• Chapter 1: Getting Started with Stylus Studio
• Chapter 2: Editing and Querying XML
• Chapter 3: Converting Non-XML Files to XML
• Chapter 4: Working with XSLT
• Chapter 5: Creating XSLT Using the XSLT Mapper
  • Overview of the XSLT Mapper
  • Source Documents
  • Target Structures
  • Mapping Source and Target Document Nodes
  • Working with XSLT Instructions in XSLT Mapper
  • Processing Source Nodes
  • Creating and Working with Templates
  • Creating an XSLT Scenario
• Chapter 6: Debugging Stylesheets
• Chapter 7: Defining XML Schemas
• Chapter 8: Defining Document Type Definitions
• Chapter 9: Writing XPath Expressions
• Chapter 10: Working with XQuery in Stylus Studio
• Chapter 11: Composing Web Service Calls
• Chapter 12: Accessing Relational Data as XML
• Chapter 13: Extending Stylus Studio
• Chapter 14: Stylus Studio Reference

Home > Online Product Documentation > Table of Contents > XPath Function Blocks

XPath Function Blocks

Stylus Studio supports standard XPath functions defined by the W3C. This section describes how to work with function blocks in XSLT mapper and covers the following topics:

Parts of a Function Block

Function blocks are drawn as a purple block with an italic " f" at its center, and connectors, called ports, placed along the block's border. Input ports (one or more depending on the function) on the left, the flow port at the top, and the output port on the right:

Input ports

Input ports are on the left side of the function block. The number and definition of input ports varies from function to function. To specify a value for an input port, you can

Flow port

Flow ports on the top of function blocks are generally used only when a function is used in a direct link between a source and target node.

Output port

The output port is on the right side of the function block. You use the output port to map the function result directly to a target structure element or attribute, or to an IF, condition, or another function block.

Types of Function Blocks

The XPath functions available in XSLT mapper include the following:

XPath Mathematical Functions

In order to simplify the graphical presentation in the XSLT mapper, the following XPath mathematical functions are not graphically represented:

You can easily express these functions by typing them in the Value dialog box displayed when you double-click an input port.

Creating a Function Block

To create a function block:

Deleting a Function Block

To delete a function block:

Select it and press the Delete key.

If the function block is part of a link, deleting the function block also deletes the link.