Re: Re: Re: How to distinguish b/n a scalar and a node-set h

David,

This is a good idea and it actually works in MSXML 3:

count(node-set(nodeSet) | node-set(nodeSet)) returns 1.  

count(node-set(Scalar) | node-set(Scalar)) returns 2.  



Unfortunately, Saxon always returns 1.

Also, I've heard that the standard node-set() function in XSLT 1.1 will
throw error when passed a scalar argument.

Thanks once again,

Dimitre Novatchev.
-------------------- Original message --------------------
Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2000 09:59:15 -0400 (EST)
From: David_Marston@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Re: How to distinguish b/n a scalar and a node-set having 
a single text node

Dimitre Novatchev wrote:
>> I am trying to determine whether the value of a parameter is a
>> scalar [boolean/number/string]
>> or a node-set, and to do so without using extension functions (I
>> consider node-set() to be "standard", as it will be in XSLT 1.1).
>...
>>The only unsolved case remains when $pValue contains exactly one
>>text node.

Depending on what node-set(string) does, you may be able to build
something based on unions. If $pValue is a node-set, then
   ($pValue | $pValue)
is a node-set with the same count, because it's a union of two
references to the same node-set. Unfortunately, putting a "scalar"
string in either a union or count() is an error.

If node-set($pValue) for a scalar $pValue produces a different
node-set on each invocation, then the union of two of them will
yield a node-set with a count() of 2. If node-set($pValue) for
$pValue being a node-set already simply passes through the same
node-set, then the union of two of them will yield a node-set
with a count() of 1.
.................David Marston


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