Chip Pearson wrote:
> I am considering using XSLT to take existing XML data files and creating 
> text files that  will be imported to other programs. These import files must 
> be formatted text not XML. For example, vendor numbers must be 12 digits 
> padded on the left with 0's and product names must be 30 characters padded 
> on the right with spaces. Is there a way using XSLT to pad out a value to a 
> specified length using a specified padding character? I can't have the 
> formatted values in the XML data itself because one XML node value will be 
> going to multiple output text files each with its own formatting 
> requirements.

   <xsl:param name="spaces"
     select="                              "/>
            <!-- 30 space characters -->

Now if you have an element ProductName you can do e.g.

   <xsl:value-of select="concat(ProductName, substring($spaces, 1, 30 - 
string-length(ProductName)))"/>

You could put that stuff in a template and call it as needed.


-- 

	Martin Honnen --- MVP XML
	http://JavaScript.FAQTs.com/