Given AStyleSheet.xsl :

<AStyleSheet>
<xsl:stylesheet xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"
   xmlns="http://www.mytest.mytest2.mytest3.com" version="1.0">
 <xsl:output method="xml" indent="yes"/>
        <xsl:template match="/">
            <xsl:element name="Test">it works</xsl:element>
        </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>
</AStyleSheet>

I am trying to embedding the style sheet within another style sheet as below. If I am using <xsl:copy-of select="document('AStyleSheet.xsl')"/>, it works ok. But I am having trouble doing the static embedding of the style sheet as below. Any idea how to allow static embedding?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsl:output method="xml" indent="yes"/>
<xsl:template match="/">
<Root>
  <Data>test stylesheet embedding</Data>
  <!--dynamic embedding works:
      <xsl:copy-of select="document('AStyleSheet.xsl')"/>
  -->

  <AStyleSheet>
    <xsl:stylesheet xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"
         xmlns="http://www.mytest.mytest2.mytest3.com"version="1.0">
    <xsl:output method="xml" indent="yes"/>
        <xsl:template match="/">
            <xsl:element name="Test">it works</xsl:element>
        </xsl:template>
    </xsl:stylesheet>
  </AStyleSheet>
</Root>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

I suspecting the difference between dynamic stylesheet copy through select="document..." vs. static stylesheet creation by elements is an issue of namespace. What are their respective namespace? And how can I achieve same the namespace?

Elements in the XSL namespace are always taken as instructions, not as literal result elements.

Have a look at xsl:namespace-alias.



Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/
Author, XSLT Programmer's Reference and XPath 2.0 Programmer's Reference

If I chang the namespace within <AStyleSheet> from .../Transfrom to .../Transform2 as following:
<xsl:stylesheet xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform2"
        xmlns="http://www.mytest.mytest2.mytest3.com" version="1.0">

Things appear to work. But I don't have right namespace!

If the issue is not namespace related, any other theory to make the static embedding work?

Did you read my answer and not understand it, or didn't you read it?

What are you actually trying to achieve? Why do you want to embed one stylesheet within another?

Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/
Author, XSLT Programmer's Reference and XPath 2.0 Programmer's Reference

Dear Michael Kay;

Sorry. I did read your response and also read the http://www.w3schools.com/xsl/el_namespace-alias.asp; but I think I didn't got it as I could not get it to work.

I know you have good intension to help me out. I could not provide more detail "Why do you want to embed one stylesheet within another?" But basically the second stylesheet is the one our end user really uses and it is required.

I am new to this forum and not sure how to email you directly. Please feel free to email me at [email protected]; so that I can provide you more details if desired.

Sincerely;

David Li

But why don't you xsl:include or xsl:import the sheet?

--

Joe (Microsoft MVP - XML)

Both of the include or import uses of URI as below:

<xsl:import href="URI"/>
 (http://www.w3schools.com/xsl/el_import.asp)
<xsl:include href="URI"/> (http://www.w3schools.com/xsl/el_include.asp)

The point I want to make is that I don't want to link to another stylesheet document dynamically. And I just want to copy the content of the stylesheet to be copied in statically.

Basically, I see the following error message when I do static copy:

"Xsl Compile: 'xsl:stylesheet' cannot be a child of "AStyleSheet' element." More clues?

It looks to me as if you are trying to write a stylesheet that produces a stylesheet as its output. Is that correct? (If so, why couldn't you say so?)

If that's the case, then you need to use xsl:namespace-alias. There are examples of doing this in the XSLT spec itself or in any good reference book.

Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/
Author, XSLT Programmer's Reference and XPath 2.0 Programmer's Reference

Yes, you are right that I want to "write a stylesheet that produces a stylesheet as its output." And this is to be done "statically". Sorry that I was not able to describe the question more effectively as I am really a newbie in XSLT.

I will lookup the xsl:namespace-alias for more details; and I will search the XSLT spec and/or reference books for examples.

However, would you please kindly provide the link(s) if it is readily available to you?

Dear Michael Kay;

I am able to follow the example below as from http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt:

<xsl:stylesheet
  version="1.0"
  xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"
  xmlns:fo="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Format"
  xmlns:axsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/TransformAlias">

<xsl:namespace-alias stylesheet-prefix="axsl" result-prefix="xsl"/>

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

...

Now, I am all set. Thank you for all the help.

Sincerely;

David Li