Using single XSD to validate Similar XML files

[John Smith]

Ok, I have 2 xml files that are really similar. They have the exact
same structure exept that in one XML some element are required and in
the other they are simply absent from the xml.

Problem is in they are similar at 90% what I was looking for is a way
to validate and say what "case" I want to test. For exemple in my XSD
I somehow
specify what apply to what and in the XML or simply at validation time
I specify wich case I want to test.

Problem is I don't know if its possible to do this and I don't want to
maintain 2 different very similar version of the XSD where I will have
to make change in both if I have anything to modify.

Any input would be appreciate. Thank you very much in advance

[Martin Honnen]

John Smith wrote:

Ok, I have 2 xml files that are really similar. They have the exact
same structure exept that in one XML some element are required and in
the other they are simply absent from the xml.

Problem is in they are similar at 90% what I was looking for is a way
to validate and say what "case" I want to test. For exemple in my XSD
I somehow
specify what apply to what and in the XML or simply at validation time
I specify wich case I want to test.

Problem is I don't know if its possible to do this and I don't want to
maintain 2 different very similar version of the XSD where I will have
to make change in both if I have anything to modify.

Any input would be appreciate. Thank you very much in advance

You can define a type and then extend that as necessary, here is a
simple example, a base schema only defining a complex type, say it is
stored as test20040730Xsd01.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xs:schema
xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
version="1.0">

<xs:complexType name="Person">
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="name" type="xs:string" />
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>

</xs:schema>

then a schema including it, stored as test20040730Xsd02.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xs:schema
xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
version="1.0">

<xs:include schemaLocation="test20040730Xsd01.xml" />

<xs:element name="person" type="Person" />

</xs:schema>

and an XML instance document

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<person
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="test20040730Xsd02.x ml">
<name>Kibo</name>
</person>

then there is another schema including the first which now extends the
base type Person used to have an additional element, file is stored as
test20040730Xsd03.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xs:schema
xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
version="1.0">

<xs:include schemaLocation="test20040730Xsd01.xml" />

<xs:complexType name="Net-Person">
<xs:complexContent>
<xs:extension base="Person">
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="home" type="xs:anyURI" />
</xs:sequence>
</xs:extension>
</xs:complexContent>
</xs:complexType>

<xs:element name="person" type="Net-Person" />

</xs:schema>

and an XML instance document is for instance
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<person
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="test20040730Xsd03.x ml">
<name>Kibo</name>
<home>http://www.kibo.com/</home>
</person>

You can also compose schemas for different namespaces using <xs:import>.

--

Martin Honnen
http://JavaScript.FAQTs.com/