I'm not sure that this is the problem, but I did notice 
two issues. First, the <xsl:text> is not necessary
in your attribute instruction. Second, the <xsl:apply-templates>
is selecting all children elements AND ALL ATTRIBUTES. 
I think that this ends up selecting the existing meter
attribute which you do not want to do. 

I haven't tested this, but I think the following
may be part of what you need: 

...
<div2>
<xsl:attribute name="meter">gayatri</xsl:attibute>
 <xsl:apply-templates select="*|@*[not(name()='meter')]"/>
</div2>

Hope this helps, 

Sara
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Robert Gardner [mailto:jrgardn@xxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 1999 7:24 PM
> To: 'xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'
> Subject: Change Attribute Value: Search-n-replace is better?
> 
> 
> 
> Herein I cast myself upon the altar of public shame with what 
> should be
> obvious, I'm sure.
> 
> Suppose I have an xml file with a bunch of TEI div tags, and 
> I know that I
> want to change an attribute value for one of those tags, but 
> I don't know
> the existing value for the attribute "type."
> 
> If I do this:
> 
> <xsl:template match="div2[@id='1.2']">
> 			<div2>
> 			<xsl:attribute name="meter">
> 			<xsl:text>gayatri</xsl:text>
> 			</xsl:attribute>
> 		<xsl:apply-templates select="*|@*" />
> 			</div2>
> 		</xsl:template>
> 
> I'm still not changing the value of "meter."  You see, folks can
> transliterate Sanskrit and make typo's zillions of ways.  
> WHen many cooks
> stir this vichy soisse, untangling how they do things is a 
> zoo.  So, I can
> select teh hymn I want to make be meter "gayatri", but I can't seem to
> make gayatri replace _whatever_ value is currently assigned 
> to "meter."
> 
> I mean, I can guess some sort of choose/when or if test, but 
> is that the
> only way?  It seems like using a canon to swat a fly . . . . hence,
> search-n-replace is better?
> 
> Somewhere {} must figure in this, but I'm fully penitent and 
> confessional
> of not knowing how. . . . 
> 
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=
> John Robert Gardner
> ATLA-CERTR
> Emory University
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> http://vedavid.org/diss/
> "If there is something you're thinking of doing, or wish you could do,
> begin it.  In boldness there is mystery and power . . . . "  -Goethe
> 
> 
> 
> 
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