RE: saxon impressions

[Kay Michael <Michael.Kay@xxxxxxx>]

> How do these saxon variables work? Do you mean that you can set a
> variable in one template and see that value while executing another?

Yes, if it's a global variable. (But lexical scope rules still apply).
> 
> Doesn't that force a particular order on the way that the 
> templates are
> applied to the source document, something that is not needed (and not
> specified) as the standard templates are side effect free?
> 
Yes, it constrains the processing to be in the natural sequential order.
Like most other languages I use every day!

(When I asked the question on this list, what is it about stylesheets that
makes the side-effect-free processing model particularly suitable, I got one
response that made sense: the potential for partial regeneration of an
output document if part of the source document changes. My current feeling
is that the mental contortions needed to write transformations in a
side-effect-free way are a heavy price to pay for that feature. But having
said that, I'm slowly learning to live without updatable variables in real
stylesheets, so I think the question is open.)

Mike Kay


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