you match pattern started with display so if there is no display element 
in the document the template will not be used.

I understand that David.


match="display/textbox/textbox-head/title"
already means that I am already inside the <title> of the <textbox> whose 
parent is <display> or in other words matching *ONLY* those <textbox>'s 
<title>s who are in <display> element.

All I meant was what is the use of display in select attribute in variable 
when I am already there???

And <xsl:variable name="role_title" 
select="parent::textbox-head/parent::textbox/@role"/> will work.

Do I make sense?????? Let me know if I am not clear.