Hi,
How can I describe an XML like this:

<X>
    <Y/>
    <Z/>
    <Y/>
    <Y/>
</X>

I mean a case where Z appears once and Y appears zero or more times and
the order is not important. If Z might appear more than once I can use:

<xsi:choice minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">

But I do not know what to do when it appears once.
Thanks,
Reuven Nisser

Hi,

You need a model like:

Y*,Z,Y*

In XML Schema that will be:

  <xs:element name="X">
    <xs:complexType>
      <xs:sequence>
        <xs:element ref="Y" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
        <xs:element ref="Z"/>
        <xs:element ref="Y" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
      </xs:sequence>
    </xs:complexType>
  </xs:element>

Best Regards,
George
---------------------------------------------------------------------
George Cristian Bina
<oXygen/> XML Editor, Schema Editor and XSLT Editor/Debugger
http://www.oxygenxml.com

Hi,
Thanks, I thought it will be the answer but I hoped there is an easier
way. You see Y could be several items (Y1,Y2,Y3...) which means creating
a "choice" before and after the Z element.
Regards, Reuven

Hi,
Thanks, I thought it will be the answer but I hoped there is an easier
way. You see Y could be several items (Y1,Y2,Y3...) which means creating
a "choice" before and after the Z element.

And if Z is also several items (Z1,Z2,Z3,...) which can also appear once
everywhere I have a problem.

The complete script would be:
<X>
     <Y1/>
     <Z2/>
     <Y2/>
     <Y1/>
     <Z1/>
     <Y2/>
     <Y3/>
     <Z3/>
</X>

Regards, Reuven

Hi,

You cannot do this in XML Schema alone, but you can use a relaxed model
in the XML Schema and embedded Schematron rules to check that Z1, Z2,
Z3 elements appear once. Below is a working XML Schema with embedded
schematron rules that does that:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
elementFormDefault="qualified">
  <xs:element name="X">
    <xs:annotation>
      <xs:appinfo>
        <pattern xmlns="http://www.ascc.net/xml/schematron" name="Check
          number of occurances">
          <rule context="X">
            <assert test="count(Z1)=1">There should be one occurence of
Z1 in X.</assert>
            <assert test="count(Z2)=1">There should be one occurence of
Z1 in X.</assert>
            <assert test="count(Z3)=1">There should be one occurence of
Z1 in X.</assert>
          </rule>
        </pattern>
      </xs:appinfo>
    </xs:annotation>
    <xs:complexType>
      <xs:choice maxOccurs="unbounded">
        <xs:element ref="Y1"/>
        <xs:element ref="Y2"/>
        <xs:element ref="Y3"/>
        <xs:element ref="Z1"/>
        <xs:element ref="Z2"/>
        <xs:element ref="Z3"/>
      </xs:choice>
    </xs:complexType>
  </xs:element>
  <xs:element name="Y1">
    <xs:complexType/>
  </xs:element>
  <xs:element name="Y2">
    <xs:complexType/>
  </xs:element>
  <xs:element name="Y3">
    <xs:complexType/>
  </xs:element>
  <xs:element name="Z1">
    <xs:complexType/>
  </xs:element>
  <xs:element name="Z2">
    <xs:complexType/>
  </xs:element>
  <xs:element name="Z3">
    <xs:complexType/>
  </xs:element>
</xs:schema>

You can also do this in Relax NG. Below are working schemas both in
compact syntax and in XML syntax.

Compact syntax:

start =
  element X {
    (element Z1 { text }
     & element Z2 { text }
     & element Z3 { text })
    & (element Y1 { text }
XML syntax:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<grammar xmlns="http://relaxng.org/ns/structure/1.0"
    xmlns:a="http://relaxng.org/ns/compatibility/annotations/1.0"
    datatypeLibrary="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-datatypes">
    <start>
        <element name="X">
            <interleave>
                <interleave>
                    <element name="Z1"><text/></element>
                    <element name="Z2"><text/></element>
                    <element name="Z3"><text/></element>
                </interleave>
                <zeroOrMore>
                    <choice>
                        <element name="Y1"><text/></element>
                        <element name="Y2"><text/></element>
                        <element name="Y3"><text/></element>
                    </choice>
                </zeroOrMore>
            </interleave>
        </element>
    </start>
</grammar>

Best Regards,
George
---------------------------------------------------------------------
George Cristian Bina
<oXygen/> XML Editor, Schema Editor and XSLT Editor/Debugger
http://www.oxygenxml.com

Hi Reuven,

Must the Z element always appear beside between Y blocks? Is the sequence
important? If so, I agree George that it is the only way to write such a
complex schema. If the sequence is not so important, I suggest you use

  <xs:element name="X">
    <xs:complexType>
      <xs:sequence>
        <xs:element ref="Z"/>
        <xs:element ref="Y" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
      </xs:sequence>
    </xs:complexType>
  </xs:element>

which puts Z before the Y block. You can also add attribute in the Z
element to identify the sequence of Z.

Kevin Yu
=======
"This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights."

Problem with reading XML
xPath query
XmlSchemaException in App.config using UIP Application Block
Verify an xml file is valid
Need help getting timezone info in webservice