Declaring Elements and Attributes with Built-in Datatypes

XSD Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

∟Declaring Elements and Attributes with Built-in Datatypes

This section describes how to declare XML elements and XML attributes using built-in datatypes with a simple XSD document example.

When built-in datatypes are used to declare XML elements and XML attributes, we need to remember these rules:

All built-in datatype names must be qualified with namespace of xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema", where "xs" can be replace with any short names.
All built-in datatypes are allowed to declare XML elements.
All built-in datatypes are allowed to declare XML attributes, except "anyType" because it is a complex datatype.
Declaring an XML element using a built-in datatype must be written with the "element" component like: lt;xs:element name="SomeName" type="xs:X" .../>, where "X" is the built-in datatype name.
Declaring an XML attribute using a built-in datatype must be written with the "attribute" component like: lt;xs:attribute name="SomeName" type="xs:X" .../>, where "X" is the built-in datatype name.

Here is a simple XSD document example on how to declare XML elements and XML attributes using built-in datatypes:

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

 <!-- Using built-in datatype to declare an element -->
 <xs:element name="message" type="xs:string"/>

 <xs:element name="profile">
  <xs:complexType>
   <!-- Using built-in datatypes to declare attributes -->
   <xs:attribute name="name" type="xs:string"/>
   <xs:attribute name="age" type="xs:nonNegativeInteger"/>
   <xs:attribute name="birthDate" type="xs:date"/>
  </xs:complexType>
 </xs:element>

</xs:schema>