>   <xsl:function name="f:mismatch-position" as="xs:integer">


An alternative definition, that appears to give the same results is:







  <xsl:function name="f:mismatch2" as="xs:integer?">
    <xsl:param name="a" as="xs:string" />
    <xsl:param name="b" as="xs:string" />
    <xsl:variable name="aa" select="translate($a,'.+*\{}[]','&#xe001;&#xe002;&#xe003;&#xe004;&#xe005;&#xe006;&#xe007;&#xe008;')"/>
    <xsl:variable name="bb" select="translate($b,'.+*\{}[]','&#xe001;&#xe002;&#xe003;&#xe004;&#xe005;&#xe006;&#xe007;&#xe008;')"/>
    <xsl:variable name="r" select="concat('^:',replace($bb,'.','($0'),replace($bb,'.',')?'),'.*')"/>
    <xsl:sequence  select="1+string-length(replace(concat(':',$aa),$r,'$1'))"/>
  </xsl:function>


If $b is long, this might stretch the capabilities of the regexp engine
though....

David

________________________________________________________________________
The Numerical Algorithms Group Ltd is a company registered in England
and Wales with company number 1249803. The registered office is:
Wilkinson House, Jordan Hill Road, Oxford OX2 8DR, United Kingdom.

This e-mail has been scanned for all viruses by Star. The service is
powered by MessageLabs. 
________________________________________________________________________