Adding Conditional Processing in the HTML Editor

Conditional processing can be on a single item, a repeating item or a row.

To specify conditional processing on a single or repeating item, right-click the placeholder and select Conditional Processing from the pop-up menu.

To specify conditional processing for an entire row, right-click in the row, and select Conditional Processing (Table Row) from the pop-up menu.

You can then specify whether you want to insert an xsl:choose or xsl:if instruction.

Only one branch of a conditional instruction can be active at any one time. Consequently, the HTML canvas might haze or hide glyphs and placeholders. If you want to operate on a placeholder that is not visible, you must change the active branch.

When you specify conditional processing on a table row, a marker ( ) appears to the left of the table row. You can move the cursor over the marker to display a message that indicates the active branch. Click the marker to display the properties for the active conditional branch associated with the marker your clicked.

This section covers the following topics:

Specifying Choose Conditional Processing in the HTML Editor

Specifying If Conditional Processing in the HTML Editor

Specifying Choose Conditional Processing in the HTML Editor

At any point in time only one branch of an xsl:choose instruction can appear in the HTML canvas. This is the active branch. When you specify formatting or properties for a branch of an xsl:choose instruction, it applies to only the elements in that branch. When you move the cursor over a choose glyph, Stylus Studio displays a message that specifies which branch is the active branch.

Use the Choose Manager to define the test conditions in the xsl:choose instruction. Use the Properties window to change the active branch.

Choose Manager

To specify xsl:choose processing:

1. Right click on the placeholder for which you want to define the xsl:choose instruction.

2. In the shortcut menu that appears, select Conditional Processing > Add Choose. Stylus Studio displays the Choose Manager dialog box.

Figure 218. Choose Manager Dialog Box

3. Click Copy to define a test condition, which must be an XPath expression. You can define as many conditions as you need. Each condition you add corresponds to an xsl:when instruction.

4. If you do not need it, select the true() condition and delete it.

5. To specify an xsl:otherwise instruction, add a condition and leave it blank.

6. Click OK.

Stylus Studio creates an xsl:choose instruction that wraps the placeholder or row that you selected.

Change active branch

To change the active branch:

1. In the HTML canvas, click a choose glyph for the active branch you want to change.

Stylus Studio displays the properties for the xsl:choose instruction you clicked.

2. In the Properties window, click the when field.

3. Click the down arrow to display the drop-down menu.

4. Click the branch you want to be active.

For a new xsl:choose instruction, the Choose Manager displays one test expression: true(). This is the initial, required, xsl:when instruction.


Tip		Stylus Studio displays only what you can operate on based on the active conditional branch. In other words, if processing at a particular point cannot operate on certain elements, then those elements do not appear in the HTML canvas. If you make an `xsl:choose` branch active, and the XSLT processor cannot reach it, Stylus Studio displays a false() glyph.

Specifying If Conditional Processing in the HTML Editor

To specify xsl:if conditional processing:

1. Select the placeholder for which you want to define the xsl:if instruction.

2. In the pop-up menu that appears, select Conditional Processing > Add If. Stylus Studio displays the Input dialog box.

3. In the Test Condition field, specify an XPath expression. Stylus Studio evaluates it in the context of the placeholder to which you are adding the xsl:if instruction.

4. Click OK.

You can specify multiple xsl:if instructions on the same placeholder.

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