XSD Complex Elements

A complex element contains other elements and/or attributes.

What is a Complex Element?

A complex element is an XML element that contains other elements and/or attributes.

There are four kinds of complex elements:

• empty elements
• elements that contain only other elements
• elements that contain only text
• elements that contain both other elements and text

Note: Each of these elements may contain attributes as well!

Examples of Complex Elements

A complex XML element, "product", which is empty:

<product pid="1345"/>

A complex XML element, "employee", which contains only other elements:

<employee>
<firstname>John</firstname>
<lastname>Smith</lastname>
</employee>

A complex XML element, "food", which contains only text:

<food type="dessert">Ice cream</food>

A complex XML element, "description", which contains both elements and text:

<description>
It happened on <date lang="norwegian">03.03.99</date> ....
</description>

How to Define a Complex Element

Look at this complex XML element, "employee", which contains only other elements:

<employee>
<firstname>John</firstname>
<lastname>Smith</lastname>
</employee>

We can define a complex element in an XML Schema two different ways:

1. The "employee" element can be declared directly by naming the element, like this:

<xs:element name="employee">
  <xs:complexType>
    <xs:sequence>
      <xs:element name="firstname" type="xs:string"/>
      <xs:element name="lastname" type="xs:string"/>
    </xs:sequence>
  </xs:complexType>
</xs:element>

If you use the method described above, only the "employee" element can use the specified complex type. Note that the child elements, "firstname" and "lastname", are surrounded by the <sequence> indicator. This means that the child elements must appear in the same order as they are declared. You will learn more about indicators in the XSD Indicators chapter.

2. The "employee" element can have a type attribute that refers to the name of the complex type to use:

<xs:element name="employee" type="personinfo"/>

<xs:complexType name="personinfo">
  <xs:sequence>
    <xs:element name="firstname" type="xs:string"/>
    <xs:element name="lastname" type="xs:string"/>
  </xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>

If you use the method described above, several elements can refer to the same complex type, like this:

<xs:element name="employee" type="personinfo"/>
<xs:element name="student" type="personinfo"/>
<xs:element name="member" type="personinfo"/>

<xs:complexType name="personinfo">
  <xs:sequence>
    <xs:element name="firstname" type="xs:string"/>
    <xs:element name="lastname" type="xs:string"/>
  </xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>

You can also base a complex element on an existing complex element and add some elements, like this:

<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>

Ektron CMS400.NET Version 7.6 delivers all of the flexibility and features you need to deploy the Web site you want, quickly and efficiently. learn more...       6 ways to take your site to the next level with Ektron: Create site stickiness through social networking. Keep it personal, relevant and interactive and they'll come back for more. Keep it open. Your site needs to be ready and able to connect to outside services. Ektron's open API gives you maximum flexibility. Streamline content and document management. Users need to quickly and intuitively find and add information. Empower your content authors. Reduce IT bottlenecks by allowing business users to create and edit Web content and forms. Climb to the top of search rankings. SEO tools, URL aliasing and eCommerce for your digital marketing strategy Add powerful Web 2.0 tools like blogs, wikis, forums, geo-mapping, rating systems and RSS feeds easily. See why there are 20,000+ Ektron integrations worldwide. Request an INSTANT DEMO or download a FREE TRIAL today.

Jump to: Top of Page or HOME or Printer friendly page

W3Schools provides material for training only. We do not warrant the correctness of its contents. The risk from using it lies entirely with the user. While using this site, you agree to have read and accepted our terms of use and privacy policy.

Copyright 1999-2008 by Refsnes Data. All Rights Reserved.

W3Schools was converted to XHTML in December 1999