XSL Variables Martin Holmes DHSI 2013, University of Victoria Women Writers Project (via website)
url:mailto:wwp@northeastern.edu

Copyright 2017 Martin D. Holmes and the Women Writers Project

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Born digital

 Updates to account for changes in course sequence. Removed @as (more complex than useful) and replaced example with one from the actual class. Updated holding/retrieving sequence to not use for-each Fixed error in holding/retrieving sequence xmp Began writing this file.
XSL Variables XSL variables allow you to store values (strings, integers etc.) so that you can re-use them easily. XSL variables are NOT VARIABLE. Once you set the value, you're stuck with it. This is different from other programming languages, where variables can have different values assigned to them.
Creating an XSL variable The required name attribute gives us a way to refer to the variable later, using a dollar sign: $uvicName. The optional select attribute specifies a value that is assigned to the variable. More on this later.
Assigning a value to your variable (1) A variable can hold lots of different value types, either hard-coded (as in the example above) or assigned through XPath expressions. Here are some examples: A hard-coded integer: The result of a calculation: A hard-coded string (note the single quotes inside the double quotes): or Martin Holmes
Assigning a value to your variable (2) An element from the input document, found through XPath: A sequence of elements from the input document, found through XPath:
How to use an XSL variable (1) If your variable contains an atomic value such as a string or a number, you can output it with xsl:value-of: My name is . You can do XPath calculations with the value of your variable: In ten years I shall be . If your variable contains an element, you can treat it just like an element. This book was written by .
How to use an XSL variable (2) If your variable contains a sequence of elements, you can treat it just like any sequence.

This book was written by the following people:

But is listed first.
  • author # is
    • Why use XSL variables? (1)

    XSL variables can be very convenient in a lot of different circumstances:

    For instance, you might need to output the title of a document many times in different places. If you put it in an XSL variable, and the title changes, you only need to change it in one location in your XSLT.
    Why use XSL variables? (2) For instance, you may want to use a regularized form of someone's name many times. Instead of doing this every time: , you can store the result in a variable and just use:
    Why use XSL variables? (3) For instance:
    Where to put your XSLT variables

    You can put a variable in lots of places, including

    This makes the variable GLOBAL. This makes the variable accessible everywhere in that template. A variable is always accessible only at the level it is declared.
    Task Declare a variable in the root of your XSLT. Set its value to something taken from the teiHeader of your document. Use the variable in your output.