RE: Assigning unique id to new node using generate-id()


I'm having unexpected results with the generate-id() function.


Your expectations were wrong.


I am attempting to add a new node to an existing document and 
assigning a new and
*unique* id attribute to the new node.

Sample XML:
<profile>
<credential id="N400012">
              <username><![CDATA[user1]]></username>
              <password><![CDATA[pass1]]></password>
              <description><![CDATA[my description]]></description>
              <lastModified>2003-08-07 14:19:13</lastModified>
      </credential>
      <credential id="N40002B">
              <username><![CDATA[user2]]></username>
              <password><![CDATA[pass2]]></password>
              <description><![CDATA[another id]]></description>
              <lastModified>2003-08-06 16:03:52</lastModified>
      </credential>
</profile>

I'd like this stylesheet to copy all existing credential 
nodes and create a new node assigning a unique id with 
generate-id().  It appears as if the generate-id call doesn't 
observe existing id's in the current/copied credential nodes.


Correct. There is no relationship between the id's assigned by
generate-id() and the set of ID-typed attributes in the source document.
What made you think there should be, apart from wishful thinking?

Michael Kay

 So I end up with duplicate (illegal) id's.  I've tried 
passing several context nodes to the generate-id() function, 
but with no luck.

Sample XSL:
      <xsl:template match="/profile">
              <profile>
                      <xsl:for-each select="credential">
                              <xsl:copy-of select="."/>
                      </xsl:for-each>
                      <credential>
                              <xsl:attribute name="id">
                                      <xsl:value-of 
select="generate-id()"/>
                              </xsl:attribute>
                              <username><xsl:value-of 
select="$username"/></username>
                              <password><xsl:value-of 
select="$password"/></password>
                              <description><xsl:value-of 
select="$description"/></description>
                              <lastModified><xsl:value-of 
select="java:getCurrentDateTimeGMT($dateHelper)"/></lastModified>
                      </credential>
              </profile>
      </xsl:template>

My current workaround is to transform twice.  The first 
transformation appends the new credential node.  The second 
transformation assigns an id (using
generate-id()) to any credential nodes without an id 
(probably only newly created).  Seems like I should be able 
to do it all in one transform.

Thanks for your help.



 XSL-List info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list



 XSL-List info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list