> Dr. Kay, is this true only for Saxon-SA?

No, this optimization is also in Saxon-B.

MK

> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Kay [mailto:mike@xxxxxxxxxxxx] ...
> 
> In Saxon, //bar is handled by an index, so exists(//bar) 
> should be quite fast after the first time (when the index is built).
> 
> Michael Kay
> http://www.saxonica.com/
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Andrew Welch [mailto:andrew.j.welch@xxxxxxxxx]
> > Sent: 12 August 2008 10:34
> > To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject:  Cost of complex match patterns
> >
> > Out of interest, given the match patterns:
> >
> > match="foo[//bar]"