XSLT for-each loop and nodes with different pattern

Question

I have the following structure of xml data to transform:

     <chapter>
          <title>Text</title>
          <subtitle>Text</subtitle>
          <paragraph>Text</paragraph>
          <paragraph>Text</paragraph>
          <subtitle>Text</subtitle>
          <paragraph>Text</paragraph>
          <other>Text</other>
      </chapter>

      <chapter>
          <title>Text</title>
          <paragraph>Text</paragraph>
          <paragraph>Text</paragraph>
          <paragraph>Text</paragraph>
          <other>Text</other>
      </chapter>

      <chapter>
          <title>Text</title>
          <paragraph>Text</paragraph>
          <subtitle>Text</subtitle>
          <paragraph>Text</paragraph>
          <paragraph>Text</paragraph>
          <other>Text</other>
      </chapter>

As you can see, the subtitles in the different chapters have no permanent pattern. In the output, I need to set the subtitles on the same place like the are in the xml. For the paragraph tags, I use a for-each loop. Like this:

<xsl:template match="chapter">
  <xsl:for-each select="paragraph">
    <xsl:value-of select="."/>
  </xsl:for-each>
</xsl:template>

And now, I need to set the subtitles above, between or among the paragraphs in the order they are in the xml. How can I do this? Please help!

What does your expected output look like? You haven't told us yet. — JLRishe
– JLRishe, Commented Jan 22, 2013 at 17:05

David Carlisle · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-22 17:09:40Z

1

By using

 <xsl:for-each select="paragraph">

You are pulling all the paragraph elements out first, You could change that to

<xsl:for-each select="*">

To process all elements in order, but it is better (or at least more idiomatic xslt) to avoid for-each and use apply-templates instead.

<xsl:template match="chapter">
   <xsl:apply-templates/>
</xsl:template>


<xsl:template match="title">
Title: <xsl:value-of select="."/>
</xsl:template>


<xsl:template match="subtitle">
SubTitle: <xsl:value-of select="."/>
</xsl:template>


<xsl:template match="paragraph">
 <xsl:text>&#10;&#10;</xsl:text>
 <xsl:value-of select="."/>
<xsl:text>&#10;&#10;</xsl:text>
</xsl:template>

answered Jan 22, 2013 at 17:09

David Carlisle

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Comments

JLRishe · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-22 18:08:14Z

0

Would this do it?

<xsl:template match="chapter">
  <xsl:for-each select="paragraph | subtitle">
    <xsl:value-of select="."/>
  </xsl:for-each>
</xsl:template>

But as David Carlisle points out, the typical XSLT approach is to split this out into templates, and this especially makes sense if you want special handling for certain ones:

<xsl:template match="chapter">
   <xsl:apply-templates select="paragraph | subtitle" />
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="paragraph">
   <xsl:value-of select="." />
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="subtitle">
   <!-- do stuff with subtitles -->
</xsl:template>

edited Jan 22, 2013 at 18:08

answered Jan 22, 2013 at 17:06

JLRishe

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2 Comments

tanaschita Over a year ago

Yes, thank you, it solved a partial problem and I found the solution for the other. I combine your suggestion with an <xsl:if test="name(.) = 'subtitle'">Do stuff with subtitles</xsl:if> to have the possibility to do different things with them both.

JLRishe Over a year ago

Great. Though if your subtitles need special handling, it would be more ideal to split the logic up into separate templates as David Carlisle suggested. I've included a sample above.

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