ECMAScript and XML Schemas -- parallels?

    I've glanced at the XML Schemas Proposed Recommendations and I notice a few things which raise an eyebrow.  XML Schema documents, most of us know, define rules for validating a particular XML document.  However, many of the data types we see in XML Schemas appear (to me at least) to correspond to many of the basic object definitions in ECMAScript, 3rd edition ( ).

    The analogy is quite loose, I realize -- XML Schemas set restrictions on XML documents, and ECMAScript defines certain object constructors / classes for a particular group of scripting languages.  Nonetheless, the correlations between the data types both provide, at least on the surface to this novice, is astounding.  Both provide rules for regular expressions, dates, and numbers.  (XML Schemas is somewhat more detailed admittedly.)

    I do not see ECMAScript on the references lists for any of the XML Schemas parts for the PR.  I am not suggesting it should be; but I'm wondering what parallels there are between the two, and between XML Schemas and scripting languages in general.  How might a typical web designer familiar with a web scripting language such as JavaScript or VBScript, and tinkering with XML, approach XML Schemas??  Could there be an effective point-of-view to help such web designers assimilate the features of XML Schemas more easily?

    (I want to learn XML Schemas, too, but if I can compare and contrast it to JavaScript/ECMAScript, it will be much easier.)

    If this is not the correct place for questions such as this, can someone direct me to the correct place?

Received on Friday, 23 March 2001 22:51:53 UTC