XSD validation on recursive XML elements [modified]

janBarP

Hi, I want to create a XSD schema to use for validating XML files like the following: top> top> top> top> /top> link> link> mid> mid> /top> top> bottom> /top> /top> A "top" element can contain any number of "top" elements or any number of "link" elements or any number of "mid" elements. A "top" element can contain only one "bottom" element and no other element if it contains a "bottom" element. A "link" or "mid" or "bottom" element cannot contain any elements. Any advice, please help? -- modified at 2:51 Wednesday 2nd May, 2007

Stefan Troschuetz

Not tested, but should be at least a good starting point:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<xs:schema targetNamespace="http://tempuri.org/XMLSchema.xsd"
elementFormDefault="qualified"
xmlns="http://tempuri.org/XMLSchema.xsd"
xmlns:mstns="http://tempuri.org/XMLSchema.xsd"
xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<xs:element name="link">
xs:complexType</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>

<xs:element name="mid">
	<xs:complexType></xs:complexType>
</xs:element>

<xs:element name="bottom">
	<xs:complexType></xs:complexType>
</xs:element>

<xs:element name="top">
	<xs:complexType>
		<xs:choice>
			<xs:sequence>
				<xs:element ref="mstns:bottom"></xs:element>
			</xs:sequence>
			<xs:sequence>
				<xs:choice minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
					<xs:element ref="mstns:top"></xs:element>
					<xs:element ref="mstns:link"></xs:element>
					<xs:element ref="mstns:mid"></xs:element>
				</xs:choice>
			</xs:sequence>
		</xs:choice>
	</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>

</xs:sche

"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook

www.troschuetz.de

BoneSoft

Or even simpler...

<xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" elementFormDefault="qualified">
<xs:complexType name="top">
xs:sequence
<xs:element name="top" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
<xs:element name="link" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
<xs:element name="mid" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
<xs:element name="bottom" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>

<xs:element name="top" type="top" />
</xs:schema>

Try code model generation tools at BoneSoft.com.

Stefan Troschuetz

This doesn't cover the requirements that a "top" element can contain only one "bottom" element and no other element if it contains a "bottom" element.

"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook

www.troschuetz.de

BoneSoft

True, didn't realize that was a requirement. I guess choice is the only valid approach.

Try code model generation tools at BoneSoft.com.