Re: file manipulation with recursion

Hi Rick,

> I am new to XML/XSLT and have a file that I need to generate a
> smaller version of. The file is of the format:
>
> <hierarchy>
>     <category>
>       <id>0</id>
>       <level>-1</level>
>       <name>Cat1</name>
>       <releaseLevel>Live</releaseLevel>
>       <date>2002-02-25 12:29:46</date>
>             <category>
>                 <id>13abc</id>
>                 <level>1</level>
>                 <name>Cat2</name>
>                 <releaseLevel>Live</releaseLevel>
>                 <date>2002-01-07 14:02:41</date>
>                        <category>
>                             <id>X12345</id>
>                             <level>2</level>
>                             <name>Cat3</name>
>                             <releaseLevel>Live</releaseLevel>
>                             <date>2002-07-11 14:52:06</date>
>                       </category>
>            </category>
>     </category>
> </hierarchy>
>
> I need to have the output file be of the format
> <hierarchy>
>     <category>
>       <id>0</id>
>       <name>Cat1</name>
>                <category>
>                 <id>13abc</id>
>                 <name>Cat2</name>
>                        <category>
>                             <id>X12345</id>
>                             <name>Cat3</name>
>                         </category>
>                </category>
>      </category>
> </hierarchy>
>
> I have to use recursion because I need the close each of the
> category tags in the output file. I am not sure how to iterate
> through these nodes. I have tried several ways but have had no luck.
> I dont' think that I can use a for-each because the depth of the
> categories will change and will not be known when I am processing
> the file. This example shows the categories 3 deep but in actuality
> it will be anywhere from 4 to 10 deep. Below is the latest version
> of what I have been trying. Any help would be appreciated.

This is easier than you think. For each category you want to create a
category element, use the id and name from the category element, and
then go on and process the category elements that it contains. Try:

<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
                xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">

<xsl:template match="hierarchy">
  <xsl:copy>
    <xsl:apply-templates select="category" />
  </xsl:copy>
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="category">
  <xsl:copy>
    <xsl:copy-of select="id" />
    <xsl:copy-of select="name" />
    <xsl:apply-templates select="category" />
  </xsl:copy>
</xsl:template>
                
</xsl:stylesheet>

Cheers,

Jeni

---
Jeni Tennison
http://www.jenitennison.com/


 XSL-List info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list