| Microsoft XML Core Services (MSXML) 5.0 for Microsoft Office - XSLT Reference |  |
<xsl:copy> Element
Copies the current node from the source to the output.
<xsl:copy use-attribute-sets = QNames > </xsl:copy>
Attributes
- use-attribute-sets
- A white space separated list of attribute sets, specified as a qualified name. A white space separated list of attribute sets, specified as a qualified name. Specifying this attribute declares each attribute in each listed attribute set.
Element Information
| Number of occurrences | Unlimited |
| Parent elements | xsl:attribute, xsl:comment, xsl:copy, xsl:element, xsl:fallback, xsl:for-each, xsl:if, xsl:message, xsl:otherwise, xsl:param, xsl:processing-instruction, xsl:template, xsl:variable, xsl:when, xsl:with-param, output elements |
| Child elements | xsl:apply-templates, xsl:attribute, xsl:call-template, xsl:choose, xsl:comment, xsl:copy, xsl:copy-of, xsl:element, xsl:for-each, xsl:if, xsl:processing-instruction, xsl:text, xsl:value-of, xsl:variable, output elements |
Remarks
The <xsl:copy> element creates a node in the output with the same name, namespace, and type as the current node. Attributes and children are not copied automatically. This element makes identity transformation possible.
Example
The following example performs an identity transformation on an entire document. The identity transformation copies each node in the source to the output to provide a logically equivalent tree. It does not yield character-by-character equivalence: Entities will be expanded, and white space not marked as significant might be removed.
Note To test this example, you need to use a script. For more information, see Initiate XSLT in a Script.
XML File (booksshort.xml)
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="identityxfm.xsl"?>
<catalog>
<book id="bk101">
<author>Gambardella, Matthew</author>
<title>XML Developer's Guide</title>
<genre>Computer</genre>
<price>44.95</price>
<publish_date>2000-10-01</publish_date>
<description>An in-depth look at creating applications with
XML.</description>
</book>
<book id="bk102">
<author>Ralls, Kim</author>
<title>Midnight Rain</title>
<genre>Fantasy</genre>
<price>5.95</price>
<publish_date>2000-12-16</publish_date>
<description>A former architect battles corporate zombies,
an evil sorceress, and her own childhood to become queen of the
world.</description>
</book>
<book id="bk103">
<author>Corets, Eva</author>
<title>Maeve Ascendant</title>
<genre>Fantasy</genre>
<price>5.95</price>
<publish_date>2000-11-17</publish_date>
<description>After the collapse of a nanotechnology society
in England, the young survivors lay the foundation for a new
society.</description>
</book>
</catalog>
XSLT File (identityxfm.xsl)
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform" >
<xsl:template match="/ | @* | node()">
<xsl:copy>
<xsl:apply-templates select="@* | node()"/>
</xsl:copy>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>
Output
This is a portion of the formatted output, truncated on the right side:
Gambardella, MatthewComputer44.952000-10-01An in-depth look
and her own childhood to become queen of the world.Corets, EvaFa
This is the processor output:
<?xml version="1.0"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="identityxfm.xsl"?><catalog><book id="bk101"><author>Gambardella, Matthew</author><title>XML Developer's Guide</title><genre>Computer</genre><price>44.95</price><publish_date>2000 -10-01</publish_date><description>An in-depth look at creating applications with XML.</description></book><book id="bk102"> ... </book></catalog>
See Also
Generating Comments, Processing Instructions, and Elements