Re: [xsl] node kind of result tree

["G. Ken Holman" <gkholman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 2013-01-20 20:36 -0300, Max Toro wrote:
> Excluding the use of xsl:result-document, is the result of an XSLT
> transformation always a document-node() ?
>
> The spec talks about result trees, but couldn't figure out if the tree
> is always rooted at a document-node() or if a tree rooted at an
> element() is allowed.

If your transformation is creating a variable, the choice is 
yours.  You are not obliged to create a tree with a document-node() 
in a variable, as you can if you wish (among other choices) create a 
variable node sequence of one with that element being the apex of a 
tree (I'll avoid using the word "root" since it isn't a document-node()).

Check out my diagram on page 223 of my XSLT book ... the complete 
book can be found for a free preview here:

  http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/training/#ptux

In that diagram (I cannot attach it to a post to the XSL List) you 
can see I've summarized the memory organization of four different declarations:

  - atomic sequence
  - node sequence
  - temporary tree
  - node set

The properties of the four kinds of declarations give you control 
over how you want to access the information you've put in your variable.

So, the following is a tree with three nodes, a document-node() at 
the top and two element nodes with nesting:

  <xsl:variable name="v1">
    <test><abc/></test>
  </xsl:variable>

The following is a tree with just the two element nodes, with <test> 
at the apex:

  <xsl:variable name="v2" as="node()">
    <test><abc/></test>
  </xsl:variable>

I hope this helps.

. . . . . . . Ken

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