XSL - finding if an element exists? 2

tokoh · Jun 13, 2001

Hello,

I am trying to convert some XML to HTML using XSL. One thing I want to be able to do is check to see if an element exists, and if so display its value, and if it does not exist display something like a dash (-).
I know how to check if the element is empty but not if it exists within the document or not!
Does anyone know how this is possible!

Cheers,
Tokoh

manx · Jun 18, 2001

Hi Tokoh,
count() should do it.

e.g.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="./missingtag.xsl" ?>
<books>
<book>
<title>book1</title>
<author>manx</author>
</book>
<book>
<title>book2</title>
</book>
</books>

could be transformed with this . . .
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="

http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"

xmlns:fo="

http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Format">

<xsl:template match="/">
<HTML>
<table>
<xsl:apply-templates select="books"/>
</table>
</HTML>
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="books">
<xsl:apply-templates select="book"/>
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="book">
<tr>
<td><xsl:value-of select="title"/></td>
<xsl:choose>
<xsl:when test="count(author)=0">
<td>-</td>
</xsl:when>
<xsl

therwise>
<td><xsl:value-of select="author"/></td>
</xsl

therwise>
</xsl:choose>
</tr>
</xsl:template>

</xsl:stylesheet>

Good luck!

tokoh · Jun 20, 2001

Manx,

Thanks mate!!
You are a star!!

Tokoh

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XSL - finding if an element exists? 2

tokoh

Programmer

manx

Programmer

tokoh

Programmer

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