use of starts-with()

Hello,
  What's the best way to check if a string begins with a certain pattern,
for example strings that begins with "1) ", "2) ", or any integer followed
by a parenthsis and a space?  In any language that uses regular expressions
this would be a snap, but I am using Xalan and it looks like it doesn't
support them (or Saxon either).  If these programs were extended and hooked
up to EXSLT, for instance, this would be handy (I'd look into it myself, but
currently I am at user, not developer, level for these programs.)

thanks for any suggestions,
   Matthew L. Avizinis <mailto:mla@xxxxxxxxx>
Gleim Publications, Inc.
   4201 NW 95th Blvd.
 Gainesville, FL 32606
(352)-375-0772 ext. 101
      www.gleim.com <http://www.gleim.com>


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