Name

xs:annotation — Informative data for human or electronic agents.

Synopsis

<xs:annotation
           id          = xs:ID
           {any attributes with non-schema namespace}
           >
           Content: (xs:appinfo | xs:documentation)*
</xs:annotation>

May be included in: xs:all (outside a group), xs:all (within a group), xs:any, xs:anyAttribute, xs:attribute (reference or local definition), xs:attribute (global definition), xs:attributeGroup (reference), xs:attributeGroup (global definition), xs:choice (outside a group), xs:choice (within a group), xs:complexContent, xs:complexType (local definition), xs:complexType (global definition), xs:element (within xs:all), xs:element (reference or local definition), xs:element (global definition), xs:enumeration, xs:extension (complex content), xs:extension (simple content), xs:field, xs:fractionDigits, xs:group (reference), xs:group (definition), xs:import, xs:include, xs:key, xs:keyref, xs:length, xs:list, xs:maxExclusive, xs:maxInclusive, xs:maxLength, xs:minExclusive, xs:minInclusive, xs:minLength, xs:notation, xs:pattern, xs:redefine, xs:restriction (complex content), xs:restriction (simple type), xs:restriction (simple content), xs:schema, xs:selector, xs:sequence (within a group), xs:sequence (outside a group), xs:simpleContent, xs:simpleType (local definition), xs:simpleType (global definition), xs:totalDigits, xs:union, xs:unique, xs:whiteSpace

Description

xs:annotation is a container in which additional information can be embedded, either for human consumption (with xs:documentation) or for programs (xs:appinfo). xs:annotation can be added as a first element in almost any W3C XML Schema element. It can also be included anywhere as a top-level element (directly under xs:schema).

Restrictions

xs:annotation cannot be included within itself.

Example

<xs:element name="author" type="author">
  <xs:annotation>
    <xs:documentation xml:lang="en">
      The author of a book.
    </xs:documentation>
    <xs:documentation xml:lang="fr">
      Designe l'auteur d'un livre.
    </xs:documentation>
    <xs:appinfo xmlns:sch="http://www.ascc.net/xml/schematron">
      <sch:pattern name="Born before dead">
        <sch:rule context="author"> 
          <sch:assert test="not(dead) or (dead > born)"
            diagnostics="bornAfterDead">
            An author should die after her or his death.
          </sch:assert>
          <sch:diagnostics>
            <sch:diagnostic id="bornAfterDead"> 
              Error, this author is born after her or his birth!
              Author=
              <sch:value-of select="name"/>
              Birth =
              <sch:value-of select="born"/>
              Death =
              <sch:value-of select="dead"/>
            </sch:diagnostic>
          </sch:diagnostics>
        </sch:rule>
      </sch:pattern>
    </xs:appinfo>
  </xs:annotation>
</xs:element>

Attributes

id

W3C XML Schema’s element ID.