Reminder: XslCompiledTransform natively supports exsl:node-set()

It's known that .NET XSLT engine - XslCompiledTransform natively supports two EXSLT extension functions - exsl:node-set() and exsl:object-type(). Not that it's widely known (msdn still says nothing about it), but lots of people are using this handy feature. The main benefit is that using EXSLT's version of node-set() function allows complex XSLT stylesheets (and I guess 80% of complex stylesheets can't live without xxx:node-set() function) to be portable between .NET, Java and libxslt.

Now, let's admit this fact is very little known.  I've seen even advanced XSLT developers still using annoying techniques like switching "http://exslt.org/common" and "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" namespaces or awkward xsl:choose "function-available('exslt:node-set')" blocks. That's wrong.

These days you don't need any special handling for EXSLT exsl:node-set() function in your server-side oriented XSLT stylesheets. Just use it. .NET, Java and libxslt all support it.

I think (.NET and MSXML)-only msxsl:node-set() function should be avoided. Unless you are targeting browsers (in which case you need this trick).

I found it useful to insert EXSLT common namespace declaration into Visual Studio templates for XSLT files. It works as a reminder and is just handy. Here is how you can do it. Open XSLT templates for "Add new item" and "New File" commands:

1. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\ItemTemplatesCache\CSharp\1033\XSLTFile.zip\XSLTFile.xslt
2. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\ItemTemplatesCache\VisualBasic\1033\XSLTFile.zip\XSLTFile.xslt
3. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\NewFileItems\xsltfile.xslt

and add xmlns:exsl="http://exslt.org/common" and exclude-result-prefixes="exsl" to the xsl:stylesheet element:

<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"
    xmlns:exsl="http://exslt.org/common" exclude-result-prefixes="exsl">