Thanks to both for the replies

Works a treat

"Pavel Lepin" <p.lepin@c...> wrote in message 
news:f8uu90$m0f$1@a......
>
> Andy Fish <ajfish@b...> wrote in
> <joCsi.15392$7c.10352@f...>:
>> <top>
>>     <a1/>
>>     <a2/>
>>     <foo/>
>>     <a3/>
>>     <a4/>
>>     <a5/>
>>     <a6/>
>>     <bar/>
>>     <a7/>
>>     <a8/>
>> </top>
>>
>> now, inside this template
>>
>> <xsl:template match="foo">
>>
>> I would like to select all the nodes up to the following
>> <bar> (if there are several <bar>s it would be the next
>> one)
>
> The need to do that often indicates a problem with the
> design of your XML document.
>
>> it seems quite simple on the face of it but I can't figure
>> out any way to get close at the moment
>
> Read up on generate-id() and current():
>
>  following-sibling::*
>  [
>    generate-id(following-sibling::bar)=
>    generate-id(current()/following-sibling::bar)
>  ]
>
> Note that using keys may result in a significant performance
> boost.
>
> -- 
> ...the pleasure of obedience is pretty thin compared with
> the pleasure of hearing a rotten tomato hit someone in the
> rear end. -- Garrison Keillor