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Re: [xsl] RE: Does the count() function require access to the whole subtree?

2014-01-13 06:00:28
With growing insecurity ;-)

My understanding is that count($x) may be called on the construction
of a sequence which (the construction) is not streamable, and that
calling count(...) on it does not make it streamable.

Another thing: calling count(...) doesn't require to be positioned anywhere.

-W


On 13/01/2014, Costello, Roger L. <costello(_at_)mitre(_dot_)org> wrote:
Thanks everyone, great discussion!

From what you've said, it seems like the difference between inspection and
absorption is like the difference between inspecting a book's table of
contents versus diving into each chapter and absorbing its information.

Here's my current understanding of inspection and absorption. Please let me
know if it is not correct or not clear.

Inspection

      Inspection: operations that can be performed
      while positioned at each item's start tag. Each
      item can be treated as opaque. There is no need
      to peek inside each item.

      These are inspection operations: count(), exists(),
      name().

      Consider a sequence of items. The function count()
      can count each item in the sequence, without peeking
      inside each item.

      Inspection operations are those that require only a
      surface understanding of the items: we merely skim
      the items.

Absorption

      Absorption: operations that require going inside each
      item.

      These are absorption operations: string(), data(),
      xsl:value-of.

      Consider a sequence of items. The function string()
      requires going inside each item in the sequence to
      collect and concatenate all the values.

      Absorption operations are those that require a deep
      understanding of the items: we must absorb all the
      information in the items.

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