Re: [xsl] randomly selecting a node from a node set

Subject: Re: [xsl] randomly selecting a node from a node set
From: Graydon <graydon@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2013 14:26:48 -0500
On Sun, Jan 06, 2013 at 12:32:11AM +0000, David Carlisle scripsit:
> On 06/01/2013 00:18, Graydon wrote:
> >Anyone got suggestions as to how one picks a random node out of a
> >node sequence?
> 
> exslt has a random function or depending on how random and/or repeatable
> you need the result you can in xslt 2 use the time of day to give you
> some number of seconds.

Thank you!

I need to do a lot of this at once, so seconds won't help much, but a
random function is just the thing.

> I assume you are using xslt 2 as your code snippet uses eq although
> originally I'd assumed you needed an xslt 1 answer as xpath2 doesn't
> have node sets (that was the datatatype in xpath 1)

True!

This is certainly in a 2.0 context.

"Node-set" seems indelibly stuck in my head; I blame traumatic events
involve producing DITA output in 2005. :)

-- Graydon, who will have another go at expunging the wretched thing

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