[xsl] ancestor axis ordering (again...)

[Joern Nettingsmeier <nettings@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

hi *!


this template

<xsl:template match="d">
  ancestor axis: <xsl:for-each select="ancestor::*">
    <xsl:value-of select="name()"/>
  </xsl:for-each>

  last element: <xsl:value-of select="name(ancestor::*[last()])"/>

</xsl:template>

will convert this source

<a>
  <b>
    <c>
      <d/>
    </c>
  </b>
</a>

into

 ancestor axis: abc

 last element: a


why?

the spec says that the ancestor axis is a reverse axis. but then the 
for-each statement would be wrong. from my understanding, it should 
produce "cba".

i found this explanation 
http://www.biglist.com/lists/xsl-list/archives/200405/msg00055.html
in the archive, but i don't understand the concept of "steps".
can anyone explain? sorry if this is a faq.

thanks,

jC6rn


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