Replacing dummy attribute with string of xml

[jtric]

Very new to XML/XSL, so please forgive me if this is an incredibly simple question. I've been pulling my hair out over this for several days now.

I'm working on an internal application that takes the output from a custom Excel spreadsheet, and creates a Final Cut Pro sequence in XML. Due to the way Excel handles nested repeating elements, I need to find a way to replace a dummy element I have created with a whole series of repeating elements. I could use a simple find and replace text editor method, but I would prefer to take care of everything in the xslt transform if possible. Any ideas?

Thanks!


My existing XSL (which just strips out the empty tags) is posted at the bottom.

The code is as follows.

<effect>
    <name>Text</name>
    <effectid>Text</effectid>
    <effectcategory>Text</effectcategory>
    <effecttype>generator</effecttype>
    <mediatype>video</mediatype>
    <parameter>
              <parameterid>str</parameterid>
          <name>Text</name>
          <value>Tuesday at 10:00</value>
    </parameter>
    <dummyattr>replace_me</dummyattr>
</effect>
 

I need to replace <dummyattr>repl ace_me</dummyattr>
with the following (these are not variables, elements and data will always be the same):

<parameter>
      <parameterid>fontname</parameterid>
      <name>Font</name>
      <value>ITC Officina Sans</value>
</parameter>
<parameter>
      <parameterid>fontsize</parameterid>
      <name>Size</name>
      <value>39</value>
</parameter>
<parameter>
      <parameterid>fontstyle</parameterid>
      <name>Style</name>
      <value>1</value>
      </parameter>
<parameter>
      <parameterid>fontalign</parameterid>
      <name>Alignment</name>
      <value>1</value>
</parameter>
<parameter>
      <parameterid>fontcolor</parameterid>
      <name>Font Color</name>
      <value>
            <alpha>255</alpha>
        <red>1</red>
            <green>2</green>
            <blue>3</blue>
      </value>
</parameter>
<parameter>
      <parameterid>origin</parameterid>
      <name>Origin</name>
      <value>
            <horiz>-0.101389</horiz>
            <vert>0.383604</vert>
      </value>
</parameter>

Existing XSL:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<xsl:stylesheet xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform" version="1.0">    
    <xsl:output method="xml" indent="yes"/>    
    <xsl:strip-space elements="*"/>    
    <xsl:template match="node()//*">        
        <xsl:if test="normalize-space(.)">            
            <xsl:copy>                
                <xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()"/>            
            </xsl:copy>        
        </xsl:if>    
    </xsl:template>    
    <xsl:template match="@*|node()">        
        <xsl:copy>            
            <xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()"/>        
        </xsl:copy>    
    </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

[dorinbogdan]

I simplified th XSL to text only "generatori tem[@id='Text']/effect":
[html]<?xml version="1.0"?>
<xsl:styleshe et xmlns:xsl="http ://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform" version="1.0">
<xsl:output method="xml" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes " indent="yes"/>

<xsl:strip-space elements="*"/>
<xsl:template match="generato ritem[@id='Text']/effect">
<xsl:copy>
<xsl:copy-of select="*"/>
</xsl:copy>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>[/html]
and used this similar XML:
[html]<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="xmeml.xsl "?>
<xmeml>
<sequence>
<media>
<video>
<track>
<generatorite m id = "Text">
<name>Text1</name>
<effect>
<name>Text2</name>
<parameter>
<parameterid>Te xt3</parameterid>
</parameter>
</effect>
</generatoritem>
</track>
</video>
</media>
</sequence>
</xmeml>[/html]

When open the XML in IE and Firefox, it looks fine.

[jtric]

Thanks for your response. I must not have been exactly clear, sorry. As I noted earlier, I need to insert two sets of XML tags into two places in the existing XML. The XML tags are held in variables. I think I sort of got it working by changing from xsl: copy-of to xsl: apply-templates in one place... However I have no idea why that works.

I need the transform to insert the two variables ($textinfo and $dropshadow) into <generatorite m id="Text"> and the existing <generatorite m id="Text><effec t>, as well as trip out all of the empty tags.

This (by changing the xsl: copy-of to xsl: apply-templates) works *except* that it strips id="text" from generatoritem.

If I change:

<xsl:template match="//generatoritem[@id='Text']">        
        <xsl:copy>            
            <xsl:apply-templates select="*"/>            
            <xsl:copy-of select="$dropshadow"/>
        </xsl:copy>    
    </xsl:template>    
 

to

<xsl:template match="//generatoritem[@id='Text']">        
        <xsl:copy>            
            <xsl:apply-templates select="@*"/>            
            <xsl:copy-of select="$dropshadow"/>
        </xsl:copy>    
    </xsl:template>    
 

It will keep the id="Text", but will not copy the $textinfo variable for some reason?

Appreciate any hints!

Here is the actual full XML and XSL I am working with:

XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<xmeml xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" version="1">
    <sequence>
        <name>W01144</name>
        <duration>601</duration>
        <rate>
            <ntsc>TRUE</ntsc>
            <timebase>30</timebase>
        </rate>
        <media>
            <video>
                <track>
                    <clipitem id="5155-20-EINW">
                        <name>5155-20-EINW</name>
                        <duration>601</duration>
                        <in>0</in>
                        <out>601</out>
                        <start>0</start>
                        <end>901</end>
                        <anamorphic>FALSE</anamorphic>
                        <alphatype>none</alphatype>
                        <file id="EINW">
                            <name>EINW</name>
                            <pathurl>file://localhost/Volumes/MediaDrive/Jesse/promos/promo_media/video/5155-20-EINW</pathurl>
                            <duration>601</duration>
                        </file>
                        <filter>
                            <effect>
                                <name>Basic Motion</name>
                                <effectid>basic</effectid>
                                <effectcategory>motion</effectcategory>
                                <effecttype>motion</effecttype>
                                <mediatype>video</mediatype>
                                <parameter>
                                    <parameterid>center</parameterid>
                                    <name>Center</name>
                                    <value>
                                        <horiz>0</horiz>
                                        <vert>0</vert>
                                    </value>
                                </parameter>
                            </effect>
                        </filter>
                        <sourcetrack>
                            <mediatype>video</mediatype>
                        </sourcetrack>
                    </clipitem>
                    <generatoritem>
                        <effect>
                            <parameter/>
                        </effect>
                        <sourcetrack/>
                    </generatoritem>
                </track>
                <track>
                    <clipitem id="WCVWL3">
                        <name>WCVWL3</name>
                        <duration>300</duration>
                        <in>0</in>
                        <out>150</out>
                        <start>751</start>
                        <end>901</end>
                        <anamorphic>FALSE</anamorphic>
                        <alphatype>straight</alphatype>
                        <file id="L3WCVW">
                            <name>L3WCVW</name>
                            <pathurl>file://localhost/Volumes/MediaDrive/Jesse/promos/promo_media/lower3rd/wcvwlower3rd.mov</pathurl>
                            <duration>300</duration>
                        </file>
                        <filter>
                            <effect>
                                <name>Basic Motion</name>
                                <effectid>basic</effectid>
                                <effectcategory>motion</effectcategory>
                                <effecttype>motion</effecttype>
                                <mediatype>video</mediatype>
                                <parameter>
                                    <parameterid>center</parameterid>
                                    <name>Center</name>
                                    <value>
                                        <horiz>0</horiz>
                                        <vert>-0.00205761</vert>
                                    </value>
                                </parameter>
                            </effect>
                        </filter>
                        <sourcetrack>
                            <mediatype>video</mediatype>
                        </sourcetrack>
                    </clipitem>
                    <generatoritem>
                        <effect>
                            <parameter/>
                        </effect>
                        <sourcetrack/>
                    </generatoritem>
                </track>
                <track>
                    <clipitem>
                        <file/>
                        <filter>
                            <effect>
                                <parameter>
                                    <value/>
                                </parameter>
                            </effect>
                        </filter>
                        <sourcetrack/>
                    </clipitem>
                    <generatoritem id="Text">
                        <name>Text</name>
                        <duration>3600</duration>
                        <in>1650</in>
                        <out>1776</out>
                        <start>775</start>
                        <end>901</end>
                        <alphatype>black</alphatype>
                        <effect>
                            <name>Text</name>
                            <effectid>Text</effectid>
                            <effectcategory>Text</effectcategory>
                            <effecttype>generator</effecttype>
                            <mediatype>video</mediatype>
                            <parameter>
                                <parameterid>str</parameterid>
                                <name>Text</name>
                                <value>Tonight at 8:00</value>
                            </parameter>
                        </effect>
                        <sourcetrack>
                            <mediatype>video</mediatype>
                        </sourcetrack>
                    </generatoritem>
                </track>
            </video>
            <audio>
                <track>
                    <clipitem id="5155-20-EINW">
                        <file id="EINW"/>
                        <sourcetrack>
                            <mediatype>audio</mediatype>
                            <trackindex>1</trackindex>
                        </sourcetrack>
                    </clipitem>
                </track>
                <track>
                    <clipitem id="5155-20-EINW">
                        <file id="EINW"/>
                        <sourcetrack>
                            <mediatype>audio</mediatype>
                            <trackindex>2</trackindex>
                        </sourcetrack>
                    </clipitem>
                </track>
                <track>
                    <clipitem id="bobby-ton@8">
                        <file id="bobbyton8">
                            <name>bobby-ton@8</name>
                            <pathurl>file://localhost/Volumes/MediaDrive/Jesse/promos/promo_media/voiceovers/bobby-ton@8</pathurl>
                            <duration>125</duration>
                        </file>
                        <in>0</in>
                        <out>125</out>
                        <start>775</start>
                        <end>900</end>
                        <sourcetrack>
                            <mediatype>audio</mediatype>
                            <trackindex>1</trackindex>
                        </sourcetrack>
                    </clipitem>
                </track>
                <track>
                    <clipitem id="bobby-ton@8">
                        <file id="bobbyton8"/>
                        <sourcetrack>
                            <mediatype>audio</mediatype>
                            <trackindex>2</trackindex>
                        </sourcetrack>
                    </clipitem>
                </track>
            </audio>
        </media>
    </sequence>
</xmeml>
 

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<xsl:stylesheet xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform" version="1.0">    
    <xsl:output method="xml" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" indent="yes"/>    
    <xsl:variable name="textinfo">            
        <parameter>                
            <parameterid>fontname</parameterid>                
            <name>Font</name>                
            <value>ITC Officina Sans</value>            
        </parameter>            
        <parameter>                
            <parameterid>fontsize</parameterid>                
            <name>Size</name>                
            <value>39</value>            
        </parameter>            
        <parameter>                
            <parameterid>fontstyle</parameterid>                
            <name>Style</name>                
            <value>1</value>            
        </parameter>            
        <parameter>                
            <parameterid>fontalign</parameterid>                
            <name>Alignment</name>                
            <value>1</value>            
        </parameter>            
        <parameter>                
            <parameterid>fontcolor</parameterid>                
            <name>Font Color</name>                
            <value>                    
                <alpha>255</alpha>                    
                <red>1</red>                    
                <green>2</green>                    
                <blue>3</blue>                
            </value>            
        </parameter>            
        <parameter>                
            <parameterid>origin</parameterid>                
            <name>Origin</name>                
            <value>                    
                <horiz>-0.101389</horiz>                    
                <vert>0.383604</vert>                
            </value>            
        </parameter>    
    </xsl:variable>    
    <xsl:variable name="dropshadow">        
        <filter>            
            <effect>                
                <name>Drop Shadow</name>                
                <effectid>dropshadow</effectid>                
                <effectcategory>motion</effectcategory>                
                <effecttype>motion</effecttype>                
                <mediatype>video</mediatype>                
                <parameter>                    
                    <parameterid>offset</parameterid>                    
                    <name>offset</name>                    
                    <value>0</value>                
                </parameter>                
                <parameter>                    
                    <parameterid>angle</parameterid>                    
                    <name>angle</name>                    
                    <value>135</value>                
                </parameter>                
                <parameter>                    
                    <parameterid>color</parameterid>                    
                    <name>color</name>                    
                    <value>                        
                        <alpha>0</alpha>                        
                        <red>255</red>                        
                        <green>255</green>                        
                        <blue>255</blue>                    
                    </value>                
                </parameter>                
                <parameter>                    
                    <parameterid>softness</parameterid>                    
                    <name>softness</name>                    
                    <value>36</value>                
                </parameter>                
                <parameter>                    
                    <parameterid>opacity</parameterid>                    
                    <name>opacity</name>                    
                    <value>100</value>                
                </parameter>            
            </effect>        
        </filter>    
    </xsl:variable>    
    <xsl:strip-space elements="*"/>    
    <xsl:template match="node()//*">        
        <xsl:if test="normalize-space(.)">            
            <xsl:copy>                
                <xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()"/>            
            </xsl:copy>        
        </xsl:if>    
    </xsl:template>    
    <xsl:template match="//generatoritem[@id='Text']">        
        <xsl:copy>            
            <xsl:apply-templates select="*"/>            
            <xsl:copy-of select="$dropshadow"/>
        </xsl:copy>    
    </xsl:template>    
    <xsl:template match="//generatoritem[@id='Text']/effect">        
        <xsl:copy>            
            <xsl:apply-templates select="*"/>            
            <xsl:copy-of select="$textinfo"/>        
        </xsl:copy>    
    </xsl:template>    
    <xsl:template match="@*|node()">        
        <xsl:copy>            
            <xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()"/>        
        </xsl:copy>    
    </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>
 

[dorinbogdan]

Hmmm, big stuff....

I cannot get enough time today to research deeper.
Eventually, in the XSL, for the 2 variables try to use "value-of" instead of "copy-of" inside of <xsl:copy>.

For more details, see also xsl:copy and xsl:copy-of function reference.

God bless you,
Dorin.

[jtric]

Hmmm, big stuff....

I cannot get enough time today to research deeper.
Eventually, in the XSL, for the 2 variables try to use "value-of" instead of "copy-of" inside of <xsl:copy>.

For more details, see also xsl:copy and xsl:copy-of function reference.

God bless you,
Dorin.

It has grown a bit more complex than I'd anticipated, mostly because the original XML is exported from Excel and it does not like repeating nested elements. I really appreciate all your help. I will read up on xsl: copy-of and see if I can put it into use.