Re: [xsl] case-sensitivity in xml

Subject: Re: [xsl] case-sensitivity in xml
From: Wendell Piez <wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 12:14:38 -0500
Rahil,

At 09:26 PM 1/21/2005, you wrote:
Hi


then translate($string,$UPPER,$lower) will convert to lower case (at least in the English/Latin alphabet).


Case-folding element and attribute names in an instance could be done with a modified identity transform and the xsl:element instruction. (Ask again if these hints are not enough to get you there.)
Forgive me for being a novice in XSLT programming but given a case where I want to determine the existence of a @name='Abc' where $prime='ABC' (as shown below)
----------------------------
<xsl:variable name="prime" select="document('result.xml')/Top/PrimeConcept"/>
<xsl:if test="@name = $prime">
<xsl:value-of select="@name"/>
</xsl:if>
</xsl:variable>
---------------------------
would I need to first declare some <xsl:variable> to convert both @name and $name to either UPPER or lower-case and then compare them?

Yes, you could do this, although you wouldn't absolutely have to.


test="translate(@name,$UPPER,$lower) = translate($name,$UPPER,$lower) will work, although it's a bit cumbersome.

Note that by doing this, you are actually changing nothing, just performing a test. This is true even if you use variable to store the values.

Would there not be an inconsistency with its representation in their respective xml documents then?

Not if you manage it properly.


I'm not entirely clear of how the XML file will 'communicate' with the XSL file given that Ive changed the case of an element/attribute.

I'm not altogether sure what you're asking, but don't confuse the two approaches:


1. Do brute-force comparisons, calling the translate() function where necessary (cumbersome but doable)
2. Pre-process to normalize case, then do easier comparisons


Im finding the dynamic assigning and traversing process in XSL very confusing as well. Is there a logical way of traversing through a tree to determine the grandchild of an element albeit indirectly. So I know that my XML file is as below

-----------------------
<DEFCONCEPT id="10180" name="Car">
<PARENT>
<CONCEPT name="Automobile" ref="10181"/>
</PARENT>
<CHILD>
<CONCEPT name="Toyota" ref="10235"/>
</CHILD>
</DEFCONCEPT >
<DEFCONCEPT id="10235" name="Toyota">
<PARENT>
<CONCEPT name="Car" ref="10180"/>
</PARENT>
<CHILD>
<CONCEPT name="Corolla" ref="10279"/>
</CHILD>
</DEFCONCEPT >
<DEFCONCEPT id="10279" name="Corolla">
<PARENT>
<CONCEPT name="Toyota" ref="10235"/>
</PARENT>
</DEFCONCEPT >
-----------------------
and I want to reach the <DEFCONCEPT name="Corolla"> from the node <DEFCONCEPT name="Car"> because I have a query to determine the existence of a kind_of Car 'Corolla' irrespective of the case in which it has been written and where in the hierarchy it exists. Will this be possible using XSL?

Well, yes, although this is a graph-traversal problem. I'd ask about this separately (there are list members who have more experience with this kind of thing than I do, and can speak with more authority).


Requiring matches irrespective of case, here, would make the traversals more complex, though some smart key definitions could mitigate that. I would, however, probably be inclined to run a case-normalization pre-process of my input just to handle this in one fell swoop. If the graph-traversal logic can assume this has been done, it is likelier to be much easier.

I hope this helps,
Wendell


====================================================================== Wendell Piez mailto:wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Mulberry Technologies, Inc. http://www.mulberrytech.com 17 West Jefferson Street Direct Phone: 301/315-9635 Suite 207 Phone: 301/315-9631 Rockville, MD 20850 Fax: 301/315-8285 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mulberry Technologies: A Consultancy Specializing in SGML and XML ======================================================================

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