RE: (Keys on multiple element types)

>
> I'm trying to get to grips with the syntax of keys across
> children with different names....
>

> I'm trying to display the customer name once with a list of
> projects. I can
> get this to work if all of the child nodes of <FILES> have
> the same name,
> e.g. <RECORD>. If however I change them to three different
> names, I need
> to provide alternatives to the key select as below:-
>
> <?xml version="1.0"?>
> <xsl:stylesheet version="1.1"
> xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
>
> <xsl:output method="text"/>
>
> <xsl:key name="rows" match="RECORDA | RECORDB | RECORDC" use="name"/>

Fine so far.
>
> <xsl:template match="FILES">
> <xsl:apply-templates
> select="RECORDA[generate-id(.)=generate-id(key('rows',
> name)[1])]"/>
> </xsl:template>

You're processing every RECORDA that is the first (RECORDA|RECORDB|RECORDC)
with that name.
>
> This outputs:-
>
> Fred
> Project 1
> Project 2
>
> But no Harry. So its as if it doesn't include RECORDC in the key list.
>
> q1. Whats wrong with the stylesheet that it doesnt do this. I
> think its :-
> select="RECORDA[generate-id(.
>
> but every other path I try ends up with no output.

If you only select RECORDA elements then it's only going to output RECORDA
elements. If you want RECORDB and RECORDC as well, then use:

select="(RECORDA|RECORDB|RECORDC)
          [generate-id(.)=generate-id(key('rows',name)[1])]"

or just:

select="*[generate-id(.)=generate-id(key('rows',name)[1])]"
>
> q2. Does the vertical bar | mean 'or', and wouldnt it be
> better to use ','
> which I think means 'and'? When I tried ',' it threw up loads
> of exceptions.

No it doesn't mean "or", and "," doesn't mean "and". "|" means union. (Where
are you getting your misinformation from?)
>
> q.3 If the xml looked like this instead...
>
> <FILES>
>         <RECORDA>
>
> <id>13</id><name>Fred</name><project_name>Building</project_name>
>         </RECORDA>
>         <RECORDA>
>
> <id>14</id><name>Fred</name><project_name>Building</project_name>
>         </RECORDA>
>         <RECORDB>
>
> <id>15</id><name>Fred</name><project_name>Looking</project_name>
>         </RECORDB>
>         <RECORDC>
>
> <id>16</id><name>Harry</name><project_name>Writing</project_name>
>         </RECORDC>
> </FILES>
>
>
> How could I get the result to remove multiple copies e.g. to output
> <id>13</id> but not <id>14</id>
>

The code you are using is specifically design to remove duplicates. It looks
to me as if you are using the Muenchian grouping technique "by rote", having
copied it from a cookbook, but without really understanding it. Go back to
the textbook and work through it to understand how it works.

Michael Kay
Software AG
home: Michael.H.Kay@xxxxxxxxxxxx
work: Michael.Kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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