XML/XSD Troubleshooting

Question

Hello,

I have spent last 2 days working on a XSD specification and an example of XML code that this XSD would validate. However, the XSD I have created does not validate the XML and thus I have information from the command line about the error, I was unable to identify the exact cause.

If anyone could help me with this, I would be thankful.

The XML looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<peopleCatalogue xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="zoznam-osoby.xsd">
<person role="boss" typeOfContact="humanBeing">
    <firstName>Anton</firstName>
    <lastName>Mlaskal</lastName>
    <email typeOfEmail="personal">mlaskalko.antonko@hotmail.com</email>
    <email typeOfEmail="professional">mlaskal.anton@gmail.com</email>
    <phoneNumber typeOfPhone="cell">+421 948 127 337</phoneNumber>
    <phoneNumber typeOfPhone="home">+420 2 48 48 48</phoneNumber>
    <web>www.mlaskal.com</web>
    <adress>
      <streetName>Lubovnikova</streetName>
      <houseNumber>7</houseNumber>
      <postalCode>84107</postalCode>
      <cityName>Bratislava</cityName>
      <country>Slovakia</country>
    </adress>
    <note typeOfNote="action">Please, kill him as soon as possible.</note>
    <note typeOfNote="undercoverInformation">He is the boss of the whole drug cartel we need to eradicate.</note>
</person>

<person role="boss" typeOfContact="IDServicePair">
    <service>Skype</service>
    <ID>Antonius</ID>
</person> </peopleCatalogue>

The XSD looks like this:

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

<xsd:element name="peopleCatalogue">
    <xsd:complexType>
        <xsd:all>
            <xsd:element name="person">
                <xsd:complexType>    
                    <xsd:attribute name="role" type="xsd:string" default="unknown"/>
                    <xsd:attribute name="typeOfContact">
                        <xsd:simpleType>
                            <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                                <xsd:pattern value="humanBeing|IDServicePair"/>
                            </xsd:restriction>
                        </xsd:simpleType>
                    </xsd:attribute>
                </xsd:complexType>
            </xsd:element>
        </xsd:all>
    </xsd:complexType>    
</xsd:element>

<xsd:complexType name="IDServicePair">
    <xsd:all> 
        <xsd:element name="ID" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
            <xsd:simpleType>
                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z0-9 ])*"/>
                </xsd:restriction>
            </xsd:simpleType>
        </xsd:element>
        <xsd:element name="service" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
            <xsd:simpleType>
                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z0-9 ~!@#$%^*])*"/>
                </xsd:restriction>
            </xsd:simpleType>
        </xsd:element>
    </xsd:all> 
</xsd:complexType>


<xsd:element name="humanBeing">
    <xsd:complexType>
        <xsd:all>
            <xsd:element name="firstName" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z])*"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="lastName" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z])*"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="email">
                <xsd:complexType>
                    <xsd:simpleContent>
                        <xsd:extension base="emailPattern">  
                            <xsd:attribute name="typeOfEmail" default="personal"/>
                        </xsd:extension>
                    </xsd:simpleContent>
                </xsd:complexType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="phoneNumber">
                <xsd:complexType>
                    <xsd:simpleContent>
                        <xsd:extension base="phonePattern">  
                            <xsd:attribute name="typeOfPhone" default="cell"/>
                        </xsd:extension>
                    </xsd:simpleContent>
                </xsd:complexType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="web">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="(https?://[a-zA-Z]+(\.[a-zA-Z]+)*\.[a-zA-Z]{2,9})|(www(\.[a-zA-Z]+)+((\.[a-zA-Z]{2,9}){1}))"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="adress">
                <xsd:complexType>
                    <xsd:all>

                        <xsd:element name="streetName">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z ])*"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>    
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="houseNumber">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:integer">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([0-9])*"/>
                                    <xsd:minInclusive value="0"/>
                                    <xsd:maxInclusive value="99999"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>    
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="postalCode">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:integer">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([0-9])*"/>
                                    <xsd:minInclusive value="0"/>
                                    <xsd:maxInclusive value="99999"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="cityName">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z ])*"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="country">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z ])*"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>
                        </xsd:element>
                    </xsd:all>
                </xsd:complexType>    
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="note">
                <xsd:complexType>  
                    <xsd:simpleContent>  
                        <xsd:extension base="noteType">  
                            <xsd:attribute name="typeOfNote"/>  
                        </xsd:extension>  
                    </xsd:simpleContent>  
                </xsd:complexType>  
            </xsd:element>    
        </xsd:all>
</xsd:complexType> </xsd:element>

The error message I get, when I try to validate the xml file with xsd through

xmllint --noout --schema zoznam-osoby.xsd OnePerson.xml in command line is this:

OnePerson.xml:3: element person: Schemas validity error : Element 'person': Character content is not allowed, because the content type
is empty.
OnePerson.xml:3: element person: Schemas validity error : Element 'person': Element content is not allowed, because the content type is
empty.
OnePerson.xml:22: element person: Schemas validity error : Element 'person': This element is not expected.
OnePerson.xml fails to validate

It tells me, that the content type is empty, but I have no idea, what kind of content this is about. What to do to make it functional?

Your schema and your question showcase considerable gaps in your understanding of XML Schema. I suggest that you first study relevant learning material, for example [Definitive XML Schema](http://www.datypic.com/books/defxmlschema/), or the W3C [XML Schema Primer](http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-0/). — Meyer, Dec 10 '16 at 15:06
Well, the error message already tells you everything you need to know. In the schema, `person` is declared as an element with empty content, which means that it cannot contain other elements. — Meyer, Dec 10 '16 at 15:26
I am looking for the line where I have declared it as an element with empty content, but I cannot find the answer. That is the reason why I am asking anyone willing to point me in the right direction. — Jakub Hančin, Dec 10 '16 at 15:41
As I said, you should study relevant learning material. Then you would know that an element with empty content simply is declared [by not including any content in its declaration](http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-0/#emptyContent). — Meyer, Dec 10 '16 at 15:58

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:08

Except for type definition problems (fixed in the examples below), you are generally looking for Conditional Type Assignment defined starting with version 1.1 of the XML Schema standard (https://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema11-1/#cTypeAlternative), see https://stackoverflow.com/a/27880329.

XML Schema v1.1 data:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<peopleCatalogue xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
                 xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="zoznam-osoby.xsd">
    <person role="boss" typeOfContact="humanBeing">
        <firstName>Anton</firstName>
        <lastName>Mlaskal</lastName>
        <email typeOfEmail="personal">mlaskalko.antonko@hotmail.com</email>
        <email typeOfEmail="professional">mlaskal.anton@gmail.com</email>
        <phoneNumber typeOfPhone="cell">+421 948 127 337</phoneNumber>
        <phoneNumber typeOfPhone="home">+420 2 48 48 48</phoneNumber>
        <web>www.mlaskal.com</web>
        <adress>
            <streetName>Lubovnikova</streetName>
            <houseNumber>7</houseNumber>
            <postalCode>84107</postalCode>
            <cityName>Bratislava</cityName>
            <country>Slovakia</country>
        </adress>
        <note typeOfNote="action">Please, kill him as soon as possible.</note>
        <note typeOfNote="undercoverInformation">He is the boss of the whole drug cartel we need to eradicate.</note>
    </person>

    <person role="boss" typeOfContact="IDServicePair">
        <service>Skype</service>
        <ID>Antonius</ID>
    </person> 
</peopleCatalogue>

XML Schema v1.1 definition:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xsd:schema xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
            xmlns:vc="http://www.w3.org/2007/XMLSchema-versioning"
            vc:minVersion="1.1">

    <xsd:element name="peopleCatalogue">
        <xsd:complexType>
            <xsd:sequence>
                <xsd:element name="person" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                    <xsd:alternative test="@typeOfContact = humanBeing" type="humanBeing"/>        
                    <xsd:alternative test="@typeOfContact = IDServicePair" type="IDServicePair"/>
                </xsd:element>
            </xsd:sequence>
        </xsd:complexType>
    </xsd:element>

    <xsd:complexType name="IDServicePair">
        <xsd:all>
            <xsd:element name="ID" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z0-9 ])*"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>
            <xsd:element name="service" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z0-9 ~!@#$%^*])*"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>
        </xsd:all>
        <xsd:attribute name="role" type="xsd:string" default="unknown"/>
        <xsd:attribute name="typeOfContact" type="xsd:string" fixed="IDServicePair"/>
    </xsd:complexType>

    <xsd:complexType name="humanBeing">
        <xsd:sequence>
            <xsd:element name="firstName" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z])*"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="lastName" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z])*"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="email" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                <xsd:complexType>
                    <xsd:simpleContent>
                        <xsd:extension base="emailPattern">  
                            <xsd:attribute name="typeOfEmail" default="personal"/>
                        </xsd:extension>
                    </xsd:simpleContent>
                </xsd:complexType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="phoneNumber" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                <xsd:complexType>
                    <xsd:simpleContent>
                        <xsd:extension base="phonePattern">  
                            <xsd:attribute name="typeOfPhone" default="cell"/>
                        </xsd:extension>
                    </xsd:simpleContent>
                </xsd:complexType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="web">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="(https?://[a-zA-Z]+(\.[a-zA-Z]+)*\.[a-zA-Z]{2,9})|(www(\.[a-zA-Z]+)+((\.[a-zA-Z]{2,9}){1}))"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="adress">
                <xsd:complexType>
                    <xsd:all>

                        <xsd:element name="streetName">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z ])*"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>    
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="houseNumber">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:integer">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([0-9])*"/>
                                    <xsd:minInclusive value="0"/>
                                    <xsd:maxInclusive value="99999"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>    
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="postalCode">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:integer">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([0-9])*"/>
                                    <xsd:minInclusive value="0"/>
                                    <xsd:maxInclusive value="99999"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="cityName">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z ])*"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="country">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z ])*"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>
                        </xsd:element>
                    </xsd:all>
                </xsd:complexType>    
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="note" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                <xsd:complexType>  
                    <xsd:simpleContent>  
                        <xsd:extension base="noteType">  
                            <xsd:attribute name="typeOfNote"/>  
                        </xsd:extension>  
                    </xsd:simpleContent>  
                </xsd:complexType>  
            </xsd:element>    
        </xsd:sequence>
        <xsd:attribute name="role" type="xsd:string" default="unknown"/>
        <xsd:attribute name="typeOfContact" type="xsd:string" fixed="humanBeing"/>

    </xsd:complexType>

    <xsd:simpleType name="emailPattern">
        <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
            <xsd:pattern value=".+@.+"/>
        </xsd:restriction>
    </xsd:simpleType>

    <xsd:simpleType name="phonePattern">
        <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
            <xsd:pattern value="\+[\d\s]+"/>
        </xsd:restriction>
    </xsd:simpleType>

    <xsd:simpleType name="noteType">
        <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string"/>
    </xsd:simpleType>

</xsd:schema>

However, I am not sure how widespread support of v1.1 of XML Schema is (at least NetBeans 8.2 failed to understand it). So I suggest to use XML Schema v1.0 definition distinguishing element type by the element name itself rather then by the value of an required attribute. I do not see much sense in doing so – why to use the same element name when the required attribute totally changes its allowed contents?

XML Schema v1.0 data:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<peopleCatalogue xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
                 xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="zoznam-osoby.xsd">
    <humanBeing role="boss">
        <firstName>Anton</firstName>
        <lastName>Mlaskal</lastName>
        <email typeOfEmail="personal">mlaskalko.antonko@hotmail.com</email>
        <email typeOfEmail="professional">mlaskal.anton@gmail.com</email>
        <phoneNumber typeOfPhone="cell">+421 948 127 337</phoneNumber>
        <phoneNumber typeOfPhone="home">+420 2 48 48 48</phoneNumber>
        <web>www.mlaskal.com</web>
        <adress>
            <streetName>Lubovnikova</streetName>
            <houseNumber>7</houseNumber>
            <postalCode>84107</postalCode>
            <cityName>Bratislava</cityName>
            <country>Slovakia</country>
        </adress>
        <note typeOfNote="action">Please, kill him as soon as possible.</note>
        <note typeOfNote="undercoverInformation">He is the boss of the whole drug cartel we need to eradicate.</note>
    </humanBeing>

    <IDServicePair role="boss">
        <service>Skype</service>
        <ID>Antonius</ID>
    </IDServicePair> 
</peopleCatalogue>

XML Schema v1.0 definition:

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

    <xsd:element name="peopleCatalogue">
        <xsd:complexType>
            <xsd:choice minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                <xsd:element name="humanBeing" type="humanBeing"/>
                <xsd:element name="IDServicePair" type="IDServicePair"/>
            </xsd:choice>
        </xsd:complexType>
    </xsd:element>

    <xsd:complexType name="IDServicePair">
        <xsd:all>
            <xsd:element name="ID" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z0-9 ])*"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>
            <xsd:element name="service" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z0-9 ~!@#$%^*])*"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>
        </xsd:all>
        <xsd:attribute name="role" type="xsd:string" default="unknown"/>
    </xsd:complexType>

    <xsd:complexType name="humanBeing">
        <xsd:sequence>
            <xsd:element name="firstName" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z])*"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="lastName" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z])*"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="email" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                <xsd:complexType>
                    <xsd:simpleContent>
                        <xsd:extension base="emailPattern">  
                            <xsd:attribute name="typeOfEmail" default="personal"/>
                        </xsd:extension>
                    </xsd:simpleContent>
                </xsd:complexType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="phoneNumber" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                <xsd:complexType>
                    <xsd:simpleContent>
                        <xsd:extension base="phonePattern">  
                            <xsd:attribute name="typeOfPhone" default="cell"/>
                        </xsd:extension>
                    </xsd:simpleContent>
                </xsd:complexType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="web">
                <xsd:simpleType>
                    <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                        <xsd:pattern value="(https?://[a-zA-Z]+(\.[a-zA-Z]+)*\.[a-zA-Z]{2,9})|(www(\.[a-zA-Z]+)+((\.[a-zA-Z]{2,9}){1}))"/>
                    </xsd:restriction>
                </xsd:simpleType>
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="adress">
                <xsd:complexType>
                    <xsd:all>

                        <xsd:element name="streetName">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z ])*"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>    
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="houseNumber">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:integer">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([0-9])*"/>
                                    <xsd:minInclusive value="0"/>
                                    <xsd:maxInclusive value="99999"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>    
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="postalCode">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:integer">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([0-9])*"/>
                                    <xsd:minInclusive value="0"/>
                                    <xsd:maxInclusive value="99999"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="cityName">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z ])*"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>
                        </xsd:element>

                        <xsd:element name="country">
                            <xsd:simpleType>
                                <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
                                    <xsd:pattern value="([a-zA-Z ])*"/>
                                </xsd:restriction>
                            </xsd:simpleType>
                        </xsd:element>
                    </xsd:all>
                </xsd:complexType>    
            </xsd:element>

            <xsd:element name="note" maxOccurs="unbounded">
                <xsd:complexType>  
                    <xsd:simpleContent>  
                        <xsd:extension base="noteType">  
                            <xsd:attribute name="typeOfNote"/>  
                        </xsd:extension>  
                    </xsd:simpleContent>  
                </xsd:complexType>  
            </xsd:element>    
        </xsd:sequence>
        <xsd:attribute name="role" type="xsd:string" default="unknown"/>
    </xsd:complexType>

    <xsd:simpleType name="emailPattern">
        <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
            <xsd:pattern value=".+@.+"/>
        </xsd:restriction>
    </xsd:simpleType>

    <xsd:simpleType name="phonePattern">
        <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string">
            <xsd:pattern value="\+[\d\s]+"/>
        </xsd:restriction>
    </xsd:simpleType>

    <xsd:simpleType name="noteType">
        <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string"/>
    </xsd:simpleType>

</xsd:schema>

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 10 '16 at 16:39

Ok, after a lot of effort, I solved it.

Basically, what I tried to do, was to specify some kind of an IF statement inside an XML schema. If a person has a typeOfContact = humanBeing, I wanted it to have a set of elements, if it is of typeOfContact = IDServicePair, I wanted it to have just two elements (ID + service).

I thought that if I specify the attribute as a complexType, this would be possible. However, it is not and after hours of effort, you will end up with the same error I have ended up with, with people seemingly answering, but basically just talking to you like a child.

So I just deleted a lot of my work and just dealt with the fact, that I cannot do that.

XML/XSD Troubleshooting

2 Answers2