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The attribute Element

Definition and Usage

The attribute element defines an attribute.

Element Information

• Parent elements: attributeGroup, schema, complexType, restriction (both simpleContent and complexContent), extension (both simpleContent and complexContent)

Syntax

<attribute
default=string
fixed=string
form=qualified|unqualified
id=ID
name=NCName
ref=QName
type=QName
use=optional|prohibited|required
any attributes
>

(annotation?,(simpleType?))

</attribute>

(The ? sign declares that the element can occur zero or one time inside the attribute element)

Example 1

<xs:attribute name="code">

<xs:simpleType>
  <xs:restriction base="xs:string">
    <xs:pattern value="[A-Z][A-Z]"/>
  </xs:restriction>
</xs:simpleType>

</xs:attribute>

The example above indicates that the "code" attribute has a restriction. The only acceptable value is two of the uppercase letters from a to z.

Example 2

To declare an attribute using an existing attribute definition within a complex type, use the ref attribute:

<xs:attribute name="code">
  <xs:simpleType>
    <xs:restriction base="xs:string">
      <xs:pattern value="[A-Z][A-Z]"/>
    </xs:restriction>
  </xs:simpleType>
</xs:attribute>

<xs:complexType name="someComplexType">
  <xs:attribute ref="code"/>
</xs:complexType>

Example 3

Attributes can have either a default value OR a fixed value specified. A default value is automatically assigned to the attribute when no other value is specified. In the following example the default value is "EN":

<xs:attribute name="lang" type="xs:string" default="EN"/>

A fixed value is also automatically assigned to the attribute when no other value is specified. But unlike default values; if you specify another value than the fixed, the document is considered invalid. In the following example the fixed value is "EN":

<xs:attribute name="lang" type="xs:string" fixed="EN"/>

Example 4

All attributes are optional by default. To explicitly specify that the attribute is optional, use the "use" attribute:

<xs:attribute name="lang" type="xs:string" use="optional"/>

To make an attribute required:

<xs:attribute name="lang" type="xs:string" use="required"/>

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