Want to split a Schema into a common part + "private" part. How to?

Question

I have a schema file which I would like to split in two parts. One with common fields and another with particular fields in JAXB (2.1) for reusability. How to do it?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>

<xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"&gt; <xs:element name="content">
    <xs:complexType>
      <xs:sequence>
        <xs:element ref="idPaciente"/>
        <xs:element ref="fechaCita"/>
      </xs:sequence>
      <xs:attribute name="user" type="xs:string" use="required" />
      <xs:attribute name="authorityId" type="xs:string" use="required" />
      <xs:attribute name="userName" type="xs:string" use="required" />
      <xs:attribute name="profileId" type="xs:string" use="required" />
      <xs:attribute name="sessionId" type="xs:string" use="required" />
      <xs:attribute name="country" type="xs:string" use="required" />
      <xs:attribute name="method" type="xs:string" use="required" />
      <xs:attribute name="language" type="xs:string" use="required" />
    </xs:complexType>   </xs:element>

  <xs:element name="idPaciente" type="xs:string"/>   <xs:element name="fechaCita" type="xs:string"/>

</xs:schema>

Both elements into the sequence are the uncommon fields while the others would be the common part. How could be done?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hard to give advice without knowing your requirements. You could declare the sequence as optional (MinOccurance="0") if you want to validate documents with or without these two particular elements or you could put the particular fields in a different namespace.

BTW - you should declare/use namespaces anyway, I often face ugly sideeffects when I'm too lazy on this part...

Answer 2

Not sure I understand the question, but would "extends" solve your problem?

  <xsd:complexType name="AbstractType" abstract="true">
    <xsd:sequence>
      <xsd:element name="common1" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1" />
      <xsd:element name="common2" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1" />
    </xsd:sequence>
  </xsd:complexType>

  <xsd:complexType name="MyType">
    <xsd:complexContent>
      <xsd:extension base="AbstractType">
        <xsd:sequence>
          <xsd:element name="uncommon1" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="1" maxOccurs="1" />
          <xsd:element name="uncommon2" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1" />
        </xsd:sequence>
      </xsd:extension>
    </xsd:complexContent>
  </xsd:complexType>