Creating XSD schema files

[bernardmanning]

Hi,

I'm a recent newbie when it come to XML and have a question about what's the best way to create and distribute a XSD schema file with an application we are developing.

I've created an XML file using XMLDOM and everything is fine. I've also created an XSD file using XMLSPY for this XML file.

The question I have is is there a standard way to create / distribute the XSD file.

I create the XML file from within my program and the contents of the XML file may vary in terms of data, but is it acceptable to simply produce a copy of the XSD file as created via XMLSPY form with my program?

Or

Is they a way of generating XSD files on the file using XMLDOM or someother 3rd party application?

Any guidance or information as to how everybody else is doing it would be gratefully accepted.

Cheers, Bernard

 

[Cagliostro]

I think this is a question of deploying. The best way is the schema to be available somewhere in internet, but if people does not have internet, choosing of right way to distribute is up to the project's specifics.

Ion Filipski

 

[bernardmanning]

Hi Ion

Thanks for the reply, just wanted to confirm that I wasn't missing something obvious and that creating a copy of the xsd schema each time the xml file is created wouldn't raise any problems.

I don't think I can assume our customers will alway shave internet access, but I know what you mean about having a central schema on some website some place.

Again , Many thanks....

 

[chiph]

I think you might have it backwards -- the XSD should be defined first, and then XML documents can be created which conform to the schema in the XSD.

I agree with IonFilipski -- you need a central place to store them. The method the W3C (

http://www.w3c.org)

and HR-XML consortium (

http://www.hr-xml.org)

use is pretty good. You create directories with the four-digit year and XSD version. So version 1.3 that defines a customer from this year would be:
[tab]

http://www.mysite.com/schemas/2003/1.3/customer.xsd

The only rule is that once published, you can never move or change them because you (or a customer) have probably defined .xml documents that have that URL embedded in them.

Chip H.


If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ222-2244 first