Re: [xsl] extracting and removing an element nested at different levels

["Imsieke, Gerrit, le-tex" <gerrit.imsieke@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 2012-09-05 06:52, Mark wrote:
> Hi Gerrit,
> Thanks for your suggestion. Both worked perfectly for me and produced
> identical results. Is there any advantage in using one technique rather
> than the other?
> Mark

Mark,

In this case, no.

xsl:for-each is often regarded as an indication of an imperative, 
bpull-styleb programming style. The Right Thingb" to do is to define 
templates, use xsl:apply-templates and let the input drive your 
transformation. So this general consideration will favor the first 
solution over the second.

To recap, the 1st solution was:
1. match List in default mode, select all descending Items and 
apply-templates to them in default mode
2. match Item in default mode, reproduce just this element but process 
contents in "suppress-item" mode
3. match Item in "suppress-item" mode, suppress it
4. otherwise, reproduce document structure identically

2nd solution:
1. match List in default mode, select all descending Items, iterate over 
them, reproduce them in place, process their contents
2. match Item in default mode, suppress it (the outermost items wonbt be 
suppressed because they will be identically reproduced above, they wonbt 
be processed by apply-templates)
3. otherwise, reproduce document structure identically

Ibd  contend that solution 1 isnbt really a pure-play push solution but 
a pull solution in disguise because you select (pull) the Items 
explicitly. It just avoids the explicit use of xsl:for-each that XSLT 
hardliners (like myself) might frown upon.

But after all, that whatbs required here: pull up all Items no matter 
how deep theybre nested in the List.

Gerrit