Creating XSD from XML data

[jim2406]

The strongly typed dataset was a requirement (not dictated by myself) to make a specific region of code easier to maintain.

I wasn't arguing the merits (or otherwise) of the question posted by the original poster I was just offering a solution..

[DimPrawn]

vb.net code to do it


Dim doc As New XmlDocument
Dim sr As New System.IO.StreamReader("C:\foo.xml")
Dim xmlS As String = sr.ReadToEnd
sr.Close()
doc.LoadXml(xmlS)
Dim ds As DataSet = New DataSet

ds.ReadXml("C:\foo.xml")

ds.WriteXmlSchema("C:\foo.xsd")


works fine but obviously the XSD isnt the most useful thing in the world. i did it the other day as i wanted to generate a strongly typed dataset from some XML in a spec (no XSD provided)

HTH

About as useful as a chocolate teapot unless you happen to want a typed dataset schema!

Really, a million schemas can represent one XML document. The best xsd tool is the human brain. It ain't hard, and it is much more likely to represent an intelligent schema representation of the XML document (assuming you know something about what the XML means and is to be used for), than these tools.

[madhippy]

no one mentioned the xsd tool ?

xsd/?
Microsoft (R) Xml Schemas/DataTypes support utility
[Microsoft (R) .NET Framework, Version 2.0.50727.42]
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

xsd.exe -
Utility to generate schema or class files from given source.

xsd.exe <schema>.xsd /classes|dataset [/e:] [/l:] [/n:] [/o:] [/s] [/uri:]
xsd.exe <assembly>.dll|.exe [/outputdir:] [/type: [...]]
xsd.exe <instance>.xml [/outputdir:]
xsd.exe <schema>.xdr [/outputdir:]

[jim2406]

vb.net code to do it


Dim doc As New XmlDocument
Dim sr As New System.IO.StreamReader("C:\foo.xml")
Dim xmlS As String = sr.ReadToEnd
sr.Close()
doc.LoadXml(xmlS)
Dim ds As DataSet = New DataSet

ds.ReadXml("C:\foo.xml")

ds.WriteXmlSchema("C:\foo.xsd")


works fine but obviously the XSD isnt the most useful thing in the world. i did it the other day as i wanted to generate a strongly typed dataset from some XML in a spec (no XSD provided)

HTH

[Hedgehog]

XSD can be generated from XML using MS XML Schema Generation Tool.

See the following link

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...0s(vs.80).aspx

[thunderlizard]

.NET can do it. At least it claims to. Never tried it in anger.

[ChimpMaster]

Yep that's right, just a starting point -- and God knows if they only want it for "documentational" purposes, i.e. never to be seen again!

Thanks again.

[scotspine]

he mentioned using it as a starting point, nothing more...

[DimPrawn]

How can you ever expect the XSD produced to be useful?

Optional elements and attributes, field lengths, patterns (regex), sequence, unions, referenced types, namespaces, and lots and lots more are in the XSD that can never be "inferred" by one or more XML instances.

Madness.

[scotspine]

xml>create schema>generate new w3c schema

[ChimpMaster]

xmlpad

Looks like you can create the DTD from the XMlL, but there's no mention of the XSD.

I'll take a look in more detail - thanks.

[scotspine]

xmlpad

[ChimpMaster]

why do you want to create it automatically

IMO you'll find less problems doing it yourself based on a spec than hoping that the XML file your trying to base it on contains all the correct data

Yep I agree, in fact that is what I suggested -- it's for another team here.

They just want to use the data to create the bulk of the structure, and fill in the blanks so to say.

[Spacecadet]

why do you want to create it automatically

IMO you'll find less problems doing it yourself based on a spec than hoping that the XML file your trying to base it on contains all the correct data

[ChimpMaster]

Anyone know how to do this? Is it possible in XML Spy?

I know there can be issues, such as incomplete XML data, but anything would help....

Thanks in advance!