> 	<xsl:variable name="test_var" select="<xsl:value-of 
> select="@root_attribute"/>"></xsl:variable>

The inventiveness of users on this list never ceases to amaze me. Why
didn't you write

<xsl:variable name="test_var" select="@root_attribute"/>

?

But actually you want

<xsl:variable name="test_var" select="../@root_attribute"/>

Michael Kay
Software AG
home: Michael.H.Kay@xxxxxxxxxxxx
work: Michael.Kay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 


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