RE: [xsl] XSL : Numbers to Words

Subject: RE: [xsl] XSL : Numbers to Words
From: "Passin, Tom" <tpassin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 17:25:29 -0400
> From: Renganat Krishnan [mailto:renganat_krishnan@xxxxxxxxx] 
> 
> I was wondering if anyone has acheived this
> 
> Converting a number to Words in XSL. 
> 
> Xample
> 
> <a>
>  <num>10000</num>
> </a>
>  output from xsl on this xml should be
> <a>
>  <numInWords>ten thousand</numInWords>
> </a>
> 

If you want to be able to translate any kind of number of any size, I
think it would be pretty hard.  But if the range and type of the numbers
were constrained to some degree it should be feasible.   Say you know
that you will be dealing with only integers smaller than 100,000.  You
would use lookup tables to get the right words.  I have done something
like this to create (quasi!)natural language driving directions from a
set of turn-by-turn data (e.g., "at the intersection with I-95 bear left
onto Rt. 50S").

I have also done a bit of work getting graphs (like bar charts) to
auto-scale, and this seems similar as well - you work out the right
tests, and index into a lookup table using the test results.  The lookup
table can either be embedded into the stylesheet or it can be an
external xml file.

I'm sure it is feasible, as long as the range is restricted in some kind
of sensible fashion.  You will probably want to get familiar with
recursive templates.

Cheers,

Tom P

Current Thread