xsl:sort: sorting double digit by numeric value

Question

UPDATE : example and add some information.

I have to sort out the number below in numerical order in XSLT 1.0. The "code" follow the pattern below :

for example,

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<DATA>
    <CTX>
        <VA>
            <code>25896_1_1_1</code>
        </VA>   
        <VA>
            <code>25896_10_1_1</code>
        </VA>   
        <VA>
            <code>25896_2_1_2</code>
        </VA>   
        <VA>
            <code>25896_3_1_1</code>
        </VA>                       
        <VA>
            <code>25896_4_1_1</code>
        </VA>                           
        <VA>
            <code>25897_1_1_1</code>
        </VA>                           
        <VA>
            <code>25897_2_1_1</code>
        </VA>                           
        <VA>
            <code>25897_2_1_2</code>
        </VA>   
    </CTX>
</DATA>

when I just do <xsl:sort select="code" order="ascending" /> it displays above result.

However, I want that to be in order like this :

25896_1_1_1
25896_2_1_2
25896_3_1_1
25896_4_1_1
25896_10_1_1
25897_1_1_1
25897_2_1_1
25897_2_1_2

How do I do this?

JAXP XSLT APIs (javax.xml.transform) to transform xml file. With XSL Transform, the engine is Saxon 6.5.5 // https://xml.apache.org/xalan-j/trax.html

I am guessing you want to sort by each number in the string of 4 concatenated numbers separately? Please state which version of XSLT your processor supports. — michael.hor257k, Jan 22 '21 at 10:51
Yes, that what i want to do. It's XSTL 1.0 (that the info you are asking ?) — Martin L., Jan 22 '21 at 13:02
I am not asking about your stylesheet, I am asking about your processor. See here how to identify it: https://stackoverflow.com/a/25245033/3016153 — michael.hor257k, Jan 22 '21 at 14:08
Also please edit your question and show the input as XML - see: [mcve]. — michael.hor257k, Jan 22 '21 at 14:09
`Xalan-J` and `Saxon 6.5.5` are two different processors - so what you posted is quite confusing. — michael.hor257k, Jan 27 '21 at 11:34
I have rolled your question back to what it was when I answered it. If necessary, post a new question with your new problem - although I believe you should be able to figure it for yourself, using the same principle as shown here. — michael.hor257k, Jan 29 '21 at 09:05

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 22 '21 at 15:54

To do this in pure XSLT 1.0, you will need to do it the pedestrian way:

<xsl:sort select="substring-before(code, '_')" data-type="number"/>
<xsl:sort select="substring-before(substring-after(code, '_'), '_')" data-type="number"/>
<xsl:sort select="substring-before(substring-after(substring-after(code, '_'), '_'), '_')" data-type="number"/>
<xsl:sort select="substring-after(substring-after(substring-after(code, '_'), '_'), '_')" data-type="number"/>

If your processor happens to support the EXSLT str:tokenize() extension function, you could make it a bit more elegant:

<xsl:sort select="str:tokenize(code, '_')[1]" data-type="number"/>
<xsl:sort select="str:tokenize(code, '_')[2]" data-type="number"/>
<xsl:sort select="str:tokenize(code, '_')[3]" data-type="number"/>
<xsl:sort select="str:tokenize(code, '_')[4]" data-type="number"/>

Untested, because no code was provided.

Thank you, i edit my initial email. If my sample can help you, i try to create a good one. My initial XML is so complex and i can't share it here. — Martin L., Jan 27 '21 at 10:42
Did you try the code I suggested? It should work for you. Note that `Xalan` supports the extension function, `Saxon` does not. — michael.hor257k, Jan 27 '21 at 11:36
Yes i try it and it's work, now i need to insert it in my XSLT — Martin L., Jan 27 '21 at 14:37

xsl:sort: sorting double digit by numeric value

1 Answers1