XSLT for unknown Element Names 1

[stephenk]

I want to transform an XML document into RTF. The RTF side is no problem, but the XML document varies constantly in respect of the element names. For example:

<REQUEST>
<REQUEST_DETAIL>
<REQ_TYPE>P</REQ_TYPE>
<DOC_NAME>TEST</DOC_NAME>
<DOC_PATH>C:\PRINTDOC\TEST.DOC</DOC_PATH>
</REQUEST_DETAIL>
<REQUEST_DATA>
<DATA>
<KEY>234</KEY>
<FNAME>MARY</FNAME>
<SURNAME>BROWN</SURNAME>
</DATA>
<DATA>
<KEY>123</KEY>
<FNAME>JOHN</FNAME>
<SURNAME>SMITH</SURNAME>
</DATA>
</REQUEST_DATA>
</REQUEST>

In this case the resulting format I need is as follows:

KEY,FNAME,SURNAME
234,MARY,BROWN
123,JOHN,SMITH

and this would be fine if the elements always had the same names. But in another example where the elements were as follows:

<DATA>
<KEY>123</KEY>
<COMPANYNAME>XYZ INC</COMPANYNAME>
<CONTACT>JOHN SMITH</CONTACT>
</DATA>

How could I use the same XSLT. I have tried doing this and suspect that I may need to use the &quot;name()&quot; function but I cannot get it right.

The basics of the issue are that for any XML document the REQUEST, REQUEST_DETAIL, REQUEST_DATA and DATA element names always exist. The elemnt names within the DATA element can change from document to document. The result I need is the first line containing the element names within the DATA element and then the actual values for each of those elements for each DATA element in the document.

I think....

 

[palbano]

>> I may need to use the &quot;name()&quot; function but I cannot get
>> it right.

Seems likely, show a small code sample of using name() where it does not work for you.

-pete

 

[stephenk]

In my latest XSLT incarnation I have found node() to be somewhat apprppriate. As it goes:

<?xml version=&quot;1.0&quot; encoding=&quot;UTF-8&quot;?>
<xsl:stylesheet version=&quot;1.0&quot; xmlns:xsl=&quot;

http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform&quot;>

<xslutput method=&quot;text&quot;/>
<xsl:template match=&quot;DATA&quot;>
<xsl:for-each select=&quot;node()&quot;>
<xsl:value-of select=&quot;node()&quot;/>
<xsl:text>,</xsl:text>
</xsl:for-each>
<xsl:text>&lt;br&gt;</xsl:text>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

This provides me with the following result:

PTESTC:\PRINTDOC\TEST.DOCKEY,FNAME,SURNAME,DEBTOS,NAD,OP_NAME,
123,JOHN,SMITH,100.00,12/02/03,MR COLLECTOR,

The issues I still have are:

Why is the REQUEST_DETAIL data appearing?
How can I avoid the last commad on each line.

What I want is:

KEY,FNAME,SURNAME,DEBTOS,NAD,OP_NAME
123,JOHN,SMITH,100.00,12/02/03,MR COLLECTOR

So close, yet so far....

 

[palbano]

What Transform engine are you using? That xsl file isn't even valid xml. And <xsl:template match=&quot;DATA&quot;> doesn't match anything as a root template.

-pete

 

[stephenk]

I use XMLSpy but when it pasted, there appears to be an additional ';' at the end of the namespave closing tag.

Being my first attempt at transforming, I am not aware of why or why not this works except that i created the XML and the XSLT using this software.

Regardless of the XSLT above, is there a preferred way of 'looping' through child elemnts on unknown names and displaying their values?

 

[palbano]

try this in your stylesheet

<xsl:template match=&quot;/&quot;>

<xsl:apply-templates select=&quot;//DATA[1]&quot; />

<xsl:for-each select=&quot;//DATA&quot;>
	<xsl:for-each select=&quot;*&quot;>
		<xsl:value-of select=&quot;.&quot;/>
		<xsl:if test=&quot;position()!=last()&quot;>
			<xsl:text>,</xsl:text>
		</xsl:if>
	</xsl:for-each>
	<xsl:text>
</xsl:text>
</xsl:for-each>
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match=&quot;DATA&quot;>
<xsl:for-each select=&quot;*&quot;>
	<xsl:value-of select=&quot;name()&quot;/>
	<xsl:if test=&quot;position()!=last()&quot;>
		<xsl:text>,</xsl:text>
	</xsl:if>
</xsl:for-each>
<xsl:text>
</xsl:text>
</xsl:template>

 

[stephenk]

Like I said - so close, yet so far!

Thanks for your effort. It's amazing how easy things are when someone knows what they are doing!