XPath's string-length() of a node without its children

Question

I need a one-line XPath 1.0 expression to calculate the length of a node, but excluding text in any child nodes (if they are present).

For instance, the string-length() of

<node>This is text</node>

is 12 (ok), but the string-length() of

<node>This is<any>any text</any> text</node>
<node>This <any>any text</any>is text</node>

is more than 12 (not ok).

I cannot use string-length(//node/text()), because it takes the first chunk of text inside node, if there are any child nodes inside node.

You would need XPath 2 `sum(text()/string-length())` or 3 `sum(text()!string-length())` to have a single, compact expression. — Martin Honnen, Mar 04 '19 at 13:19

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 04 '19 at 14:05

XPath 1.0

XPath 1.0 alone cannot provide a character count of only the text node children of an element. You'll also have to use facilities of the language hosting the XPath library.

XPath 2.0 and up

This XPath (first posted by @MartinHonnen in comments),

sum(/node/text()/string-length())

will provide a character count of all text node children of /node, as requested.

1

Nope, it counts text in child nodes. – Cuder Mar 04 '19 at 13:18
You don't want to count child's text()? so what is the output you are excepting for below two nodes? – Amrendra Kumar Mar 04 '19 at 13:22
As for the first one, 12. If any child node is present, ignore its length. – Cuder Mar 04 '19 at 13:39

XPath's string-length() of a node without its children

2 Answers2

XPath 1.0

XPath 2.0 and up

See also