RE: Finding the closest preceding element within the

If you're starting in d, I don't think there's any need to go all the way back
up to ancestor a.  What about preceding-sibling::c[1] ?  I think that might do
it.

Michele

-----Original Message-----
From: mlcook@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mlcook@xxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, May 18, 2012 3:34 PM
To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject:  Finding the closest preceding element within the containing
block

Assume a document structure like the one below.

The "c" and "d" elements are at the same level inside of "b" which is inside
of "a".

Currently, I can find the first "c" in the "b" that encloses "d".

But that is too far away.

I want to find the closest preceding "c" within the surrounding "b" when
processing the template for element "d".

When executing the template for "d", my current path attempt is
(ancestor::a[1]//c)[1]

But, if there is no preceding "c" in the "b" element, I'd like to detect that,
and not find a "c" in any other "b".

If I use just "preceding::c", I might find a "c" in some other "b", which I
don't want.

Thanks for any suggestions.

--Mike


<a>
   ...
   other elements
   ...
</a>
<a>
   ...
   other elements
   ...
</a>
<a>
   <b>
   ...
   </b>
   ...
   <b>
      ...
      <c/>   <---- My path gets this "c"
      ...
      <c/>
      ...
      <c/>   <---- I want this "c" when processing "d"
      ...
      <d/>
      ...
      <c/>
      ...
   </b>
   ...
   <b>
   ...
   </b>
</a>
<a>
   ...
   other elements
   ...
</a>
...


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