You could use the exslt:tokenize extension function with XSLT 1.0, or the
built-in tokenize() function with XSLT 2.0.

Alternatively:

<xsl:variable name="in" select="normalize-space(hey_diddle)"/> 

<xsl:value-of select="string-length(translate($in, translate($in, ' ', '')))
+ 1"/>

Michael Kay
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Karl J. Stubsjoen [mailto:karl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
> Sent: 08 August 2004 21:19
> To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject:  Count Words
> 
> Hello,
> 
> Given the following:
> 
> =========== xml source ==========
> <poem>
>   <hey_diddle>
> 	Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle,
> 	The cow jumped over the moon,
> 	The little dog laughed to see such sport,
> 	And the dish ran away with the spoon.
>   </hey_diddle>
> </poem>
> =========== /xml source ==========
> 
> How do I count how many words are contained within the node 
> <hey_diddle/>?
> 
> Karl