My problem was that I was unable to say
abstractly exactly what I wanted to do and
resorted to the hard code example to picture
what was needed. The source of that problem is
that I cannot always picture accurately what is
being presented at some specific processing instance and place.

Oddly enough, because of that problem, although
I had started with a close approximation of your
code, I made some wrong initial assumptions
about what I had in hand, followed by several
mistaken corrections, which led to all that noise.

I have, however, simplified a lot of code after
we talked last week, but there are still many
C++ fingerprints smeared on it. At 72, it is
just a bit harder to change one's tricks.

No doubt such thinking will keep your mind
sharp!  I'm a second-generation freelance
computer programmer myself and taught these
technologies to my father in one of my public
classes (never was I more nervous as a teacher!).

In posting to this list I try to illustrate
different techniques used in solutions.

Thatbs why yesterday I asked the list for sources of XSLT design patterns.

I sell a book on XSLT (and one on XSL-FO, and one
on UBL, and one on code lists in XML), but I'm
too biased to give you a proper
recommendation.  It is more a reference than a
book of design patterns.  My instructor-led
hands-on teaching and our 24-hour interactive
instructional DVD are both based on this book.

Next week I'll be announcing to this list the
book's recent unlocked availability in its
complete form on a "try and buy" promise (if you
like it, you buy it; if you don't, you delete
it).  Too busy this week to announce it properly.

No sources, but got a misdirected affectionate note in French, though.

--
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