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Re: [xsl] Is a variable referencing a node
Subject: Re: [xsl] Is a variable referencing a node From: "Dimitre Novatchev" <dnovatchev@xxxxxxxxx> Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:57:04 -0700 |
On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 6:30 PM, David Frey <dpfrey@xxxxxxx> wrote: > I have an XSLT 1 question. > > Say I have: > > <xsl:variable name="foo"> > <xsl:choose> > <xsl:when test="$aVar='someFlag'"> > <xsl:value-of select="/path/to/some/element"/> > </xsl:when> > <xsl:otherwise> > <xsl:value-of select="/path/to/another/element"/> > </xsl:otherwise> > </xsl:variable> > <xsl:choose> > <xsl:when test="$foo"> > <xsl:value-of select="$foo"/> > </xsl:when> > <xsl:otherwise>--</xsl:otherwise> > </xsl:choose> > > > > Currently, I never get "--" as my output even if $aVar is set to > 'someFlag' and the element at "/path/to/some/element" does not exist. > > Can someone explain where I went wrong? The variable $foo is of type RTF (Result Tree Fragment). The XSLT 1.0 spec says: "A result tree fragment represents a fragment of the result tree. A result tree fragment is treated equivalently to a node-set that contains just a single root node" ... and a few lines later: "When a permitted operation is performed on a result tree fragment, it is performed exactly as it would be on the equivalent node-set." http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt#section-Result-Tree-Fragments The <xsl:when/> is evaluated as per spec: "When an xsl:choose element is processed, each of the xsl:when elements is tested in turn, by evaluating the expression and converting the resulting object to a boolean as if by a call to the boolean function." http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt#section-Conditional-Processing-with-xsl:choose this means that the value of boolean($foo) is determined and it is the same as when boolean() is applied on the equivalent node-set of the RTF $foo. Because the equivalent node-set of an RTF always consists of just one node (a root node), and the rules for boolean() say: "a node-set is true if and only if it is non-empty" http://www.w3.org/TR/xpath#section-Boolean-Functions this means that boolean($foo) is always true(). This is why, the first <xsl:when> in the code in question is always chosen: > <xsl:choose> > <xsl:when test="$foo"> > <xsl:value-of select="$foo"/> > </xsl:when> > <xsl:otherwise>--</xsl:otherwise> > </xsl:choose> and the <xsl:otherwise> above is never chosen. BTW, the definition of the boolean() function in the XSLT (1.0) Programmer's Reference that I have is not correct (on page 427), saying for boolean(result-tree-fragment) that: ""The result tree fragment is first converted to a string, and the string is then converted to a Boolean. The resulting Boolean is true if the result tree fragment contains any non-empty text nodes, and is false otherwise" According to this definition, boolean($foo) would be false, although its equivalent node-set is not empty. Saxon 6.5.3 certainly behaves correctly and evaluates boolean($foo) to true even when the equivalent node-set contains no nodes. Cheers, Dimitre Novatchev. > > Thanks, > David > > -- Cheers, Dimitre Novatchev --------------------------------------- Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence. --------------------------------------- To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk ------------------------------------- Never fight an inanimate object ------------------------------------- You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play
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