Re: Test For Numeric Values?

Michael Kay wrote:

>>>There is such a construct: e.g. ($x instance of xs:decimal)
>>>
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>what does this mean in a basic conforming XSLT processor (of 
>>which none
>>exists yet...) we can test for element() but what about string() or
>>number()....
>>    
>>
>
>You can test for any type, for example
>
>$e instance of element()
>$e instance of element(*, my:invoiceType)
>$s instance of xs:string
>$b instance of xs:boolean+
>  
>
yes agreed that the above types can be tested

I guess the real quesion is 'what is the alternative when the XSLT 2.0
processor is not schema aware'...I might be thick here, it is my
understanding that XSLT 2.0 BASIC conformance doesnt include XML Schema
stuff......opppppps David just corrected me there...ok understand...frak

.so what do I do when I simply want to test if a value is numeric or a
string ? I think the existing XSLT 1.0 construct is quite clumsy...I
also dont want to dope up my XML with XML Schema datatypes.

cheers, Jim Fuller