Question

I am try to create an xsd schema that validates the following xml:

<results>
<row>
    <PersonID key="true">1</PersonID> 
    <FirstName>John</FirstName> 
    <Surname>Smith</Surname> 
    <LogonName>jsmith</LogonName> 
</row>
<row>
    <PersonID key="true">2</PersonID> 
    <FirstName>Steve</FirstName> 
    <Surname>Jones</Surname> 
    <LogonName>sjones</LogonName> 
</row>

The results node and row node are mandatory, but the nodes inside each row are optional and may have other nodes that I have not listed. There could 1 row or many rows.

I have created the below but I am unable to validate correctly:

<xs:element name="results">
<xs:complexType>
  <xs:sequence>
    <xs:element name="row" maxOccurs="unbounded" minOccurs="0">
      <xs:complexType>
        <xs:sequence>
          <xs:element name="PersonID" minOccurs="0">
            <xs:complexType>
              <xs:simpleContent>
                <xs:extension base="xs:byte">
                  <xs:attribute type="xs:string" name="key" use="optional"/>
                </xs:extension>
              </xs:simpleContent>
            </xs:complexType>
          </xs:element>
          <xs:choice minOccurs="0">
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="FirstName" minOccurs="0"/>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="Surname" minOccurs="0"/>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="LogonName" minOccurs="0"/>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="GroupName" minOccurs="0"/>
          </xs:choice>
        </xs:sequence>
      </xs:complexType>
    </xs:element>
  </xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>

Thanks.

Answer 1

If PersonID, FirstName etc. can occurr at most once – and in that specific order – try this:

<xs:element name="results">
  <xs:complexType>
    <xs:sequence>
      <xs:element name="row" maxOccurs="unbounded" minOccurs="0">
        <xs:complexType>
          <xs:sequence>
            <xs:element name="PersonID" minOccurs="0">
              <xs:complexType>
                <xs:simpleContent>
                  <xs:extension base="xs:byte">
                    <xs:attribute type="xs:string" name="key" use="optional"/>
                  </xs:extension>
                </xs:simpleContent>
              </xs:complexType>
            </xs:element>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="FirstName" minOccurs="0"/>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="Surname" minOccurs="0"/>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="LogonName" minOccurs="0"/>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="GroupName" minOccurs="0"/>
          </xs:sequence>
        </xs:complexType>
      </xs:element>
    </xs:sequence>
  </xs:complexType>
</xs:element>

(basically just drop the choice element). If PersonID, FirstName etc. can occurr at most once but in any order you can use all:

<xs:element name="results">
  <xs:complexType>
    <xs:sequence>
      <xs:element name="row" maxOccurs="unbounded" minOccurs="0">
        <xs:complexType>
          <xs:all>
            <xs:element name="PersonID" minOccurs="0">
              <xs:complexType>
                <xs:simpleContent>
                  <xs:extension base="xs:byte">
                    <xs:attribute type="xs:string" name="key" use="optional"/>
                  </xs:extension>
                </xs:simpleContent>
              </xs:complexType>
            </xs:element>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="FirstName" minOccurs="0"/>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="Surname" minOccurs="0"/>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="LogonName" minOccurs="0"/>
            <xs:element type="xs:string" name="GroupName" minOccurs="0"/>
          </xs:all>
        </xs:complexType>
      </xs:element>
    </xs:sequence>
  </xs:complexType>
</xs:element>

If you don’t know elements can occur within row you can use:

<xs:element name="results">
  <xs:complexType>
    <xs:sequence>
      <xs:element name="row" maxOccurs="unbounded" minOccurs="0">
        <xs:complexType>
          <xs:sequence>
            <xs:any minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" processContents="skip"/>
          </xs:sequence>
        </xs:complexType>
      </xs:element>
    </xs:sequence>
  </xs:complexType>
</xs:element>

that accepts any element within row.