Re:

> 1) Why does ".//" work, but "//" not? (This query is done on the document
> root.)

.// means (roughly) descend from the current node and // means descend
from the document root. So if they work differently then you are not
at the root of the document.


> 2)...
> what are the rules that apply when I add an extra slash 

simple rule, don't do it.  The / should be followed by the next step of
the xpath.

David


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