> not PERSON/FNAME or PERSON/LNAME 
> when i pass them as parameters . 

passing in a param (or using a variable generally) is just like using a
string in that position.

You have

<xsl:sort select="*[name()=$pa]"

<xsl:sort select="*[name()='DATE']"

works because * selects all child elements, and teh [] filters out the
date.


<xsl:sort select="*[name()='PERSON/FNAME']"

doesn't work as there is no child element with that name, what you want
is


<xsl:sort select="*/*[name()='FNAME']"

ie select a grandchild with name 'FNAME'


so


<xsl:sort select="(*|*/*)[name()=$pa]"  order="{$pas}"/>

should work if you pass in pa='FNAME' or pa='DATE' as it selects either
children or grandchildren with the specified name.

David

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