xsl - accessing things defined within <xsl:if>

[micronoodles]

This bit of xsl takes a letter from A-T (in $MYxaxis) and converts it into a number 0-18 (in $x)

<xsl:variable name=&quot;x&quot; select=&quot;translate($MYxaxis,'ABCDEFGHJKLMNOPQRST','0123456789012345678')&quot; saxon:assignable=&quot;yes&quot;/>
<xsl:if test=&quot;contains('LMNOPQRST',$MYxaxis)&quot;>
<saxon:assign name=&quot;x&quot; select=&quot;($x)+10&quot;/>
</xsl:if>

My question is how can i do the same thing efficiently without using saxon:assign, whilst still having access to $x outside the <xsl:if> statement?

Currently i am in a catch22 where if i define x outside the 'if' i cannot change it inside, and if i define something inside the 'if' i am not able to refer to it outside.

 

[micronoodles]

In answer to my own question, i have realised it is possible to split up the variable definition, like this -

<xsl:variable name=&quot;tens&quot;>
<xsl:if test=&quot;contains('LMNOPQRST',$MYxaxis)&quot;>
<xsl:value-of select=&quot;10&quot;/>
</xsl:if>
<xsl:if test=&quot;not(contains('LMNOPQRST',$MYxaxis))&quot;>
<xsl:value-of select=&quot;0&quot;/>
</xsl:if>
</xsl:variable>
<xsl:variable name=&quot;x&quot; select=&quot;($tens)+translate($MYxaxis,'ABCDEFGHJKLMNOPQRST','0123456789012345678')&quot;/>