Re: [xsl] XSL - using for-each with sort - can't access previous sorted nod e

[Wendell Piez <wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jeff,

Rick's tip is a good one although it doesn't address your actual problem.

The problem you posed is rather tricky, since XSLT 1.0 doesn't have ready 
access to its own results. The cleanest solution would therefore be to 
process your list in two passes, the first to sort, the second to format. 
The second pass then has access to the sorted order. This can be done 
either with two stylesheets, or with one stylesheet and your processor's 
node-set() extension function (most have one).

If you really want to do it in one pass, it's not impossible, but it won't 
be pretty.

Please advise if these hints aren't enough and you'd like more specifics on 
any of the options I've mentioned. I'd probably use the node-set() 
extension function as the best balance of simple and efficient, if I could 
be sure the function would be available when the stylesheet is run. (In 
XSLT 2.0 you'll be able to do the same thing transparently.)

Cheers,
Wendell

At 05:16 PM 11/25/2003, Rick wrote:
> Jeff,
>
> Make sure that when you sort you specify the data-type
> <xsl:sort select="@page" data-type="number"/>
> or the 18 will come after the 1 and before the 2.
>
> rick
>
> At 04:45 PM 11/25/2003 -0500, you wrote:
> > Hi all... just joined this list. Greetings :)
> >
> > I was wondering if someone might have an answer for me on this...
> >
> > Here's sample XML:
> >
> > <quiz>
> >    <question id="1" page="4"/>
> >    <question id="2" page="6"/>
> >    <question id="3" page="1"/>
> >    <question id="4" page="18"/>
> >    <question id="5" page="7"/>
> >    <question id="6" page="5"/>
> > </quiz>
> >
> > In my XSLT, I want to sort by page. So I have:
> >
> > <xsl:for-each select="question">
> > <xsl:sort select="@page"/>
> >
> > Now - as I am doing things to each question during the for-each, I want to
> > be able to access the "id" attribute in the question outputted JUST PRIOR to
> > the one currently being outputted. I can't seem to be able to do this. I've
> > tried using position() and <xsl:number> and combinations of the two, and
> > have been unsuccessful. Could anyone give me some advice?
>
>
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