Hi Everyone

I'm having some trouble wrapping my mind around the following ... perhaps someone can help me.

Here's a sample of what I have (input), and what I want (output):

--------------------INPUT--------------------
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!--only text within <abc> and <zz> to be extracted-->
<book>
	<p>Ignore me.<bo>Ignore me.</bo></p>
	<p>Ignore me.<bo><zz>ZZ Extract #1 </zz>Ignore me.</bo></p>
	<p>Ignore me.<abc>ABC Extract #1 </abc><bo>Ignore me.<abc>ABC Extract #2 </abc></bo></p>
	<p>Ignore me.<zz>ZZ Extract #2 </zz><bo>Ignore me.<abc>ABC Extract #3 </abc></bo></p>
	<p>Ignore me.<bo>Ignore me.</bo></p>
</book>
----------------------------------------------

--------------------OUTPUT--------------------
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?>
<para>ABC Extract #1 <bo>ABC Extract #2 </bo></para>
<para><bo>ABC Extract #3 </bo></para>
<para><bo>ZZ Extract #1 </bo></para>
<para>ZZ Extract #2 </para>
----------------------------------------------

Notice:

1. ONLY 'abc' and 'zz' elements are extracted
2. All 'abc' are extracted first... then all 'zz'
3. Any surrounding elements are retained, such as <bo>
4. While I only have <p> shown as the parent element, <abc> and <zz> will be found in many more parents, such as <list/item>, 
<table/tblbody/tblrow/tblcell>, etc.....  Once I find a solution to this basic structure, I can apply it across them all - I'm sure.

Here's one of the many XSLT routines I've tried - had it working on very simple examples - but more complex/nested examples like 
the one above have totally thrown me for a loop!  I can't figure it out (read: mental-block!).

Please note: you'll quite likely find that there's a MUCH (MUCH) easier way to do the following - and please feel free to point 
that out.  Don't hold any punches.   :)

----------------------XSLT----------------------

<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsl:output method="xml" indent="yes"/>

	<xsl:template match="/">
		<!--First, extract all <abc> elements-->
		<xsl:apply-templates select="//*[abc]"/>
		<!--Next, extract all <zz> elements-->
		<xsl:apply-templates select="//*[zz]"/>
	</xsl:template>
	
	<xsl:template match="p">
		<xsl:if test=".//abc">
			<para>
				<xsl:apply-templates select=".//abc">
					<xsl:with-param name="getWhat">
						<xsl:text>abc</xsl:text>
					</xsl:with-param>
				</xsl:apply-templates>
			</para>
		</xsl:if>
		<xsl:if test=".//zz">
			<para>
				<xsl:apply-templates select=".//zz">
					<xsl:with-param name="getWhat">
						<xsl:text>zz</xsl:text>
					</xsl:with-param>
				</xsl:apply-templates>
			</para>
		</xsl:if>
	</xsl:template>
	
	<xsl:template match="bo">
	<xsl:param name="getWhat"/>
		<xsl:choose>
			<xsl:when test="$getWhat='abc'">
				<bo>
					<xsl:apply-templates select=".//abc">
						<xsl:with-param name="getWhat">
							<xsl:text>abc</xsl:text>
						</xsl:with-param>
					</xsl:apply-templates>
				</bo>
			</xsl:when>
			<xsl:when test="$getWhat='zz'">
				<bo>
					<xsl:apply-templates select=".//abc">
						<xsl:with-param name="getWhat">
							<xsl:text>zz</xsl:text>
						</xsl:with-param>
					</xsl:apply-templates>
				</bo>
			</xsl:when>
		</xsl:choose>
	</xsl:template>
	
	<xsl:template match="abc">
	<xsl:param name="getWhat"/>
		<xsl:choose>
			<xsl:when test="$getWhat='abc'">
				<xsl:apply-templates>
					<xsl:with-param name="getWhat">
						<xsl:text>abc</xsl:text>
					</xsl:with-param>
				</xsl:apply-templates>
			</xsl:when>
			<xsl:when test="$getWhat='zz'">
				<!-- do nothing! -->
			</xsl:when>
		</xsl:choose>
	</xsl:template>
	
	<xsl:template match="zz">
	<xsl:param name="getWhat"/>
		<xsl:choose>
			<xsl:when test="$getWhat='abc'">
				<!-- do nothing! -->
			</xsl:when>
			<xsl:when test="$getWhat='zz'">
				<xsl:apply-templates>
					<xsl:with-param name="getWhat">
						<xsl:text>zz</xsl:text>
					</xsl:with-param>
				</xsl:apply-templates>
			</xsl:when>
		</xsl:choose>
	</xsl:template>
	
</xsl:stylesheet>
----------------------------------------------

Thanks in advance!

Yours,

Allan Shearer
allanATshearerDOTca