XML Schema complexType Element
 Complete XML Schema Reference
Definition and Usage
The complexType element defines a complex type. A complex type element is an
XML element that contains other elements and/or attributes.
Element Information
- Parent elements: element, redefine, schema
Syntax
<complexType
id=ID
name=NCName
abstract=true|false
mixed=true|false
block=(#all|list of (extension|restriction))
final=(#all|list of (extension|restriction))
any attributes
>
(annotation?,(simpleContent|complexContent|((group|all|
choice|sequence)?,((attribute|attributeGroup)*,anyAttribute?))))
</complexType>
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(The ? sign declares that the element can occur zero or one time, and the * sign declares that the element can occur zero or more times
inside the complexType element)
| Attribute |
Description |
| id |
Optional. Specifies a unique ID for the element |
| name |
Optional. Specifies a name for the element |
| abstract |
Optional. Specifies whether the complex type can be used in
an instance document. True indicates that an element cannot use this complex
type directly but must use a complex type derived from this complex type.
Default is false |
| mixed |
Optional. Specifies whether character data is allowed to
appear between the child elements of this complexType element. Default is
false. If a simpleContent element is a child element, the mixed attribute is
not allowed! |
| block |
Optional. Prevents a complex type that has a specified type
of derivation from being used in place of this complex type. This value can
contain #all or a list that is a subset of extension or restriction:
- extension - prevents complex types derived by extension
- restriction - prevents complex types derived by restriction
- #all - prevents all derived complex types
|
| final |
Optional. Prevents a specified type of derivation of this
complex type element. Can contain #all or a list that is a subset of
extension or restriction.
- extension - prevents derivation by extension
- restriction - prevents derivation by restriction
- #all - prevents all derivation
|
| any attributes |
Optional. Specifies any other attributes with non-schema
namespace |
Example 1
The following example has an element named "note" that is of a complex type:
<xs:element name="note">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="to" type="xs:string"/>
<xs:element name="from" type="xs:string"/>
<xs:element name="heading" type="xs:string"/>
<xs:element name="body" type="xs:string"/>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
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Example 2
The following example has a complex type, "fullpersoninfo", that
derives from another complex type, "personinfo", by extending the
inherited type with three additional elements (address, city and country):
<xs:element name="employee" type="fullpersoninfo"/>
<xs:complexType name="personinfo">
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="firstname" type="xs:string"/>
<xs:element name="lastname" type="xs:string"/>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
<xs:complexType name="fullpersoninfo">
<xs:complexContent>
<xs:extension base="personinfo">
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="address" type="xs:string"/>
<xs:element name="city" type="xs:string"/>
<xs:element name="country" type="xs:string"/>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:extension>
</xs:complexContent>
</xs:complexType>
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In the example above the "employee" element must contain, in sequence, the
following elements: "firstname", "lastname", "address", "city", and "country".
Complete XML Schema Reference
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