Transforming attribute value to element name

4everJang · October 12th, 2012, 04:04 AM

Hello all,

I am trying to pick up an attribute value and using that as an element name in my output, but I fail to see which kind of function I can use for that. The XML in my input document looks like this (only showing the interesting stuff):

Code:

<p>
   <pPr>
      <pStyle val="Heading1"/>
   </pPr>
   <r>
      <t>How to install the module</t>
   </r>
</p>
<p>
   <pPr>
      <pStyle val="Heading2"/>
   </pPr>
   <r>
      <t>Preparations</t>
   </r>
</p>

What I would need as output is:

Code:

<Heading1>How to install the module</Heading1>
<Heading2>Preparations</Heading2>

Maybe I am asking for the obvious - being an XSLT newbie - but I do not have the time to read through the 3 books on XSLT I have. If someone can point me to the type of functionality I should be looking for in Michael Kay's book that would be wonderful, too.

Thanks

Jang

Martin Honnen · October 12th, 2012, 05:00 AM

Well with the help of xsl: element you can construct an element

Code:

<xsl:template match="p[pPr/pStyle/@val]">
  <xsl:element name="{pPr/pStyle/@val}">
    <xsl:value-of select="r/t"/>
  </xsl:element>
</xsl:template>

Note that your input snippet does not show any namespace declarations but if the real input has some then you need to adapt the code.

4everJang · October 12th, 2012, 05:06 AM

So it seems I can use the XPath expressions almost anywhere in XSLT? I was thinking they would only be valid for a 'match' or 'select'.

I was expecting things to be more difficult than they really are. Thanks.

Martin Honnen · October 12th, 2012, 05:12 AM

If you look at the syntax in http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt#section-Cr...th-xsl:element then you will see

Code:

<!-- Category: instruction -->
<xsl:element
  name = { qname }
  namespace = { uri-reference }
  use-attribute-sets = qnames>
  <!-- Content: template -->
</xsl:element>

The curly braces {} indicate that for the attribute you can use an attribute value template where you enclose an XPath expression in curly braces to compute the attribute value.

shil · October 18th, 2012, 10:07 AM

<xsl:template match="/">
<xsl:apply-templates select="//pPr"/>
</xsl:template>
<xsl:template match="pPr">
<xsl:element name="{pStyle/@val}">
<xsl:value-of select="../r/t"/>
</xsl:element>
</xsl:template>