Re: [xsl] Confusing namespaces and xslt

[Wendell Piez <wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul,

At 03:44 PM 9/29/2008, you wrote:
> What would be the best way to actually take the input xml transform it
> into a new xml and just change a value or add a new element?

The best approach is to adapt the "identity transform", amending it 
with a bit of extra logic to effect the changes you want.

This is a well-documented approach, once you know the keywords. As 
you might imagine, an identity transform is one in which the output 
replicates the input. Strictly speaking, what you are trying to write 
might be called a "near-identity transform" -- this might be as 
simple as adding a template.

> Would it be best to do a template match on "/" and do a for-each on
> each element and then test each element to see if it was the one I
> wanted to change?

No. It would be best to use template matching, as the standard 
identity transform does. Its operation is fairly simple and 
straightforward, albeit obscure if you don't know how XSLT templates 
work. But by the same token, it's an excellent lesson in templates, 
which is indispensable for anyone working with XSLT, and something 
you're much better off getting sooner rather than later.

Use your favorite search engine to find writeups and you should be 
set. Ask back here if what you find isn't enough.

> Would it be better to set up specify template match statements for
> each of the top-level elements and output the xml from the input
> document except in the case where I need to change it?

Kind of ... the identity template (the heart of the logic) simply 
copies input to output. Then, yes, you add templates to catch the 
cases where you want to do something differently, like add or change 
or remove something. I say "kind of" since the template matches all 
nodes, not just nodes at the top level.

Cheers,
Wendell


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Wendell Piez                            mailto:wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mulberry Technologies, Inc.                http://www.mulberrytech.com
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