Using Shorthand for "complexContent" with "restriction"

XSD Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

∟Using Shorthand for "complexContent" with "restriction"

This section describes a tutorial example on how to use the shorthand format for a complextType definition using a complexContent with a restriction on anyType.

As you can see from previous tutorials, many complex elements are defined as "complexContent" with "restriction" on "anyType". XML Schema offers a shorthand format of:

 <xs:complexType ...>
    (all, choice or sequence component)
    <xs:attribute .../>
    ...
 </xs:complexType>

for the following "complexType" definition:

 <xs:complexType>
  <xs:complexContent ...>
   <xs:restriction base="xs:anyType">
    <xs:sequence>
    (all, choice or sequence component)
    <xs:attribute .../>
    ...
   </xs:restriction>
  </xs:complexContent>
 </xs:complexType>
 </xs:element>

Now we can rewrite the schema from the previous section complexType_everything.xsd using the shorthand format as complexType_everything_shorthand.xsd

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<!-- complexType_everything_shorthand.xsd
 - Copyright (c) 2002-2013 HerongYang.com. All Rights Reserved.
-->

 <xs:element name="form">
 <xs:complexType mixed="true">
    <xs:sequence>
    <xs:element name="input" type="xs:anyType" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
    </xs:sequence>
    <xs:attribute name="action" type="xs:string"/>
 </xs:complexType>
 </xs:element>

</xs:schema>

Let's try this schema on the sample XML document, complexType_no_text_content.xml, to see if it works in the same way as complexType_everything.xsd

herong> type complexType_everything.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<form action="submit.pl" note="Tutorials">
 Your Name: <input type="text"/>
 <input type="submit"/>
</form>


herong> java XsdSchemaValidator complexType_everything_shorthand.xsd
^^^ complexType_everything.xml

Error:
   Line number: 2
   Column number: 43
   Message: cvc-complex-type.3.2.2: Attribute 'note' is not
   allowed to appear in element 'form'.

Failed with errors: 1