The construct you are looking for (you're not the first) is

*[name()=$param]

which selects all child elements whose name is equal to $param.

Michael Kay 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: stephen.peterson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:stephen.peterson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
> Sent: 03 June 2004 14:12
> To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject:  parameters - element vs attributes
> 
> Hi there, 
> I'm kind of new to XML and I'm trying to figure out how I can use a
> parameter (theLinkGroup) to select an element when used in 
> another template.
> I have used it (a parameter in another template) to select an 
> element based
> on the value of it's attribute before. But I keep getting a 
> error about
> "NodeTest expected here" and showing me the beginning of my select
> statement.
> 
> In the past I have used a parameter called "themeSubject" and 
> used it in
> another template to select an element with the attribute 
> having the smae
> value of the parameter. An it worked fine. <e.g.> <xsl:with-param
> name="themeSubject" select="'GIS'"/> ... in other template 
> ... <xsl:for-each
> select="//siteLinkList/link[themeType/item=$themeSubject]">
> </e.g.>
> 
> Can someone point me to a resource that will explain this to 
> me? I know
> there are some restrictions on what you can do with 
> parameters and paths.
> 
> Many thanks, 
> MNR Steve
> 
> 
> Here is most of my current code....
> 
> <xsl:template match="/">
>    <xsl:call-template name="siteLinks">
>      <xsl:with-param name="theLinkGroup" 
> select="'siteLinkList'"/>  <!--
> parameter
>    </xsl:call-template>
> </xsl:template>
> 
> <!-- other templates -->
> <!-- other templates -->
> 
> <xsl:template name="siteLinks">
> <xsl:param name="theLinkGroup"></xsl:param>
>  <h2><xsl:value-of select="$theLinkGroup" /></h2>           
> <!----- does
> work
>   <ul class="xsmall">
>   <xsl:for-each select="//$theLinkGroup/link">                
>    <!-----
> won't work
>    <li><a>
>     <xsl:attribute name="href"><xsl:value-of 
> select="url"/></xsl:attribute>
>      <xsl:value-of select="@title"/>
>     </a></li>
>   </xsl:for-each>
>   </ul>
> </xsl:template>
> 
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