RE: [xml-dev] Semantics, Complex Systems, (XSLT) Programs which W rite Themselves

From
Didier PH Martin <>
To
'John Cowan' <>, "'Bullard, Claude L (Len)'" <>
Date
2003-10-28T13:23:29Z
ID
<>
Thread
RE: [xml-dev] Semantics, Complex Systems, (XSLT) Programs which W rite Themselves
Hi John

John said:
XSLT programs of this type are not *self*-modifying.  Rather, they modify
other code that happens to resemble themselves.  It is then up to something
outside the XSLT environment to re-execute the modified code.

Didier replies:
True. Each transformation state is like a classical program run. If it is
performing as intended, it is "debugged". To modify the XSLT templates for
the next run is like re-executing a new program. Therefore, we won't have
the same kind of secondary effect we would have with ordinary self modifying
code. This is probably why modifying XSLT templates through successive
sequences is not harmful.

Cheers
Didier PH Martin
http://didier-martin.com