RE: counting matches between list items

> I'm new to XSL, so this might be a simple question. I'm 
> trying to compare
> the items in two lists using XSL to check if an item at a 
> certain position
> in the two lists matches. For example, the lists below have 1 
> matching item.
> 
> <LISTS> 
> 	<LIST_A> 
> 		<ITEMS> 
> 			<ITEM type="dog" /> 
> 			<ITEM type="cat" /> 
> 			<ITEM type="fish" /> 
> 		</ITEMS> 
> 	</LIST_A> 
> 	<LIST_B> 
> 		<ITEMS> 
> 			<ITEM type="dog" /> 
> 			<ITEM type="fish" /> 
> 			<ITEM type="cat" /> 
> 		</ITEMS> 
> 	</LIST_B> 
> </LISTS>

There may be a more direct solution, but you could try

<xsl:variable name="listB" select="LISTS/LIST_B/ITEMS"
<xsl:variable name="matches">
  <xsl:for-each select="LISTS/LIST_A/ITEMS/ITEM">
    <xsl:variable name="pos" select="position()"/>
    <xsl:if test="@type = $listB/ITEM[$pos]/@type">Z</xsl:if>
  </xsl:for-each>
</xsl:variable>
<xsl:value-of select="string-length($matches)"/>

Mike Kay
Software AG
 
> I've tried using count() <xsl:variable name="listMatches"
> select="count(LISTS/LIST_A/ITEMS[normalize-space(./attribute::
> type)=LISTS/LI
> ST_B/ITEMS/attribute::type])"/> But count() does not take the 
> position of
> the elements into account. I can't figure out how to 
> accumulate a count
> using <xsl:for-each>. If anyone has any suggestions, please 
> let me know. 
> Thanks, 
> - Matthew 
> 
> 
>  XSL-List info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list
> 

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