Multiple Input files?

edubble · July 30th, 2007, 12:04 PM

Here's the dilemma - I frequently rename log files and archive them but I would now also like to audit what I've done to ensure I didn't miss anything along the way. Here is a sample of what an xml file looks like prior to initiating filename changes:

Code:

<CurrentFileNames>
  <CurrentFileName>foo1.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>foo2.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>foo3.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>foo4.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>foo5.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>foo6.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>foo7.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>foo8.txt</CurrentFileName>
</CurrentFileNames>
<UpdatedFileNames>
  <UpdatedFileName>goo1.txt</UpdatedFileName>
  <UpdatedFileName>goo2.txt</UpdatedFileName>
  <UpdatedFileName>goo3.txt</UpdatedFileName>
  <UpdatedFileName>goo4.txt</UpdatedFileName>
  <UpdatedFileName>goo5.txt</UpdatedFileName>
  <UpdatedFileName>goo6.txt</UpdatedFileName>
  <UpdatedFileName>goo7.txt</UpdatedFileName>
  <UpdatedFileName>goo8.txt</UpdatedFileName>
</UpdatedFileNames>

As you can see, it shows the current filenames and the names after renaming. We'll call this file foo.xml.

Now, AFTER renaming files, it looks somewhat like this:

Code:

<CurrentFileNames>
  <CurrentFileName>goo1.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>goo2.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>goo3.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>goo4.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>goo5.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>goo6.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>goo7.txt</CurrentFileName>
  <CurrentFileName>goo8.txt</CurrentFileName>
</CurrentFileNames>

We'll call this goo.xml.

How would I pull "UpdatedFileName" from foo.xml and "CurrentFileName" from goo.xml into a single output file? I would rather not used the document() function because the filenames are dynamic (won't always bee foo.xml & goo.xml). If using the document() function is the easiest way, then that's fine too. I can rename files before and after.

mhkay · July 30th, 2007, 03:30 PM

I don't understand your objection to using the document() function. You can use it to read files whose names are supplied dynamically as stylesheet parameters. However, it's also possible to supply the documents themselves as parameters, though the details will depend on the XSLT processor you are using and its API. Typically you will be able to supply a parameter as a DOM Document node.

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

edubble · July 30th, 2007, 04:36 PM

how would I accomplish this WITH the document()?

mhkay · July 30th, 2007, 05:02 PM

You haven't said very clearly what output you want. If it's just this:

How would I pull "UpdatedFileName" from foo.xml and "CurrentFileName" from goo.xml into a single output file?

then all you need is

<xsl:copy-of select="document('foo.xml')//UpdatedFileName"/>
<xsl:copy-of select="document('goo.xml')//CurrentFileName"/>

where of course the filenames can be replaced by $doc1 and $doc2 or whatever.

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

edubble · July 30th, 2007, 10:10 PM

mhkay: I TRULY appreciate the help. Hopefully this is the last question.

On the output file, I need to make it html since it will be part of a report. I want to place the values in a table cell (<td></td>) but when I use xsl:copy-of it places every value of the called out node in that cell. For instance, it has goo1.txtgoo2.txtgoo3.txt in the same cell and I'm not sure how to not get it to do that. I think that's an innate "feature" of xsl:copy-of. Thoughts?

mhkay · July 31st, 2007, 03:42 AM

If you don't want a pure copy, then do a transformation, that's what XSLT is for. I'm not sure which part of the job you are finding difficult - perhaps all of it, which means I can't help you except by writing a tutorial introduction to XSLT - but they exist elsewhere. I think you need to do some reading.

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