Re: Deriving from xs:anySimpleType

In 3.4.2 of structures 1.0

"a simple type definition which restricts the simple type definition 
identified in clause 1.1 or clause 1.2 with a set of facet components 
corresponding to the appropriate element information items among the 
<restriction>'s [children] (i.e. those which specify facets, if any), as 
defined in Simple Type Restriction (Facets) (§3.14.6);"

For the attached example, I think this is equivalent to the following 
definition:

 <xs:simpleType>
  <xs:restriction base="xs:anySimpleType"/>
 </xs:simpleType>

Is this simple type definition valid? I think it's normally considered 
invalid, but I'm having trouble finding constraints that rule this out, 
other than the non-normative statement in 3.14.1:

"... every simple type definition is a ·restriction· of some other simple 
type (the {base type definition}), which is the ·simple ur-type 
definition· if and only if the type definition in question is one of the 
built-in primitive datatypes, or a list or union type definition which is 
not itself derived by restriction from a list or union respectively."

The "if an only if" part would rule out a simple type with {base type 
definition} anySimpleType and {variety} absent.

I think some clarification/fix-up is in order. I can see 2 ways:
1 Make it explicit that the above simple type is ruled out (hence the 
complex type case). (This may already be the case, as I had always thought 
the simple type case was not allowed.)
2 Make it explicit that the above simple type is ruled out, but still 
allow the complex type case (when no facet is specified).

To achieve #2, 3.4.2 will need to be updated to say "if no facet is 
specified, then just use the simple type from the base type; otherwise 
construct a new one".

I like #2, because it makes a class of simple content scenarios possible, 
where the <restriction> is only meant to restrict attributes and doesn't 
want to change the simple type.

Thanks,
Sandy Gao
XML Parser Development, IBM Canada
(1-905) 413-3255
sandygao@ca.ibm.com


xmlschema-dev-request@w3.org wrote on 2006-11-15 05:59:01 PM:

> 
> There are some interesting test cases in the new test suite. One which 
has
> me rather flummoxed for the moment is the Microsoft test (in SimpleType)
> stZ007.xsd, the relevant part being:
> 
>     <xs:complexType name="t1">
>    <xs:simpleContent>
>          <xs:extension base="xs:anySimpleType" />
>       </xs:simpleContent>
>     </xs:complexType>
> 
>     <xs:complexType name="t2">
>    <xs:simpleContent>
>          <xs:restriction base="t1"/>
>       </xs:simpleContent>
>     </xs:complexType>
> 
>     ... <xs:element name="e2 type="t2"/>
> 
> According to the metadata this is valid, and indeed, I can't see any 
rules
> that it breaks. But I'm having trouble building the component model for 
t2.
> 
> What {variety} of type is the simpleContent type of t2? It must be a 
simple
> type, and according to the component model for simple types, every 
simple
> type has a {variety} which is one of list, atomic, or union. (The 1.1 
spec
> clarifies that for anySimpleType, {variety} is absent, and at the same 
time
> confirms that it is present for every other simple type). We also read:
> 
> every simple type definition is a .restriction. of some other simple 
type
> (the {base type definition}), which is the .simple ur-type definition. 
if
> and only if the type definition in question is one of the built-in 
primitive
> datatypes, or a list or union type definition which is not itself 
derived by
> restriction from a list or union respectively. 
> 
> In the "Complex Type Definition with simple content Schema Component"
> definition, we can see that the {content type} of t2 is "a simple type
> definition which restricts [xs:anySimpleType] with an [in this case 
empty]
> set of facet components." But what {variety} of simple type definition 
is
> this? (The 1.1 spec is unchanged in this area).
> 
> If the restriction of t1 had any facets, what would they mean (e.g. a 
length
> facet)?
> 
> Any advice much appreciated!
> 
> Michael Kay
> 
>