> I am new to XML and XSL (but old to more conventional 
> programming), and am having trouble trying to find a way to 
> compare the value of a field in one record with the same 
> field in the previous record (sorry - I suppose that should 
> be node).  Basically, I want to print all the records with a 
> common category in one block, then print some kind of 
> separator, followed by all the records of the next block 

What you are describing is the problem known as "grouping". Look up
grouping in your favorite XSLT textbook, or at Jeni Tennison's site
www.jenitennison.com/xslt/grouping

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


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