Скачать или смотреть Resolving node-set() Issues in Your XSL Stylesheet

Discover why `node-set()` may not be selecting some elements in your XSL Stylesheet. Learn effective solutions and improve your XML transformations!
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/74737316/ asked by the user 'Hervé Girod' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/6174386/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/74742869/ provided by the user 'Martin Honnen' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/252228/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Understanding node-set() Issues in XSL Stylesheet

If you've recently encountered an issue with your XSL Stylesheet where the node-set() function seems to be failing to select certain elements, you're not alone. This problem often arises when dealing with XML files that use namespaces, causing confusion within the XSLT process. In this post, we'll explore a practical scenario and provide a comprehensive solution to help you understand and resolve the issue effectively.

The Scenario

Imagine you have a complex XML file structured with different namespaces. You are trying to transform this XML into another format using XSLT 1.0, specifically leveraging the EXSLT common module. Upon transformation, you notice some expected elements are missing in the output.

For instance, consider the following input XML, which includes data types and enumerated types organized within namespaces.

Input XML Example

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This input XML specifies various data types and structures, adding an additional challenge during transformation.

The Problem

After attempting to generate your output XML using XSLT, you observe a discrepancy in the results. For one of the fields, like Picture, it does not find the appropriate type reference, resulting in missing data in your transformed XML.

Example of Expected vs. Actual Result

Expected Output:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Actual Output:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The typeRef is missing for the Picture field, suggesting an issue with how the XSLT is figuring out the data type.

Proposed Solution

Let's analyze the problematic line in the XSLT script, particularly the expression using exsl:node-set(). It appears that it's not necessary in certain contexts where you are not constructing result tree fragments. The solution involves a simplification of your original code, which can yield the expected results without needing to use exsl:node-set().

Refining the XSLT Code

Instead of using:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

You can simplify it to:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Also, make sure to extract the type reference directly without using exsl:node-set() in other instances where you are capturing attributes:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Result

After making these adjustments, your XSL transformation should yield the expected output without any missing type references. The revised XSLT should be fully functional using both SAXON and Xalan.

Conclusion

Navigating namespaces and transformations in XML can be complex, especially when using functions like node-set(). By simplifying the process and removing unnecessary calls to exsl:node-set(), you can resolve unexpected discrepancies in your output. Make sure to check your variable selections and adjust accordingly for more straightforward XML transformations.

By following the strategies outlined in this post, you can ensure your XSLT scripts become more efficient and reliable, allowing you to confidently transform your XML data as needed. If you encounter any further issues or have questions, feel free to explore additional resources or consult the XSLT documentation.