Re: [xsl] Re: Counting nodes efficiently

[Wendell Piez <wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 03:01 PM 2/19/2004, you wrote:
> Using only "forward" is insufficient -- a tree is 2-dimensional (this is why
> there are many possible traversal orders) and we use two independent axes --
> "ancestor" and "preceding".

Of course. :-> But what makes this traversal interesting and different is 
that instead of relying on XSLT's built-in traversal of child nodes 
collected as a node list, it explicitly steps forward one node at a time. 
In the default traversal, the forward part is implicit (and as you know, 
XSLT requires only that the result come out *as if* the nodes are traversed 
forward in document order).

Since natural language rarely finds it practical to describe and specify 
all distinguishing characteristics of a given case, we usually encapsulate 
them by using a code or label that only hints at them -- and rely on 
context (as always) to disambiguate the rest. If the term sticks, it comes 
through use to denote all the particulars (because repeated use within a 
community of practice allows it to "carry its context with it"). Of course 
you know all this, which is why you asked for a native speaker's advice ... 
because what constitutes a good hint in a given case, before a term has 
established itself, is hard.

Anyway, glad to help. Words are fun.

Cheers,
Wendell


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Wendell Piez                            mailto:wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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