XSLT 2.0 Typing (Was: RE: [xsl] Re: XSLT 2.0: On xsl:sequence and xsl:copy-of )

[Dimitre Novatchev <dnovatchev@xxxxxxxxx>]

> Ok. So (and I think I've asked this before and Mike quoted ?I think?
> xsd rec) where is the full list of ' data types' in the current raft of
> specs?
> 
> http://www.dpawson.co.uk/xsl/rev2/exampler.html#iof
> lists the ones I guessed at.
> 
> > I couldn't find one, so I guess as with Dimitres 'misnaming',
> > I (we?) will be fumbling with data types until we've guessed them all?
> > 
> > 
> > >  
> > >  > the anonymous type?
> > >  
> > >  Your getting your terminology confused 
> > 
> > Yes, you're probably right Jeni... but I'm not surprised,
> > its got to be closer to xsl-fo complexity than xslt 1?
> > 
> > Not getting at you Jeni, honest.

In XSLT, as in other programming languages, typing can be very useful.

I personally have already benefitted by XSLT 2.0 typing. In particular, it
allows me to eliminate code, which in XSLT 1.0 was necessary, e.g. to
check if a node-set passed as parameter is empty and then issue an error
message:

Instead of:

<xsl:template name="foldl1">
  <xsl:param name="pFunc" select="/.."/>
  <xsl:param name="pList" select="/.."/>

  <xsl:choose>
     <xsl:when test="not($pList)">
      <xsl:message terminate="yes">Some strong words!!!</xsl:message>
     </xsl:when>
     <xsl:otherwise>useful code here</xsl:otherwise>


I now can simply write:

<xsl:function name="f:foldl1">
  <xsl:param name="pFunc" as="element()"/>
  <xsl:param name="pList" as="item()+"/>

  <!-- useful code here -->

This is a significant reduction of the complexity of the code and the
total number of lines. As result the code is simpler, more easier to write
and understand, programmer productivity is increased.




=====
Cheers,

Dimitre Novatchev.
http://fxsl.sourceforge.net/ -- the home of FXSL

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