Hi all,

How does XSLT resolve elements that match more than one template? Think you know, then please look below.

This is my XML file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<menu>
    <appetizers title="Work up an Appetite">
        <dish id="1" price="8.95">Crab Cakes</dish>
        <dish id="2" price="9.95">Smoked Salmon and Avocado Quesadilla</dish>
    </appetizers>
    <entrees title="chow Time">
        <dish id="1" price="19.94">Grilled Salmon</dish>
        <dish id="2" price="10.39">Pizza</dish>
    </entrees>
    <desserts>
        <dish id="1" price="3.99">Cake</dish>
        <dish id="2" price="1.99">Chocolate</dish>
    </desserts>
</menu>

If I use the following stylesheet,
<xsl:stylesheet version="2.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
    <xsl:output method="html" version="4.0" encoding="iso-8859-1" indent="yes"/>

    <xsl:template match="/menu/entrees/dish" >
        <xsl:value-of select="parent::*/@title" />: <xsl:value-of select="." />
    </xsl:template>
    <xsl:template match="/menu/appetizers/dish">
        <xsl:value-of select="@id" />: <xsl:value-of select="." />
    </xsl:template>
    <xsl:template match="*/dish">
        <xsl:text>Test</xsl:text>
    </xsl:template>
    <xsl:template match="/menu/desserts/dish">
        <xsl:value-of select="parent::*/@title" />: <xsl:value-of select="." />
    </xsl:template>
    <xsl:template match="dish">
        <xsl:value-of select="@price" />: <xsl:value-of select="." />
    </xsl:template>

</xsl:stylesheet>

I get this output:
Test
Test

Test
Test

: Cake
: Chocolate

But if I use this stylesheet
<xsl:stylesheet version="2.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
    <xsl:output method="html" version="4.0" encoding="iso-8859-1" indent="yes"/>

    <xsl:template match="/menu/entrees/dish" >
        <xsl:value-of select="parent::*/@title" />: <xsl:value-of select="." />
    </xsl:template>
    <xsl:template match="/menu/appetizers/dish">
        <xsl:value-of select="@id" />: <xsl:value-of select="." />
    </xsl:template>

    <xsl:template match="/menu/desserts/dish">
        <xsl:value-of select="parent::*/@title" />: <xsl:value-of select="." />
    </xsl:template>
<xsl:template match="*/dish">
        <xsl:text>Test</xsl:text>
    </xsl:template>
    <xsl:template match="dish">
        <xsl:value-of select="@price" />: <xsl:value-of select="." />
    </xsl:template>

</xsl:stylesheet>

I get this output:
Test
Test

Test
Test

Test
Test

What is going on here? I thought XSLT was event-driven not procedural.
Therefore, it shouldn't matter that I change the order of the templates.

Clarification would truly be appreciated.

Thanks

The rules are clearly explained in the spec.

http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt#conflict

or the equivalent section for XSLT 2.0

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