> From: florian [mailto:csshsh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 5:46 AM
> Subject:  conditional declaretion of a variable
> 
> hi!
> 
> im wondering why something like this doesnt work:
> 
> <xsl:variable name="field" select="@field" />
> 
> <xsl:choose>
>   <xsl:when test="@valueField">
>     <xsl:variable name="valueField" select="@valueField" />
>   </xsl:when>
>   <xsl:otherwise>
>     <xsl:variable name="valueField" select="@field" />
>   </xsl:otherwise>
> </xsl:choose>
> 
> <xsl:value-of select="$field" />

The scope of an xsl:variable binding is its immediate parent element.  So
when you declare a variable inside an xsl:when (or xsl:if or xsl:for-each,
etc.), the variable no longer exists once you exit the block where it's
declared.  What you want is:

<xsl:variable name="valueField">
  <xsl:choose>
    <xsl:when test="@valueField">
      <xsl:value-of select="@valueField"/>
    </xsl:when>
    <xsl:otherwise>
      <xsl:value-of select="@field"/>
    </xsl:otherwise>
  </xsl:choose>
</xsl:variable>

This is a bit cumbersome (although easier to read), and creates the variable
as an RTF, but another post in the thread gives a more efficient solution.

hth,
b.

| brian martinez                           brian.martinez@xxxxxxxxxxx |
| lead gui programmer                                    303.708.7248 |
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