Declaring Complex Elements with Attributes, Sub Elements & Text Content

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∟Declaring Complex Elements with Attributes, Sub Elements & Text Content

This section describes a tutorial example on how to declare an element that accepts attributes and sub (child) element mixed with text content using a user defined complexType datatype.

A complex element with text content, sub elements, and attributes can be declared with a "complexType" datatype with "complexContent mixed="true"" containing some "element"s and some "attribute"s.

A good example of complex elements with attributes only is the <form> element in HTML documents. It accepts attributes like "action", sub elements like <input>, and text contents.

Rule 1. The "mixed="true"" attribute inside "complexContent" allows text content to be mixed in the element.

This rule should be used with other rules described in previous tutorials to define a complex element with text content, sub elements, and attributes.

Here is a sample schema, complexType_everything.xsd, that defines <form> to accept sub elements attributes, and text content:

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

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

</xs:schema>

Let's try this schema on a sample XML document, complexType_no_text_content.xml, with some errors:

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.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