Question

I have the following xml which has xsd schema, but is poor and no use for serialization.

<rulestruct>
     <rule>
         <type name="vector" />
         <ruleident ruleidentifier="" />
         <pattern type="" />
     </rule>
     <rule>
          <type name="expression" />
          <ruleident ruleidentifier="" />
          <pattern type="" />
     </rule>
     <rule>
          <type name="vector" />
          <ruleident ruleidentifier="" />
          <pattern type="" />
     </rule>
     <rule>
          <type name="statement" />
          <ruleident ruleidentifier="" />
          <pattern type="" />
     </rule>
     <rule>
          <type name="statement" />
          <ruleident ruleidentifier="" />
          <pattern type="" />
     </rule>
</rulestruct>

Each rulestruct can have 1.N rules. Each rule can be repeated. Order must be preseved. Each rule has 1.N elements, some have 9 elements, others have 10, 13. There are 9 different rule types.

I was thinking of using a elements group to represent each rule type but i’m not quite sure how to map it.

Answer 1

If you want to preserve the same name of element (rule) for various rule types, you defined abstract element (attribute abstract="true") and all of its children will have xs:ComplextContent>xs:extension with base attribute equal to your abstract type name.
In your XML each rule element must have xsi:type attrite to distinguish element concrete type.
Explanation and example are here.

If you want/can use different element names for each rule type, you can use substitution groups. You common ancestor is again defined by attribute abstract. The concrete types are defined as xs:element with attribute substitutionGroup equal to name of common ancestor.
Explanation and example are here.