CATraxx: Add new album reference in Track.xsl

[KAM]

I've got myself tied in xsl knots. I now don't know if what I'm attempting is impossible, or simply outside my skill set.

In the case of re-issues, compilations etc. I've used Custom16 at the Track level to store the name of the Album on which that Track was originally released.
Example: On the Grant Green album "Ballads", the track "My Funny Valentine" has an entry in Custom16 of "Grantstand".

The default xsl script in Track.xsl which displays this refers to 

<a href="TrackList.xsl?Custom16={custom16}@xslparam:doctitle={/data/fld/track/custom16/@name}: {custom16}">

<xsl:value-of select="custom16"/>

</a> 
Ideally I'd like to modify this so that the link leads to Album.xsl for the original album.
My attempts have ended in various failures with incompatible datatypes, missing variables, unregenerated splines, split torque adapters etc etc.

Clearly the 'Original Album' title I've entered when editing the track knows nothing about the corresponding Album ID in my database.
Is this the root of my problem, and is there any way to reference an album by name rather than by ID?

Thanks in advance

Ken

[DougWilliams]

Hi Ken,

Knots and unregenerated splines lead to split torque adapters. Everybody knows that!

In a nutshell you've identified the problem with the track knowing nothing about the corresponding Album ID.
There probably would need an additional XSL page that would display all albums that match the search and then link to the Album.xsl.
Dave (LotsOCds) could have probably come up with something but I haven't seen him around in quite a while, and my XSL skills are weak.

Doug

[KAM]

Hi Doug

Thanks for the very prompt response - much appreciated as ever.

Displaying the corresponding album's name is simple, but on deeper thinking (why does that always come afterwards?) I've realised I may not even have that album in my database, or there may be two or more albums with identical names. So linking to something that doesn't exist, or expecting the XSL to know which album I mean, is probably something I couldn't do, even if I knew what I was doing! Jazz albums, especially, seem plagued with re-mastering, re-packaging, re-issuing, adding bonus tracks from other unconnected sessions, or tracks being plucked at random from original albums with commonplace titles like "Live At The ... " or "Plays The Blues".

Oh well, back to the drawing board.

Ken