XML Schema Reference

The element Element

An element type, whose XML representation is the element element, serves two purposes. The first is to constrain the value of a corresponding element in an XML instance. The second is to locate, in a content model (specified by a complex type), where elements of a given type are permitted.

To constrain the value of an element, the element type associates a name with a simple type or a complex type. In the trivial case, the simple type is just a built-in datatype:

    <xsd:element name="anInteger" type="xsd:integer"/>

Frequently, the simple type is constrained for business reasons:

    <xsd:element name="anInteger">
        <xsd:simpleType>
            <xsd:restriction base="xsd:integer">
                <xsd:maxInclusive value="100"/>
            </xsd:restriction>
        </xsd:simpleType>
    </xsd:element>

The sequence element provides a good example of how element element providing content model location information.