XML Schema

Eric van der Vlist is an independent XML consultant, developer and writer. He is a contributing editor to XML.com and xmlhack, creator and chief editor of XMLfr.org, and editor of the ISO DSDL Part 5 specification (work in progress) describing "Object Oriented XML Schema languages".

• 1. Schema Uses and Development What Schemas Do for XML W3C XML Schema 2. Our First Schema The Instance Document Our First Schema First Findings 3. Giving Some Depth to Our First Schema Working From the Structure of the Instance Document New Lessons 4. Using Predefined Simple Datatypes Lexical and Value Spaces Whitespace Processing String Da tatypes Numeric Datatypes Date and Time Datatypes List Types What About anySimpleType? Back to Our Library 5. Creating Simple Datatypes Derivation By Restrict ion Derivation By List Derivation By Union Some Oddities of Simple Types Back to Our Library 6. Using Regular Expressions to Specify Simple Datatypes The Swiss Army Knife The Simplest Possible Patterns Quantifying More Atoms Common Patterns Back to Our Library 7. Creating Complex Datatypes Simple Versus Complex Types Examining the Landscape Simple Content Models Complex Content Models Mixed Content Models Empty Content Models Back to Our Library Derivation or Groups 8. Creating Building Blocks Schema Inclusion Schema Inclusion with Redefinition Other Alternatives Simplifying the Library 9. Defining Uniqueness, Keys, and Key References xs :ID and xs:IDREF XPath-Based Identity Checks ID/IDREF Versus xs:key/xs:keyref Using xs:key a nd xs:unique As Co-occurrence Constraints 10 Controlling Namespaces Namespaces Present Two Challenges to Schema Languages Namespace Declarations To Qualify Or Not to Qualify? Disruptive Attributes Namespaces and XPath Expressions Referencing Other Namespaces Schemas for XML, XML Base and X Link Namespace Behaviour of Imported Components Importing Schemas with No Namespaces Chameleon Design Allowing Any Elements or Attributes from a Particular Namespace 11. Referencing Schemas and Schema Datatypes in XML Documents Associating Schemas with Instance Documents Defining Element Types Defining Nil (Null) Values Beware the Intrusive Nature of These Features 12. Creating More Building Blocks Using Object-Oriented Features Substitution Groups Controlling Derivations 13. Creating Extensible Schemas Extensible Schemas The Need for Open Schemas 14. Documenting Schemas Style Matters The W 3C XML Schema Annotation Element Foreign Attribute s XML 1.0 Comments Which One and What For?; 15. Elements Reference Guide; 16. Datatype Reference Guide; A. XML Schema Languages; B. Work in Progress.

"If you've ever wondered how complex types are defined or how you can use regular expressions inside Schema, this is the book for you." PC Plus, Christmas edition 2002 "I recommend this book as a very useful guide and reference." - Rob Hughes, Cvu, August 2003