> Can anyone let me know why the following template rule, which
> try to retrieve the attribute node from XML, cannot work?

It can work, but you must make sure it is invoked. A template rule that
matches attribute nodes will only be invoked if somewhere in the stylesheet
there is a xsl:apply-templates instruction that selects those attribute
nodes.
> 
> <xsl:temlate match="/company/employee/@empID">
>   <output>
>     <xsl:value-of select="."/>
>   <output/>
> </xsl:template>
> 


Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/