Re: [xsl] Functional Programming: How do I convert an xsl:for-each loop into a functional style?

[David Carlisle <davidc@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 21/01/2010 19:33, Costello, Roger L. wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
> Would you please give me an example of an XSLT transform that is not written in a functional style?

anything using saxon:assign

And then would you show an equivalent XSLT transform, but written in a 
functional style?

replace the assignment by something else, eg parameter passing.

 I presume that it is better to write XSLT transforms in a functional 
style, yes?
Only in so far as it is usually better to use the idioms for which a 
language was designed. If you try to write your Java like fortran, it's 
painful and you're better off writing in Fortran but the converse is 
also true: if you are programming in a java style you may find java more 
natural than fortran.


XSLT has (some) aspects of a functional language although it lacks what 
is usually thought of as the definining characteristic of such a 
language that functions can be passed as values. Of course Dimitre's 
FXSL goes a long way to filling that gap by using element nodes as 
proxies for function terms, and the long awaited xpath 2.1 promises to 
go further with higher order function terms.

David