Используйте
count(preceding::question)+1
Это преобразование выполняет исчерпывающий тест :
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsl:output method="text"/>
<xsl:variable name="vQs" select="//question"/>
<xsl:template match="/">
<xsl:for-each select="$vQs">
<xsl:value-of select=
"count(preceding::question)+1"/>
<xsl:text> </xsl:text>
</xsl:for-each>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>
Когда указанное преобразование применяется к следующему документу XML :
<t>
<section>
<name>About</name>
<link>about</link>
<questions>
<question>
<query>Question 1</query>
<answer>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In cursus, elit id lacinia semper, ligula nunc rhoncus ante, in euismod tortor nibh dictum tellus.</answer>
</question>
<question>
<query>Question 2</query>
<answer>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In cursus, elit id lacinia semper, ligula nunc rhoncus ante, in euismod tortor nibh dictum tellus.</answer>
</question>
</questions>
</section>
<section>
<name>Contact</name>
<link>contact</link>
<questions>
<question>
<query>Question 3</query>
<answer>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In cursus, elit id lacinia semper, ligula nunc rhoncus ante, in euismod tortor nibh dictum tellus.</answer>
</question>
<question>
<query>Question 4</query>
<answer>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In cursus, elit id lacinia semper, ligula nunc rhoncus ante, in euismod tortor nibh dictum tellus.</answer>
</question>
<question>
<query>Question 5</query>
<answer>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In cursus, elit id lacinia semper, ligula nunc rhoncus ante, in euismod tortor nibh dictum tellus.</answer>
</question>
</questions>
</section>
</t>
Нужные результаты получены:
1 2 3 4 5