Re: Finding the closest preceding element within the

This helped me alot when I was learning xpath.

http://zvon.org/xxl/XPathTutorial/General/examples.html



On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 8:34 PM,  <mlcook@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 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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