Declaring Simple Elements

This section describes a tutorial example on how to declare a simple element that accepts only text content using a built-in datatype or a user defined simpleType datatype.

What is a simple element? A simple element is an XML element that does not have any attributes or any sub (child) elements. A simple element can be declared with a simple datatype.

In other word, a simple element is an element with text content, no sub (child) element, and no attribute. This type of element can be declared with a built-in datatype or a "simleType" derived from a built-in datatype.

Here is a sample schema, simple_element.xsd, that declares a simple element using "simpleType":

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

 <xs:element name="title">
 <xs:simpleType>
  <xs:restriction base="xs:string">
  <xs:length value="256"/>
  </xs:restriction>
 </xs:simpleType>
 </xs:element>

</xs:schema>

For more tutorial examples, see the built-in datatype chapter in this book.

Table of Contents

 About This Book

 Introduction to XML Schema

 XML Editor and Schema Processor - XMLPad

 Java API for XML Processing - JAXP

 JAXP - XML Schema (XSD) Validation

 Xerces2 Java Parser - Java API of XML Parsers

 Using Xerces2 Java APIs

 XML Schema Language - Basics

 Introduction of XSD Built-in Datatypes

 "string" and Its Derived Datatypes

 "decimal" and Its Derived Datatypes

 "dateTime" and Its Related Datatypes

 Miscellaneous Built-in Datatypes

 Facets, Constraining Facets and Restriction Datatypes

 "simpleType" - Defining Your Own Simple Datatypes

Complex Element Declaration

 Complex Element vs. Simple Element

 Declaring Empty Elements

Declaring Simple Elements

 Declaring Complex Elements with Simple Content

 Declaring Complex Elements with Attributes Only

 Declaring Complex Elements with Sub Elements Only

 Declaring Complex Elements with Attributes and Sub Elements

 Declaring Complex Elements with Attributes, Sub Elements & Text Content

 Using Shorthand for "complexContent" with "restriction"

 Identity-Constraints: unique, key and keyref

 Assertion as Custom Validation Rules

 XML Schema Location and Namespace in XML Documents

 Overriding Element Types in XML Documents

 Linking Multiple Schema Documents Together

 Glossary

 Archived Tutorials

 References

 Full Version in PDF/EPUB