The problem is known as "grouping", and if you google for "XSLT grouping"
(or search the archives of this list at www.markmail.org, or look in the
index of your favourite XSLT textbook) you will find a copious literature on
the subject. It's easiest in XSLT 2.0 using the xsl:for-each-group
instruction.

Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/ 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Garrett Murphy [mailto:gmurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxx] 
> Sent: 04 September 2008 20:53
> To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [xsl] Assistance with hiding duplicate data
> 
> I've combed these boards over and can't find anything that 
> particularly helps with this exact issue.
>  
> Data:
> <report>
>    <record>
>        <Beneficiary_Name>Canada, Peter</Beneficiary_Name>
>        <Case_No>0606-0000000055</Case_No>
>        <Current_Status>-</Current_Status>
>        <Current_Status_Expires></Current_Status_Expires>
>        <Birth_Date>05/27/1971</Birth_Date>
>        <Case_Opened>06/14/2006</Case_Opened>
>        <Responsible_Attorney>NR</Responsible_Attorney>
>    </record>
>    <record>
>        <Beneficiary_Name>Mexico, Ron</Beneficiary_Name>
>        <Case_No>0608-0000000275</Case_No>
>        <Current_Status>H-1B</Current_Status>
>        <Current_Status_Expires>00/00/00</Current_Status_Expires>
>        <Birth_Date>May 26, 19</Birth_Date>
>        <Case_Opened>08/23/2006</Case_Opened>
>        <Responsible_Attorney>HI</Responsible_Attorney>
>    </record>
>    <record>
>        <Beneficiary_Name>Canada, Peter</Beneficiary_Name>
>        <Case_No>0606-0000000055</Case_No>
>        <Current_Status>-</Current_Status>
>        <Current_Status_Expires>xxxxxxxxxx</Current_Status_Expires>
>        <Birth_Date>05/27/1971</Birth_Date>
>        <Case_Opened>09/05/2006</Case_Opened>
>        <Responsible_Attorney>HI</Responsible_Attorney>
>    </record>
>    <record>
>        <Beneficiary_Name>Mexico, Ron</Beneficiary_Name>
>        <Case_No>0608-0000000275</Case_No>
>        <Current_Status>H-1B</Current_Status>
>        <Current_Status_Expires>00/00/00</Current_Status_Expires>
>        <Birth_Date>May 26, 19</Birth_Date>
>        <Case_Opened>09/18/2006</Case_Opened>
>        <Responsible_Attorney>HI</Responsible_Attorney>
>    </record>
>    <record>
>        <Beneficiary_Name>Mexico, Ron</Beneficiary_Name>
>        <Case_No>0608-0000000275</Case_No>
>        <Current_Status>H-1B</Current_Status>
>        <Current_Status_Expires>00/00/00</Current_Status_Expires>
>        <Birth_Date>May 26, 19</Birth_Date>
>        <Case_Opened>09/21/2006</Case_Opened>
>        <Responsible_Attorney>HI</Responsible_Attorney>
>    </record>
>    <record>
>        <Beneficiary_Name>Canada, Peter</Beneficiary_Name>
>        <Case_No>0606-0000000055</Case_No>
>        <Current_Status>-</Current_Status>
>        <Current_Status_Expires>xxxxxxxxxx</Current_Status_Expires>
>        <Birth_Date>05/27/1971</Birth_Date>
>        <Case_Opened>09/18/2006</Case_Opened>
>        <Responsible_Attorney>[R]TADC</Responsible_Attorney>
>    </record>
>    <record>
>        <Beneficiary_Name>Canada, Peter</Beneficiary_Name>
>        <Case_No>0606-0000000055</Case_No>
>        <Current_Status>-</Current_Status>
>        <Current_Status_Expires>xxxxxxxxxx</Current_Status_Expires>
>        <Birth_Date>05/27/1971</Birth_Date>
>        <Case_Opened>09/18/2006</Case_Opened>
>        <Responsible_Attorney>NR</Responsible_Attorney>
>    </record>
> </report>
> 
> At my work, we generate reports from a system that generates 
> XML and we then use the XSL to format the reports.  Users are 
> able to choose the columns they wish.
> I'm trying to arrange it so that the data is generated in a 
> table sorted by the Beneficiary_Name, and without any 
> duplicated data for the beneficiary.  So, in the case of 
> Peter Canada, the first record of his that shows would have 
> all the fields filled in, but each record after that would 
> only have Case_Opened and Responsible_Attorney, as those are 
> the only ones changing.
>  
> I've tried several different techniques, but I'm having no 
> luck at all.
> Any suggestions?
>  
>  
> 
> Garrett Murphy
> gmurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxx