Re: [xsl] how to estimate speed of a transformation

[Jeff Kenton <jkenton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

David Tolpin wrote:
> > XSLT is almost soley specified by expected result, not assuming any
> > processing model  ...

David,

You've started a great discussion, and gotten some detailed comments 
back.  Now it's time to step back and look at the big picture again.

First, some things will improve execution speed with almost any XSLT 
processor.  Anything that avoids walking large parts of the input tree 
multiple times is always good.  Saving certain results in variables is 
one way to do this.  Keys are often helpful.  Following the 
suggestions of Michael Kay and Jeni Tennison (and others) on this list 
will improve your stylesheets.

Second, some XSLT processors (DataPower's among them) are 10 times 
faster than others.  Part of this is due to optimizations, and part is 
due to raw technology.  These processors will be faster no matter what 
stylesheets you write.

Finally, any stylesheet complex enough to have started this discussion 
is probably too complex to analyze clearly.  Most commercial XSLT 
processors (again, DataPower's among them) allow you to profile your 
stylesheets during execution.  It's the only way to know what's really 
going on, and it will let you focus your improvements on those parts 
of the stylesheet that need the most attention.

--jeff



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