XML Schema Essentials

Replacing DTDs (Document Type Definitions) as the way in which XML documents are described and validated, XML schemas are essential for ensuring the accuracy and security of information in B2B transactions and other XML applications. This how-to guide employs extensive examples and source code to help developers and programmers get quickly up to speed on the practical application of this important technology. With in-depth explanations for each example, XML expert Mike Fitzgerald acquaints readers with coding structures, then moves to more advanced topics, including unique element and attribute values, keys, and how to use schemas with HTML. Like the other books in the series, this guide features comprehensive appendices listing all the datatypes and data facets, code indexes, and other time-saving features. XML Schema Essentials......Page 1 Contents......Page 3 Introduction......Page 9 Book Organization......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 11 About the Authors......Page 13 Getting Started......Page 15 Elementary XML Schema......Page 16 What Is XML Schema?......Page 18 Declaring Elements and Defining Types......Page 30 Defining Complex Types......Page 38 Annotations in Schema......Page 55 Empty Element Declaration......Page 58 Occurrence Constraints......Page 64 Model Groups in Schema......Page 70 Validation in XSD Schema......Page 76 Summary......Page 82 XSD Elements......Page 83 XML Elements......Page 84 : A Closer Examination......Page 93 More on ......Page 124 Summary......Page 132 Adding Attributes......Page 133 What Are Attributes?......Page 134 XML Attributes Foundation......Page 142 XSD Attributes: The Next Generation......Page 144 Using Attributes......Page 148 Summary......Page 155 Going Beyond DTDs......Page 156 What Are Datatypes?......Page 157 More on Simple Types......Page 170 Constraining Type Definitions......Page 177 Applicability of Facets......Page 191 Summary......Page 193 Data Facets......Page 194 Constraining Facets in XSD Schema......Page 195 The length Element......Page 196 The minLength Element......Page 204 The maxLength Element......Page 207 The pattern Element......Page 209 The Enumeration Element......Page 220 The whiteSpace Element......Page 225 Summary......Page 226 More about Data Facets......Page 227 The maxExclusive Element......Page 228 The maxInclusive Element......Page 233 The minExclusive Element......Page 235 The minInclusive Element......Page 238 The totalDigits and fractionDigits Facets......Page 245 Summary......Page 246 Grouping Elements and Attributes......Page 247 Reusing Definitions with Groups......Page 248 Substitution Groups......Page 261 Attribute Groups......Page 265 Summary......Page 266 Deriving Types......Page 267 Deriving Types by Extension......Page 268 Deriving Types by Restriction......Page 279 The enumeration Element......Page 287 The pattern Element......Page 290 The xsi: type Attribute......Page 292 Summary......Page 293 Next Steps......Page 294 Identity- Constraint Definitions......Page 295 The Element......Page 296 The and Elements......Page 304 Summary......Page 309 Modularizing Schemas......Page 310 Planning the Example......Page 330 Creating the Staff Schema......Page 334 Creating the Type Library......Page 347 Appendixes......Page 352 Primitive Datatypes......Page 353 Derived Datatypes......Page 362 Summary......Page 373 Data Facets......Page 374 Fundamental Facets......Page 375 Constraining Facets......Page 376 Index......Page 381 Replacing XML DTDs (Document Type Definitions) as the way in which XML documents are described and validated, XML Schema allows you to describe the structure of information in an XML document and is essential for ensuring the accuracy and security of information in B2B transactions and other XML applications. Since XML Schema defines a greater and more complex set of datatypes than XML DTDs -- such as numbers, dates, times, and currencies -- it is an invaluable tool for e-commerce applications. XML Schema also offers more flexibility than XML DTDs, with its ability to have users define datatypes for data (for example, an "address" can be further refined as a "postal address," "billing address," or "shipping address") and its ability to validate documents based on namespaces, which allows for the distinction between identical terms being used in different contexts. This hands-on guide uses extensive examples and source code to provide you with all the information you'll need to understand and use XML Schema. Beginning with an example of a simple schema, the authors provide you with the opportunity to quickly become familiar with coding structure, and offer in-depth explanations for each example. The book progresses logically through basic schema concepts and applications such as datatypes and structures, and then gradually moves to more complex examples and advanced topics such as unique element and attribute values and keys. The World Wide Web Consortium's XML Schema is arguably one of the most important and far-reaching recommendations related to XML to come from the W3C.