RE: [xml-dev] xpath expression with fallback if no match is found

["Michael Kay" <mike@saxonica.com>]

In XSLT 2.0, use

<xsl:value-of select="(abc:def/date, '0000-00-00')[1]"/>

In 1.0, put the expression in a variable to avoid it being evaluated twice.

Note, XSLT questions are best asked on the xsl-list at mulberrytech.com

Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/ 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sebastian Prehn [mailto:sebastian.prehn@planetswebdesign.de] 
> Sent: 08 May 2009 07:43
> To: xml-dev@lists.xml.org
> Subject: [xml-dev] xpath expression with fallback if no match is found
> 
> Hi!
> 
> I have this statement which selects a element in the input xml.
> <xsl:value-of select="abc:def/optionalelement"/>
> 
> The element is optional. So I am looking for a conditional 
> statement which selects the element if it exists and returns 
> the a default string otherwise.
> 
> This snippet should work, but abc:def/optionalelement must be 
> evaluated twice. :-( (the actual xpath expression is more complicated)
> 
> <xsl:choose>
> 	<xsl:when test="abc:def/date">
> 		<xsl:value-of select="abc:def/date"/>
> 	</xsl:when>
> 	<xsl:other>0000-00-00</xsl:other>
> </xsl:choose>
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> Regards,
> Sebastian
> 
> 
> 
> --
> PLANETS-Webdesign - Web Applications
> Sebastian Prehn
> Adlerstr. 56, 70199 Stuttgart
> www.planetswebdesign.de
> PGP keyID: 0x3507AF63
> 
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> _________
> 
> XML-DEV is a publicly archived, unmoderated list hosted by 
> OASIS to support XML implementation and development. To 
> minimize spam in the archives, you must subscribe before posting.
> 
> [Un]Subscribe/change address: http://www.oasis-open.org/mlmanage/
> Or unsubscribe: xml-dev-unsubscribe@lists.xml.org
> subscribe: xml-dev-subscribe@lists.xml.org List archive: 
> http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/
> List Guidelines: http://www.oasis-open.org/maillists/guidelines.php
>