Re: [xsl] no output files

["Dimitre Novatchev" <dnovatchev@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 6:46 AM, Michael Kay <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> Another way to do the same, without worrying about
>> implementation specifics is to enclose the transformation
>> into an <xsl:variable/> (which means that nothing is to be
>> done with this variable).
>>
>> As this variable will capture the results of the
>> transformation, no output will be produced.
>
> Not so. The transformation
>
> <xsl:template match="/">
>  <xsl:variable name="x" select="2"/>
> </xsl:template>
>
> produces as its output a result tree consisting of a document node with no
> children. If the transformation output is serialized and directed to a file
> out.xml, the effect should be that after the transformation, out.xml exists
> and contains only an XML declaration (regardless of whether or not the file
> existed previously).

I think that "no output" includes the case when an empty file is
created ( a file, containing *no output*).

This will be the case if we use suitable <xsl:output> directive, for example:

  <xsl:output method="text"/>

or

  <xsl:output omit-xml-declaration="yes"/>

The fact that in this case a file (empty) is still created seems like
a bug. At least a lazy processor could create the file only when it is
necessary to produce actual output -- of length >= 1.

So, yes, a file may be created (and this seems to be of no use or just
a bug), but the output is null.


-- 
Cheers,
Dimitre Novatchev
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