XML Schema any Element

|  | Search W3Schools : |

HOME | HTML | CSS | XML | JAVASCRIPT | ASP | PHP | SQL | MORE... |  | References | Examples | Forum | About

ADVERTISEMENTS XML Certification Download XML editor Custom Programming |  |

Table of contents

Schema Tutorial
XSD HOME
XSD Intro
XSD Why Use
XSD How To
XSD <schema>
Simple Types
XSD Elements
XSD Attributes
XSD Restrictions
Complex Types
XSD Elements
XSD Empty
XSD Elements Only
XSD Text Only
XSD Mixed
XSD Indicators
XSD <any>
XSD <anyAttribute>
XSD Substitution
XSD Example
Data Types
XSD String
XSD Date
XSD Numeric
XSD Misc
XSD Editor
XSD Summary
References
XSD Reference
XSD Validator

Selected Reading

Web Statistics
Web Glossary
Web Hosting
Web Quality
W3Schools Tutorials
W3Schools Forum
Helping W3Schools

# XSD The <any> Element

The <any> element enables us to extend the XML document with elements not specified by the schema!

## The <any> Element

The <any> element enables us to extend the XML document with elements not specified by the schema.

The following example is a fragment from an XML schema called "family.xsd". It shows a declaration for the "person" element. By using the <any> element we can extend (after <lastname>) the content of "person" with any element:

    <xs:element name="person">
      <xs:complexType>
        <xs:sequence>
          <xs:element name="firstname" type="xs:string"/>
          <xs:element name="lastname" type="xs:string"/>
          <xs:any minOccurs="0"/>
        </xs:sequence>
      </xs:complexType>
    </xs:element>

Now we want to extend the "person" element with a "children" element. In this case we can do so, even if the author of the schema above never declared any "children" element.

Look at this schema file, called "children.xsd":

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
    <xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
    targetNamespace="http://www.w3schools.com"
    xmlns="http://www.w3schools.com"
    elementFormDefault="qualified">

    <xs:element name="children">
      <xs:complexType>
        <xs:sequence>
          <xs:element name="childname" type="xs:string"
          maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
        </xs:sequence>
      </xs:complexType>
    </xs:element>

    </xs:schema>

The XML file below (called "Myfamily.xml"), uses components from two different schemas; "family.xsd" and "children.xsd":

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>

    <persons xmlns="http://www.microsoft.com"
    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xsi:SchemaLocation="http://www.microsoft.com family.xsd
    http://www.w3schools.com children.xsd">

    <person>
    <firstname>Hege</firstname>
    <lastname>Refsnes</lastname>
    <children>
      <childname>Cecilie</childname>
    </children>
    </person>

    <person>
    <firstname>Stale</firstname>
    <lastname>Refsnes</lastname>
    </person>

    </persons>

The XML file above is valid because the schema "family.xsd" allows us to extend the "person" element with an optional element after the "lastname" element.

The <any> and <anyAttribute> elements are used to make EXTENSIBLE documents! They allow documents to contain additional elements that are not declared in the main XML schema.

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.

WEB HOSTING
Dynamic button image generation
$15 Domain Name Registration Save $20 / year!
Buy UK Domain Names Register Domain Names
Cheap Domain Names Cheap Web Hosting
Best Web Hosting
PHP MySQL Hosting
Top 10 Web Hosting
UK Reseller Hosting
Web Hosting
FREE Web Hosting

WEB BUILDING
Website Templates Flash Templates Website Builder Internet Business Opportunity
Custom Programming
FREE Trial or Demo Web Content Manager Forms,Web Alerts,RSS
Download XML editor
FREE Flash Website
FREE Web Templates

EDUCATION
US Web Design Schools
HTML Certification
JavaScript Certification
XML Certification
PHP Certification
ASP Certification

HOME or Top of Page |  | Printer Friendly
W3Schools is for training only. We do not warrant the correctness of its content. 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 1999-2009 by Refsnes Data. All Rights Reserved.