using xsl for root element

manishrathi · #1 11-07-2009, 09:51 AM

This is an xml file, that is to be transformed to html document

HTML Code:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="article1.xsl"?>
   
   <article>
      <headline>Blowing XML Bubbles</headline>
        |
         |

This is xsl style sheet which transforms xml file into html

HTML Code:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns="http://www.w.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsl:output method="html" />

<xsl:template match="/">
   <HTML>
      <HEAD>
         <TITLE>
              <xsl:value-of select="article/headline">
             |
              |

Is it must to use <xsl:template match="/"> ? Can I just avoid root template and create xsl by putting "/" as root before article in value-of tag as below ?

HTML Code:

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns="http://www.w.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsl:output method="html" />

   <HTML>
      <HEAD>
         <TITLE>
              <xsl:value-of select="/article/headline">
             |
              |

Or do I need to have root template in the stylesheet ? How can we create <xsl:apply-templates /> outside root template ? For example, I have a paragraph in xml file which contains some bold words. Now to create these words bold in html doc , I can use following code

HTML Code:

<xsl:template match="bold">
   <B>
        <xsl:apply-templates />
   </B>
</xsl:template>

This code is used outside root template, why is it allowed outside root template ?

Please explain in detail as reading from book did not help

Charles · #2 11-07-2009, 09:55 AM

Try it both ways.

rnd me · #3 11-09-2009, 06:23 PM

just think of each template as a chunk of the final output.
the more chunks you have, the easier it is to re-arrange the output.

you don't need a root template, but it sure helps.
you will probably find xml "leaking out" if you don't use one.

you can have as many templates as you like, each with a specific purpose.
you seem to be using match and apply, but i like name and call better; it's more specific.

everytime <xsl:apply-templates /> is called, every template is examined to see if it's match attrib matches the current node context. If it does, the results of the template evaluation are inserted into the place where the <xsl:apply-templates /> is.

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