C# 3.0 Cookbook, 3rd Edition

15.14. Passing Parameters to Transformations

Problem

You need to transform some data using a mostly common pattern. For the few data items that could change between transformations, you don't want to have a separate mechanism for each variation.

Solution

If you are using LINQ to XML, simply build a method to encapsulate the transformation code and pass parameters to the method just as you normally would for other code:

	// transform using LINQ instead of XSLT
	string storeTitle = "Hero Comics Inventory";
	string pageDate = DateTime.Now.ToString("F");
	XElement parameterExample = XElement.Load(@"..\..\ParameterExample.xml");
	string htmlPath = @"..\..\ParameterExample_LINQ.htm";
	TransformWithParameters(storeTitle, pageDate, parameterExample, htmlPath);

	// now change the parameters
	storeTitle = "Fabulous Adventures Inventory";
	pageDate = DateTime.Now.ToString("D");
	htmlPath = @"..\..\ParameterExample2_LINQ.htm";
	TransformWithParameters(storeTitle, pageDate, parameterExample, htmlPath);

The TransformWithParameters method looks like this:

 private static void TransformWithParameters(string storeTitle, string pageDate, XElement parameterExample, string htmlPath) { XElement transformedParameterExample = new XElement("html", new XElement("head"), new XElement("body", new XElement("h3", string.Format("Brought to you by {0} on {1}{2}", storeTitle,pageDate,Environment.NewLine)), new XElement("br"), new XElement("table", new XAttribute("border","2"), new XElement("thead", new XElement("tr", new XElement("td", ...