Can someone pl post an example for an xsl where the following happens in a sequence

1.global variable is declared
2.some part later in the code this global variable is assigned a value
3.another variable - a local variable that has a value is compared using
4.xsl if test $local = $global

No, no-one can, for the simple reason that in XSLT you cannot assign a variable other than at the point of declaration.
The only possible way would be an extension function but that would not be a pure XSLT solution.

--

Joe (Microsoft MVP - XML)

Please explain the problem you are trying to solve (what are the inputs and desired outputs) and perhaps we can then tell you how to approach a solution the XSLT way. The way you are describing is too low-level and procedural for use with a declarative language like XSLT.

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

I am also encountering similar situation but there is no straight forward approch to declare variable as global and assigned it value in later part. I have situation ... I have declared rules in XSLT(my custome rules template based for application not xslt specific), Now in 'Rule 1' i am calling server( csharp object) to get values. I want to store this value so in subsequent rules i can use it. In next rule i have to pass these values as input parameter to csharp function to get more specific value.(rather than calling server again for those values) situation like these should be handled by global variable which seems little tricky here in xslt which i am trying to figuring out...Here code for Rule from which i am getting value firsr time...
-------

<xsl:template name="categoryOpportunity">
  <rule>
      <xsl:variable name="RecommendedNodeSet" select="jasper:GetCategoryOpportunity(3)" /> <message>

        <xsl:if test="$currScope = 'overall'">
Overall, your areas of greatest opportunity, in order of priority, are:
        </xsl:if>
        <xsl:call-template name="displayFragment">
            <xsl:with-param name="fragmentName">categoryOpportunity</xsl:with-param>
        </xsl:call-template>
    </message>
        <data>

              <xsl:if test="$currScope = 'overall'">
                <xsl:for-each select="$RecommendedNodeSet//Category">
                    <xsl:value-of select="$RecommendedNodeSet//Category"></xsl:value-of>
                </xsl:for-each>
            </xsl:if>
            <xsl:if test="$currScope != 'overall'">
We recommended you first review your areas of greatest opportunity Overall.If you wish to focus entirely on <xsl:value-of select="$currScope"></xsl:value-of>
            <xsl:call-template name="displayFragment">
                   <xsl:with-param name="fragmentName">categoryOpportunity</xsl:with-param>
            </xsl:call-template>
                <xsl:value-of select="$RecommendedNodeSet"></xsl:value-of>
            </xsl:if>
        </data>
    </rule>
</xsl:template>

------------

Variable "RecommendedNodeSet" i want to access later in other rules...how do i assign it as gloabl ?

>in subsequent rules

Anything that talks about the behaviour of an XSLT stylesheet and uses temporal words like "before", "after", "subsequent", or "later" is on dangerous territory. Thinking about XSLT processing as a temporal sequence of actions is simply the wrong model, and gets you into all kinds of knots. You have to learn to think declaratively.

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

>Variable "RecommendedNodeSet" i want to access later in other rules

Of course if jasper:GetCategoryOpportunity() is a pure function then you can just move

<xsl:variable name="RecommendedNodeSet" select="jasper:GetCategoryOpportunity(3)" />

outside the template and it becomes a global variable automatically.

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

yes that the best way...But like other languages seems we can't declare first and assign value later here..Thanks michael.