XSLT Custom Sort

Question

Is it possible in XSLT to sort in alphabetical order, with 5 items as \"preferred\".

i.e. given

Answer 1

In your XSLT, are you able to make use of extension functions?

If so, one method is to modify the existing list of nodes in-line, to create a new node set but with an extra 'sortname' attribute on each node. You can then iterate through this new node set, sorting using the new 'sortname' attribute:

    
    
        
        
            
                
                
                    
                        1
                        2
                    
                    
                
            
        
        
        
        
            

            
                
            
        
        
    

In the example above, I prefix a '1' onto any national team, and a '2' on any domestic team, and then sort on this new attribute.

See information on Node Sets to see what XSLT processers support which extensions.