[SOAP Encoding Issue] Support for XML Schema Types

Issue

Part 2, section 4.1 'Rules for Encoding Types in XML' [1], rule 8 says that
"SOAP arrays MUST contain a enc:arrayType attribute whose value specifies
the type of the contained elements as well as the dimension(s) of the array"
Plus,

Part 2, section 4.1 'Rules for Encoding Types in XML' [1], rule 2 says that
"MUST .. the containing element instance is itself contained within an
element containing a (possibly defaulted) enc:arrayType attribute or "

In brief, an array MUST contain an enc:arrayType attribute. And, this
attribute specifies the type and other related information. Here is a sample
schema for SOAP array,

[line 01] <xs:element name="ArrayOfPhoneNumbers"
[line 02]    type="tns:ArrayOfPhoneNumbersType" />
[line 03]
[line 04] <xs:complexType name="ArrayOfPhoneNumbersType" >
[line 05]   <xs:complexContent>
[line 06]     <xs:restriction base="enc:Array" >
[line 07]       <xs:sequence>
[line 08]        <xs:element name="phoneNumber" maxOccurs="unbounded">
[line 09]            <xs:simpleType>
[line 11]             <xs:restriction base="xs:string" />
[line 12]            </xs:simpleType>
[line 13]        </xs:element>
[line 14]       </xs:sequence>
[line 15]       <xs:attributeGroup ref="enc:arrayAttributes" />
[line 16]       <xs:attributeGroup ref="enc:commonAttributes" />
[line 17]     </xs:restriction>
[line 18]   </xs:complexContent>
[line 19] </xs:complexType>

In lines 9 thru 12, I have an anonymous simple type. In this case, this
simple type does not have a name. This means, it is not possible to compute
the value of enc:arrayType attribute.

XML Schema types can be broadly classified into two categories: named types
and anonymous types. Using this example, I demonstrated that the SOAP
encoding does not consider anonymous types as first class types. And, in
general, not just the array, SOAP encoding does not consider anonymous types
as first class types 'cos it is not possible to compute the value of
xsi:type attribute either.

FYI, support for XML Schema types is covered by R401. Requirement R401
states that the XMLP data representation must support using XML Schema
simple and complex types [2].

I request the ETF to investigate and provide a solution.

BTW, this is a re-post of my e-mail dated August 6th, 2001 [3]

[1] http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/WD-soap12-part2-20011002/#encrules
[2] http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/WD-xmlp-reqs-20010319/#z401
[3] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/xml-dist-app/2001Aug/0058.html

Regards,

Asir S Vedamuthu

webMethods, Inc.
703-460-2513 or asirv@webmethods.com
http://www.webmethods.com/

Received on Wednesday, 24 October 2001 08:50:41 UTC