Xforms checkbox - replacing True / False with Y / N

Question

I am writing a form (betterFORMs/Xforms) to be displayed to the user with a selection of checkboxes. If a checkbox is empty the form should bind an "N" into the element. When ticked, a "Y". I realise there are answers to this question already but I have tried all answered solutions with no luck.

The first solution I attempted to use is here - stackoverflow link

(the first solution looks good, but I have had more success with solution 2 as I am not using Orbeon)

The answer given is what I am looking for, but I am having trouble implementing this into my form. I am not using Xhtml or Orbeon and so the binding I use seems to be different to that used in the solution.) I have tried tweaking this code to fit into my form but I get a repetitive error from the xml parser every time I load the page - but it doesn't point me to anywhere related to the new code.

The next solution I have tried is found here - stackoverflow link

This answer has had the best results in my code because the checkbox values change to N when not used and when they are deselected. The problem I have with this solution is that the Y set in the form element is contained in braces - [].

output example:

<addressProof>N</addressProof><other>[Y]</other><otherText>_text_</otherText>

Here is a snippet of my form:

model:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="2.0"
xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2002/06/xhtml2" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"
xmlns:xforms="http://www.w3.org/2002/xforms" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
<xsl:output method="xml" />
<xsl:template match="/">
    <xforms:model id="documentsChecklist">
        <xforms:instance>   
            <actionform xmlns="">
                <xforms:model id="documentsChecklist">
                    <xforms:instance>   
                    <actionform xmlns="">
                        <detail>        
                            <other></other>
                            <otherText></otherText>
                        </detail>
                    </actionform>
        </xforms:instance>
        <xforms:bind id="other" nodeset="/actionform/detail/other" calculate="choose(. = 'Y', ., 'N')"/>
        <xforms:bind nodeset="/actionform/detail/otherBox" relevant="/actionform/detail/other ='Y'" /> 
    </xforms:model> 

form:

<div id="formBody"><br />
    <xforms:select bind="other" appearance="full" align="right">
        <xforms:item>
            <xforms:label>Other</xforms:label>
            <xforms:value>Y</xforms:value>
        </xforms:item>
    </xforms:select>
    <xforms:input ref="/actionform/detail/otherText">
        <xforms:label>Please specify:*</xforms:label>
    </xforms:input>
</div>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

Why does the checkbox value now get set to "[Y]" instead of "Y"? (Could it be something to do with an Array?) Thanks.

PS. I know I could do this using a boolean for each checkbox, with the checkbox value corresponding to the boolean, which in turn updates the bind value. I would rather not have to have a big block of boolean elements and binds as I have a large amount of check boxes. this solution has an example here - stackoverflow link

Answer 1

A select control allows you to select more than one item and I wonder if it is why the XForms implementation you are using is adding square brackets (according to specifications selected values have to be separated by a space character, which is not always very convenient by the way).

I am afraid that XForms 1.1 and XForms 2.0 require to use extra intermediate nodes and bindings. It would be useful to be able to add 2 XPath expressions for bindings: one to convert node value to control value and the other one back from control value to node value.

As a workaround, I use another extension in XSLTForms: XSLT stylesheets for converting instances.

-Alain