Check if a string is null or empty in XSLT

Question

How can I check if a value is null or empty with XSL?

For example, if categoryName is empty? I'm using a when choosing construct.

For example:

<xsl:choose>     <xsl:when test="categoryName !=null">         <xsl:value-of select="categoryName " />     </xsl:when>     <xsl:otherwise>         <xsl:value-of select="other" />     </xsl:otherwise> </xsl:choose> 

Answer 1

test="categoryName != ''" 

Edit: This covers the most likely interpretation, in my opinion, of "[not] null or empty" as inferred from the question, including it's pseudo-code and my own early experience with XSLT. I.e., "What is the equivalent of the following Java?":

// Equivalent Java, NOT XSLT !(categoryName == null || categoryName.equals("")) 

For more details e.g., distinctly identifying null vs. empty, see johnvey's answer below and/or the XSLT 'fiddle' I've adapted from that answer, which includes the option in Michael Kay's comment as well as the sixth possible interpretation.