Hi,
I have been using the following idiom when providing a value for
bselectb in statements like <xsl:param>, <xsl:variable>, etc., when the
value provided is not an xsl object. Is this correct or is some other
form preferred?

<xsl:param name="file-type">
  <xsl:text>.htm</xsl:text>
</xsl:param>

This is not incorrect. So it is correct. Some, however (including some
readers of this list), would argue that it is not optimal.

In essence, absent a specification otherwise (using xsl:param/@as), you
are declaring the paramater to be a temporary tree (or, in XSLT 1.0, a
result tree fragment), in this case a root with a single text node child.

(which is essentially the same as what you have with as="xs:string"
added, since the effect of the xsl:text is cosmetic).

Advantages to binding to a string instead of a temporary tree include
that it will be faster when it is processed as a string (since it won't
have to be cast to one); and that it will probably behave more as you
expect it to when under stress ... for example, a string value of "" is
cast to Boolean false(), while a temporary tree with a single text node
will cast to Boolean true(), even if that text node has no string value.

Cheers,
Wendell

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Wendell Piez                            mailto:wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mulberry Technologies, Inc.                http://www.mulberrytech.com
17 West Jefferson Street                    Direct Phone: 301/315-9635
Suite 207                                          Phone: 301/315-9631
Rockville, MD  20850                                 Fax: 301/315-8285
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