Variables within templates

Folks,

I have the following XML and XSL files (see below).
When I try to apply the stylesheet to XML file using XT, I receive the following
error:
file:invoices.xsl:14: variable "language" not defined

In section 11.5 of XSLT recommendation (8-Oct-1999) I read the following:
=== cut here ===
As well as being allowed at the top-level, both xsl:variable and xsl:param are
also allowed in templates. xsl:variable is allowed anywhere within a template
that an instruction is allowed. In this case, the binding is visible for all
following siblings and their descendants.
<...>
=== cut here ===

So, if a variable should be visible "for all following siblings and their
descendants." why I am getting the error?

=== begin: XML file ===
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="invoices.xsl"?>

<invoices>

   <translations>
      <invoice_no xml:lang="en">Invoice No</invoice_no>
      <invoice_no xml:lang="fr">Numero de facture</invoice_no>
   </translations>

   <invoice xml:lang="en">
      <invoice_number>1234</invoice_number>
   </invoice>

   <invoice xml:lang="fr">
      <invoice_number>4567</invoice_number>
   </invoice>

</invoices>
=== end: XML file ===

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

<xsl:output method="text" />

<xsl:template match="/">
   <xsl:for-each select="invoices/invoice">
      <xsl:variable name="language" select="@xml:lang" />
      <xsl:apply-templates />
   </xsl:for-each>
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="invoice_number">
<xsl:value-of select="/invoices/translations/invoice_no[@xml:lang=$language]" />
 : <xsl:value-of select="." />
</xsl:template>

</xsl:stylesheet>
=== end: XSL file ===

By the way, maybe some can propose a better way of substituting translations?

Thank you.
Denis.



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