Re: [xsl] TOUGH ONE: All Grandmasters - how- iteratable key-value pair/array/lookup table that has only local scope with the xsl template

Subject: Re: [xsl] TOUGH ONE: All Grandmasters - how- iteratable key-value pair/array/lookup table that has only local scope with the xsl template
From: "G. Ken Holman" <gkholman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 22:16:14 -0400
At 2003-09-13 20:01 -0500, SANWAL, ABHISHEK (HP-Houston) wrote:
(ROUGH SKETCH):

                <xsl:variable name="MatrixColWidths">
                        <xsl:
                        <xsl:variable name="'1'" select="100"/>
                        <xsl:variable name="'2'" select="200"/>
                        <xsl:variable name="'3'" select="300"/>
                        <xsl:variable name="'4'" select="400"/>
                </xsl:variable>

The above is meaningless. A variable's scope is its following siblings and their descendents. Also, variables must be named with proper XML names (and may even be qualified in a namespace).


Or like this ( as shown on DPawsons FAQ as picked up from )
 - http://www.biglist.com/lists/xsl-list/archives/200004/msg00714.html
(Also the example test.xsl and class.xsl don't seem to work for me.. to
even test it out.. anyone suggest any fixes so I can see how it works)

<xsl:variable name="MatrixColWidths">
  <c colno="1" colw="100"/>
  <c colno="2" colw="75"/>
  <c codno="3" colw="80"/>
  <c codno="4" colw="75"/>
</xsl:variable>

The above is fine in global scope, because one can use the document() function to get at the fixed value.


so that I can pick up the values for the COLUMN WIDTHS for ANY and EVERY
"Matrix or Table" in that Section by iterating through that array or
whatever other structure/variable I can use (xsl or non-xsl namespace)
but LOCAL to the Section.

You *cannot* get at such a local run-time definition using XSLT 1.0. Using a vendor-supplied node-set() function, or XSLT 2.0, you can access a variable of node sets.


I don't really care how this is done as I am not sure if I can define
any such structure, keep it local as well as be able to ITERATE through
it to pull values.

Not in XSLT 1.0 ... you cannot define a result tree fragment in a template and then access it with XPath. In XSLT 1.0 XPath will only access the source node tree. You can have it access the global-scope result tree fragments of a stylesheet by opening up the stylesheet *as* a source file, by using the document() function.


Any genius solve this one ?? :)

I ve been trying to abstract this problem out to the list but have been
getting nowhere.

I get the feeling you are repeatedly trying to apply programming concepts to a templating language. Certainly XSLT 1.0 is Turing complete, but there are restrictions on data types and the use of XPath. XPath can *only* be used on the source node tree. The only way around this is to use a vendor extension or use XSLT 2.0.


Please don't try to treat XSLT 1.0 as a general-purpose programming language, or you will, indeed, get nowhere.

As I said in my last post, the idea in XSLT 1.0 is to revisit the source node tree any time you need a value. In your column width calculations, you will be doing some calculation to evaluate each of your widths ... just redo those calculations when you need the values again.

There are *no* array-like data types in XSLT 1.0 or XPath 1.0 ... so you will have to follow the language to get what you want.

I hope this helps to make these principles clear to you.

.......................... Ken


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