XSLT: The Basics
Here are some basics XSLT commands that will be useful for the next step.
Setting a variable
Variables can only be set once. For loops consider recursive functions (a.k.a. templates).
MyVariable=5
<xsl:variable name="MyVariable">5</xsl:variable>
Reading a variable
<xsl:value-of select="@MyVariable" />
Read element
Read an element called Element from a node Node2 inside a node Node1
<xsl:value-of select="/Root/Node1/Node2/Element" />
Remember to close the tag
Setting a variable with the value of an element
<xsl:variable name="ValueOfElement">
<xsl:value-of select="/Root/Node1/Node2/Element" />
</xsl:variable>
Read attribute
Read an attribute called Attribute from a node Node4 inside a node Node3
<xsl:value-of select="/Root/Node3/Node4/@Attribute" />
Setting a variable with the value of an attribute
<xsl:variable name="ValueOfAttribute">
<xsl:value-of select="/Root/Node3/Node4/@Attribute" />
</xsl:variable>
If condition
Remember that XSLT is used to construct a XML document so the return of a value is not mandatory. The easiest way to think of it is like a print command, not like a function.
if(MyVariable>10) print MyVariable (> is a reserved char so we use > instead)
<xsl:if test="@MyVariable > 10">
<xsl:value-of select="@MyVariable" />
</xsl:if>
When the comparition is not against variables or numbers (string comparition for instance) the method is very similar, just delimit the string with ' '.
if(MyVariable="test") print "this is a test"
<xsl:if test="@MyVariable='10'">
this is a test
</xsl:if>
If, Elseif, Else
Does not exist an equivalent approach. We use a kind of switch instead.
if(MyVariable=10) print 1;
else if (MyVariable=10) print 10;
else print 100;
<xsl:choose>
<xsl:when test="@MyVariable < 10">1</xsl:when> <!-- if --!>
<xsl:when test="@MyVariable = 10">10</xsl:when> <!-- else if --!>
<xsl:otherwise>100</xsl:otherwise> <!-- else --!>
</xsl:choose>
<Any> and <AnyAttribute>
A schema can be created without knowing the name of fields to fill. The menu Add Element has the option <Any>, and the same applies for Add Attribute (<AnyAttribute>). Like this, you can add virtually any node or attribute even after compilation. Be sure to define 0 at minimum occurrencies or it will fail while you don't have values to fill.
How to Map to <Any>
Create a Script Functoid of type "Inline XSLT". On the code area write the new tag and the desired value.
<NewField>
42
</NewField>
<NewField>
<xsl:value-of select="@MyVariable" />
</NewField>
<NewField>
<xsl:choose>
<xsl:when test="@MyVariable='X'">1</xsl:when>
<xsl:otherwise>0</xsl:otherwise>
</xsl:choose>
</NewField>
To give a namespace instead of writing directly the element, write the tag element:
<xsl:element name="ns2:ElementName">
and so on...
How to Map to <AnyAttribute>
Create a Script Functoid of type "Inline XSLT". On the code area write the new tag and the desired value between xsl:attribute tags.
<xsl:attribute name="NewAttribute">
<xsl:value-of select="$MyVariable" />
</xsl:attribute>
or any other case.
The Scripting Fuctoid is not linked to source schema, but be careful on linking Scripting Functoid to the destination schema. Point to the desired parent node.
