Subject: Re: [xsl] how to get variable value outside scope From: David Carlisle <davidc@xxxxxxxxx> Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 09:58:07 GMT |
Mukul, There are a few technical issues, eg > The form [1] binds a variable name to a simple(simplest!) RTF. This > form is similar to declaration : <xsl:variable name="varname" > select="'mukul'" /> . The form [2] binds a variable name to a tree > fragment actually the form <xsl:variable name="x">foo</xsl:variable> also binds a result tree fragment, which is immportant it means you normally shouldn't do it as it's inefficient and has the wrong behaviour when coerced to boolean. But mainly I wanted to comment on the general premise that > So the variable construct in XSLT behaves quite differently than > traditional variables. This is like describing chinese by saying that it doesn't use the traditional english alphabet. The behaviour may be different from your expectation but "tradition" depends on who you are, and how long you've been there. The use of variables to denote values rather than memory locations has a long tradition that is much older than digital computers, and even in the context of digital computer languages goes back at least as far as lisp in the early 1960's. Given that, it reads rather strangely to see such newfangled languages as Java, and even C, described as "traditional". When I was first shown computer programmining (Fortran, at school in the mid 70's) the use of "variables" in that language and the fact that X=X+1 actually meant something and wasn't just a false equation, was described by all the beginner guides as a strange use of "variable" but a necessary low level feature in order to control a machine which wasn't capable of the normal mathematical reasoning. How times change.... David ________________________________________________________________________ This e-mail has been scanned for all viruses by Star. The service is powered by MessageLabs. For more information on a proactive anti-virus service working around the clock, around the globe, visit: http://www.star.net.uk ________________________________________________________________________
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