CODEWITHSUNDEEP
xsltrecursion
Willi Fischer
Willi Fischer

Reputation: 455

xslt recursion basics understanding

please forgive me my beginner question.

I have seen xsl templates like this quite a number of times now and I do not know what it actually does. can someone explain please? Thanks!

 <xsl:template match="node()|@*">
  <xsl:copy>
   <xsl:apply-templates select="node()|@*"/>
  </xsl:copy>
 </xsl:template>

Upvotes: 0

Views: 44

Answers (1)

Martin Honnen
Martin Honnen

Reputation: 167696

That template is the identity transformation template, it matches any node with the exception of document nodes and namespace nodes and does a shallow copy of the node and then processes its attribute and child nodes (as far as those exist).

The template is usually the starting point for transformations that want to change, delete and/or add certain nodes as you can override with e.g.

<xsl:template match="foo">
  <bar>
    <xsl:apply-templates select="@* | node()"/>
  </bar>
</xsl:template>

to transform foo elements to bar elements, with e.g.

<xsl:template match="baz"/>

to remove baz elements and with e.g.

<xsl:template match="foobar">
  <xsl:copy>
    <xsl:apply-templates select="@* | node()"/>
    <whatever>...</whatever>
  </xsl:copy>
</xsl:template>

to add a whatever element to foobar elements.

Upvotes: 1

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