XSLT examples

Requirements

• VS code extension installed.
• You have done the XPath tutorial.

The best way to understand what you can do with xslt is to use examples and practice. For this we have prepared examples for all levels.

First download this zip file containing all the examples: download examples

Extract all files in a new folder.

In VSCode add this folder to your workspace: right click on the left panel and click on Add folder to workspace...

You must have:

All transformation files transform.xslt are commented. Read the comments to learn how each example works.

To run an example, select the transform.xslt file and then on the bottom bar, click on Input to select the input file (select items.xml in the same folder), and then click Run transformation.

Best practice

To run a job use the shortcut Ctrl + Enter

The result will be generated in a file output.xml in the same folder.
For some examples you will have to change the output of the file generated (csv, json, html). This must be done in the xsl:output element of the xslt file, and must be selected in the Output extension in the bottom bar.

Snippets

Snippets are a very fast way to write your xslt. In the example below, in a new document we are typing sty to get the stylesheet snippet, then TAB key three times to reach the third placeholder, and then for to get a xsl:for-each loop.

If snippets does not appear, ensure that:

• These snippets only exist on files with the extension .xslt.
• Use the shortcut Ctrl + Space to display autocomplete
• The language selected in the right bottom is XSL

All snippets

Best practice

Never write a xsl tag, use the snippets instead.

sty

Default stylesheet template

<xsl:stylesheet
    xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"
    xmlns:fn="fn"
    xmlns:pl="http://product-live.com"
    xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
    version="3.0"
    exclude-result-prefixes="xs fn pl">

    <xsl:output method="${1|xml,text,json,html,xhtml,xslt|}" indent="${2|yes,no|}" encoding="UTF-8" cdata-section-elements="" />
    
    <xsl:template match="/">
        ${3}
    </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

for

For each loop

<xsl:for-each select="${1}">
    $2
</xsl:for-each>

fog

For each group loop

<xsl:for-each-group select="${1}" group-by="${2}">
    $3
</xsl:for-each-group>

if

If test. If you need multiple tests use Choose instead

<xsl:if test="${1}">
    $2
</xsl:if>

map

Map for Json

<xsl:map>
    $2
</xsl:map>

mape

Map-entry for Json

<xsl:map-entry key="$1" select="$2"/>

mapem

Map-entry with map for Json

<xsl:map-entry key="$1">
    <xsl:map>
        <xsl:map-entry key="$2" select="$3"/>
    </xsl:map>
</xsl:map-entry>

ch

Choose test. Add many as when test as you need.

<xsl:choose>
    <xsl:when test="${1}">$2</xsl:when>
    <xsl:otherwise>$3</xsl:otherwise>
</xsl:choose>

wh

When test must be inserted in Choose test.

<xsl:when test="${1}">$2</xsl:when>

ot

Otherwise test must be inserted in Choose test.

<xsl:otherwise>$1</xsl:otherwise>

var

Variable snippet (one line).

<xsl:variable name="${1:name}" select="${2}" />

vari

Variable snippet (multiple lines).

<xsl:variable name="${1:name}">
    $2
</xsl:variable>

par

Param

<xsl:param name="${1:name}" select="${2}" />

mes

Message snippet

<xsl:message terminate="${1|no,yes|}">$2</xsl:message>

val

Value of snippet. See copy-of for sequence

<xsl:value-of select="${1}"/>

cop

Copy of snippet. See value-of for text

<xsl:copy-of select="${1}"/>

mer

Merge snippet

<xsl:merge>
    <xsl:merge-source name="${1:name1}" select="${2}" sort-before-merge="yes">
        <xsl:merge-key select="${3}"/>
    </xsl:merge-source>
    <xsl:merge-source name="${4:name2}" select="${5}" sort-before-merge="yes">
        <xsl:merge-key select="${3}"/>
    </xsl:merge-source>
    <xsl:merge-action>
        $6
    </xsl:merge-action>
</xsl:merge>

te

Text snippet

<xsl:text>$1</xsl:text>

cdata

CDATA snippet

<![CDATA[$1]]>

cdata-txt

CDATA snippet

<xsl:text disable-output-escaping="yes">&lt;![CDATA[</xsl:text>$1<xsl:text disable-output-escaping="yes">]]&gt;</xsl:text>

fun

New function

<xsl:function name="pl:name">
</xsl:function>

Performance

• Do not use // in your XPath
• Never use the same XPath twice in your XSLT file, declare a variable instead
• Use built-in function http://www.xsltfunctions.com/
• Learn the xsl:merge function in the examples when you have to merge nodes

What you have learned

• XSLT is a very powerfull tool to transform data.
• The power of XPath is used to navigate data.
• XSLT has a lot of built-in functions: http://www.xsltfunctions.com/.