Using XML Name Value Pairs in Web Services

Hi, 

 

I'm looking for some advice. What are the drawbacks of implementing a
generic XSD for web services by using Name/Value Pairs as described
below:

 

<GenericServiceTicket>

 

 <ServiceTicketHeader>

  <TransactionID>80001234</TransactionID> 

  <Subject>WM18</Subject> 

  <UserStatus>E0001</UserStatus> 

  <Result>Result</Result> 

  <ExternalReference /> 

  <Channel>202</Channel>

 </ServiceTicketHeader>

 

 <ServiceSpecifics>

  <Value GroupID="" Name="JobTypeID">BULW</Value> 

  <Value GroupID="" Name="JobSubTypeID">TAIL</Value> 

  <Value GroupID="1" Name="BulkyCode">SOF</Value> 

  <Value GroupID="1" Name="Quantity">1</Value> 

 </ServiceSpecifics>

 

</GenericServiceTicket>

 

If we implemented these name/value pairs as full XSD schemas than we
would have 30-40 different schemas. By using Name/Value pairs we can
have one single generic schema. Intuitively this feels like misuse of
XML standards and the purpose of using XSD's and WSDL's but I have no
hard argument with our technical team since it is still XML. I would
like to be 100% certain that this will not create issues for support or
interoperability at some point in the future. 

 

Do you any experience implement this approach and later regretted it?

 

Brendan



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