Thanks I'll give your way a try. I've not seen an example done that way. I'm
also going to look at my called template more carefully for the umphteen time to
see if i might have missed something.

MM

Thanks for the quick reply David 

Quoting David Carlisle <davidc@xxxxxxxxx>:

> 
> > I've tried the following outside of the called template
> They look OK (although I tend to use xs:integer(@cols) myself.
> 
> what error message do you get, and what declaration do you use for teh
> parameter in the template.
> 
> If you use @cols in a numeric context it pretty much always should
> implictly coerce to the right thing, the only place where I usually find
> I have to use xs:integer is in the "to" expression (1 to @cols) annoyingly
> doesn't work, you have to use (1 to xs:integer(@cols))
> 
> David
> 
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