prevent a possible endless recursion.

* If the reference is a [[hosted or based|00001007040310#link-specifications]] link / URL to an image, that image will be rendered.

  Example: ``{{//z/00000000040001}}{alt=Emoji}`` is rendered as ::{{//z/00000000040001}}{alt=Emoji}::{=example}

If no inline-structured elements are found, the transclude specification is replaced by an error message.

To avoid an exploding ""transclusion bomb"", a form of [[billion laughs attack|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billion_laughs_attack]] (also known as ""XML bomb""), the total number of transclusions / expansions is limited.
The limit can be controlled by setting the value [[''max-transclusions''|00001004020000#max-transclusions]] of the runtime configuration zettel.

=== See also
[[Full transclusion|00001007031100]] does not work inside some text, but is used for [[block-structured elements|00001007030000]].