Append a repeated element name in XML using XSLT?

Question

If I have an XML file that looks like this:

<properties>
    <property>
        <picture>http://example.com/image1.jpg</picture>
        <picture>http://example.com/image2.jpg</picture>
        <picture>http://example.com/image3.jpg</picture>
        <picture>http://example.com/image4.jpg</picture>
        <picture>http://example.com/image5.jpg</picture>
    </property>
</properties>

How would I go about transforming it to where each picture URL element is unique like this:

<properties>
    <property>
        <picture1>http://example.com/image1.jpg</picture1>
        <picture2>http://example.com/image2.jpg</picture2>
        <picture3>http://example.com/image3.jpg</picture3>
        <picture4>http://example.com/image4.jpg</picture4>
        <picture5>http://example.com/image5.jpg</picture5>
    </property>
</properties>

Am I correct in assuming that there must be the same amount of elements per even if some of the elements contain empty values (the number of picture URLs does vary by property)?

You seem to be missing a word: "there must be the same amount of elements per ____ even if..." — LarsH
– LarsH, Commented Mar 8, 2012 at 23:31

Francis Avila · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-08 22:20:08Z

3

Use count(preceding-sibling::*)+1 to get the index of the current element.

Complete example:

<xsl:stylesheet xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform" version="1.0">
<!-- identity transform -->
<xsl:template match="node()|@*">
<xsl:copy><xsl:apply-templates select="node()|@*"/></xsl:copy>
</xsl:template>

<!-- override for picture elements to rename element -->
<xsl:template match="picture">
    <xsl:element name="{name()}{count(preceding-sibling::*)+1}">
        <xsl:apply-templates select="node()|@*"/>
    </xsl:element>
</xsl:template>

</xsl:stylesheet>

answered Mar 8, 2012 at 22:20

Francis Avila

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3 Comments

LarsH Over a year ago

@Kurt, you could also use position() instead of count(preceding-sibling::*)+1. Right Francis?

Francis Avila Over a year ago

No, you cannot. It will count white space nodes as well, not only elements.

Dimitre Novatchev Over a year ago

@FrancisAvila: Actually one can use position() in the AVT -- see my answer.

Dimitre Novatchev · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-09 02:51:29Z

This short and simple transformation (no axes used):

<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
 xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
 <xsl:output omit-xml-declaration="yes" indent="yes"/>
 <xsl:strip-space elements="*"/>

 <xsl:template match="node()|@*">
  <xsl:copy>
   <xsl:apply-templates select="node()|@*"/>
  </xsl:copy>
 </xsl:template>

 <xsl:template match="picture">
   <xsl:element name="picture{position()}">
    <xsl:apply-templates/>
   </xsl:element>
 </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

when applied to the provided XML document:

<properties>
    <property>
        <picture>http://example.com/image1.jpg</picture>
        <picture>http://example.com/image2.jpg</picture>
        <picture>http://example.com/image3.jpg</picture>
        <picture>http://example.com/image4.jpg</picture>
        <picture>http://example.com/image5.jpg</picture>
    </property>
</properties>

produces the wanted, correct result:

<properties>
   <property>
      <picture1>http://example.com/image1.jpg</picture1>
      <picture2>http://example.com/image2.jpg</picture2>
      <picture3>http://example.com/image3.jpg</picture3>
      <picture4>http://example.com/image4.jpg</picture4>
      <picture5>http://example.com/image5.jpg</picture5>
   </property>
</properties>

Explanation:

Overriding the identity rule for picture elements.
Using AVT and the position() function within the name attribute of xsl:element.
Use of xsl:strip-space.

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