Re: [xsl] Grouping by character runs (and keeping element structure)

[Wendell Piez <wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Christian,

At 06:34 AM 7/27/2006, you wrote:
> Continuing my grouping issues:
>
> XSLT2 handles grouping on a node level quite conveniently. However,
> adding structure to legacy, rather flat content (i.e.: character runs)
> still poses challenges in grouping....

[Fabulous examples snipped, until]

> A worst-case scenario of course would be:
>
> __ EXAMPLE 3 __
>
> <p><ul><b>Note</b> <i>#4</i>: Don't tumble dry your pet</ul>.</p>
>
> TASK:
> Group the leading paragraph text "Note #4:" including any contained
> markup using <marker> to a child of <p> so that the result looks like:
>
> <p><marker><ul><b>Note</b> <i>#4</i>:</ul></marker>
>    <ul>Don't tumble dry your pet</ul>.</p>
>
> SOLUTION:
> Same problems as in EXAMPLE 2, but additionally note that the <ul>
> element must be split/duplicated so that <marker> can be a child of <p>,
> yet retains the full formatting info in form of the contained element
> structure.
>
> Is there a certain pattern on how to tackle these kind of problems in
> XSLT, or is the language just not the tool of choice for this kind of
> transformation?

My preference would be to go all the way up before going down again. 
Thus my first transform would target the arrangement

<note no="4">Don't tumble-dry your pet.</note>

... from which any of your targets could be created.

This may not always be possible; but my guess is that where it isn't, 
you already have more serious problems.

Cheers,
Wendell