question on preserving embedded XHTML through XSLT of an XML document

[chriscorbell]

I have a specific but somewhat high-level question on how to approach a
schema which embeds a subset of XHTML in some elements.

I have a schema defined for a logical document structure. Sections of
this document can contain presentation text; the schema allows a subset
of XHTML for these sections. All of this works fine as far as XML
schema validation etc.

I have an XSL transformation defined to convert my xml document to
XHTML. Here the containing and structuring XML elements are converted
to document sections with a TOC, internal anchors, etc. In this case I
want the "embedded" XHTML sections to be simply copied verbatim to the
output, i.e. not explicitly parsed or transformed. I can't seem to
succeed in doing this - is there a way? Or a preferable approach?

TIA,
Chris

[Joseph Kesselman]

chriscorbell wrote:

want the "embedded" XHTML sections to be simply copied verbatim to the
output, i.e. not explicitly parsed or transformed.

XSLT won't "copy verbatim" without parsing -- but you could certainly do
an xsl:copy-of on the XHTML subtree to copy it through essentially
unchanged, or just let those elements be handled by an identity template.

It's hard to give a more explicit example without knowing exacty what
your input looks like.

--
Joe Kesselman / Beware the fury of a patient man. -- John Dryden

[xmlator]

I can't seem to succeed in doing this - is there a way?

Can you construct a small example? It's hard to guess
what it is exactly that's failing to do what you want.
There's no a priori reason you can't copy your XHTML
over *structurally* verbatim (parsed and re-emitted
in a functionally identical form).

Or a preferable approach?

Hard to guess the complexities of your exact situation
and goals. In general, however, I would become
anxious upon seeing XHTML presentation elements
mixed in with more "pure" XML content. Have you
considered a more complete separation of content
and presentation, such as a completely separate
XHTML "style" document, that contains placeholders
where your XML->XHTML transformed pure content
can be inserted?

Ron Burk
www.xmlator.com