A practical guide to XSD tools available in .NET8 environment.
Abstract: A practical guide to XML and XSD tools available in .NET8 environment, focusing on generating and using C# classes to process some XML valid for some given XSD (technology as of September 2024).
1 Doing XML and XSD related work in .NET8
I was recently doing some work related to XML and XSD processing in .NET8 environment and created several proof-of-concept applications to evaluate the tools available. These articles are the result of my prototyping work.
1.1 List of tools used/tested
Here are the tools used/tested:
- Visual Studio 2022
XSD.EXE (Microsoft license, part of VS2022)
XmlSchemaClassGenerator (Open Source/Freeware)
LinqToXsdCore (Open Source/Freeware)
Liquid XML Objects (Commercial license)
1.2 Articles in this series
For technical reasons, I will organize this text into several articles:
- XSD Tools in .NET8 – Part1 – VS2022
- XSD Tools in .NET8 – Part2 – C# validation
- XSD Tools in .NET8 – Part3 – XsdExe – Simple
- XSD Tools in .NET8 – Part4 – XsdExe - Advanced
- XSD Tools in .NET8 – Part5 – XmlSchemaClassGenerator – Simple
- XSD Tools in .NET8 – Part6 – XmlSchemaClassGenerator – Advanced
- XSD Tools in .NET8 – Part7 – LinqToXsdCore – Simple
- XSD Tools in .NET8 – Part8 – LinqToXsdCore – Advanced
- XSD Tools in .NET8 – Part9 – LiquidXMLObjects – Simple
- XSD Tools in .NET8 – Part10 – LiquidXMLObjects – Advanced
2 More theory about XML and XSD rules
Here is some more theory about XML and XSD rules.
2.1 Optional Xml-Element and Xml-Attribute
Optional: Does not need to be present in the XML.
For XSD Schema elements:
Optional: minOccurs="0" attribute ->In order to set a schema element as optional, you include the minOccurs="0" attribute
2.2 The Difference Between Optional and Not Required for Xml-Element and Xml-Attribute
Note the difference:
Optional: Does not need to be present in the XML.
Not Required: Does not need to have a value.
You can have any combination:
- Optional + Not Required
- Optional + Required
- Not Optional + Not Required
- Not Optional + Required
For XSD Schema elements:
Optional: minOccurs="0" attribute ->In order to set a schema element as optional, you include the minOccurs="0" attribute
Required: nillable="true" attribute ->In order to set a schema element as not required, you include the nillable="true" attribute.
String data types are not required by default, though you can force them to be required.
Other data types, such as Boolean, Integer, Date, Time, etc. are all required by default. In order to make one of these data types not required, you must set the nillable attribute equal to true for the element in the schema.
3 Examples of XML and XSD
Here are some sample XML-s and XSD-s I created for test purposes.
3.1 Advanced case
Please note that this example XML/XSD has an Optional and Not-Required Xml-Element. Read the comments inside for more details.
CODE
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!--SmallCompany.xsd++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-->
<xs:schema attributeFormDefault="unqualified"
elementFormDefault="qualified"
targetNamespace="https://markpelf.com/SmallCompany.xsd"
xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<xs:element name="SmallCompany">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="CompanyName" type="xs:string" />
<xs:element maxOccurs="unbounded" name="Employee">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<!--Name_String_NO is String NotOptional-->
<xs:element name="Name_String_NO" type="xs:string" />
<!--City_String_O is String Optional-->
<xs:element minOccurs="0" name="City_String_O" type="xs:string" />
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
<xs:element maxOccurs="unbounded" name="InfoData">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<!--Id_Int_NO is Int NotOptional-->
<xs:element name="Id_Int_NO" type="xs:int" />
<!--Quantity_Int_O is Int Optional-->
<xs:element minOccurs="0" name="Quantity_Int_O" type="xs:int" />
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
</xs:schema>
CODE
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!--SmallCompanyAAA.xml+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-->
<SmallCompany xmlns="https://markpelf.com/SmallCompany.xsd">
<CompanyName>SmallCompanyAAA</CompanyName>
<Employee>
<Name_String_NO>Mark</Name_String_NO>
<City_String_O>Belgrade</City_String_O>
</Employee>
<Employee>
<Name_String_NO>John</Name_String_NO>
</Employee>
<InfoData>
<Id_Int_NO>11</Id_Int_NO>
<Quantity_Int_O>123</Quantity_Int_O>
</InfoData>
<InfoData>
<Id_Int_NO>22</Id_Int_NO>
</InfoData>
</SmallCompany>
4 Using LiquidXMLObjects tool to create C# class
We focus in this article on the usage of LiquidXMLObjects tool to generate C# class from XSD file.
Here is the tool's basic info.
CODE
Tool name: ============================
Liquid XML Objects
License============================
2 licenses:
1) Free Community Edition: Home Users and Students, XML Schema (size limited)
2) Commercial Product, Developer Bundle (Installed) $770.94 (perpetual license)
Where to get it============================
https://www.liquid-technologies.com/xml-objects
Install Instructions====================================
-a free trial which will expire 15 days after activation, after this time the product will continue to operate as the Free Community Edition.
Version============================
Liquid Studio - Community Edition 20.7.14.13112
Help============================
https://www.liquid-technologies.com/Reference/XmlDataBinding/xml-objects-introduction.html
====================================================
Usage Examples===================
Instructions to generate C# class
Using GUI - context right click on .xsd file
====================================
4.1 GUI
This commercial product has an impressive GUI to issue commands. Here is how C# classes are generated.
You use the right-click menu to invoke C# class generation
5 Generated C# class
Here is the C# generated by the above tool based on the above presented XSD BigCompany.xsd.
CODE
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Liquid XML Objects GENERATED CODE - DO NOT MODIFY //
// https://www.liquid-technologies.com/xml-objects //
//=======================================================================//
// Dependencies //
// Nuget : LiquidTechnologies.XmlObjects.Runtime //
// : MUST BE VERSION 20.7.14 //
//=======================================================================//
// Online Help //
// https://www.liquid-technologies.com/xml-objects-quick-start-guide //
//=======================================================================//
// Licensing Information //
// https://www.liquid-technologies.com/eula //
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Xml.Linq;
using System.Numerics;
using LiquidTechnologies.XmlObjects;
using LiquidTechnologies.XmlObjects.Attribution;
// ------------------------------------------------------
// | Settings |
// ------------------------------------------------------
// GenerateCommonBaseClass = False
// GenerateUnprocessedNodeHandlers = False
// RaiseChangeEvents = False
// CollectionNaming = Pluralize
// Language = CS
// OutputNamespace = XsdExample_Ver4.XSD2
// WriteDefaultValuesForOptionalAttributes = True
// WriteDefaultValuesForOptionalElements = True
// MixedContentHandling = TreatAsAny
// GenerationModel = Simple
// *WARNING* this simplified model that is very easy to work with
// but may cause the XML to be produced without regard for element
// cardinality or order. Where very high compliance with the XML Schema
// standard is required use GenerationModelType.Conformant
// XSD Schema Files
// C:\TmpXSD\XsdExample_Ver4\Example01\XSD2\BigCompany.xsd
namespace XsdExample_Ver4.XSD2
{
#region Global Settings
/// <summary>Contains library level properties, and ensures the version of the runtime used matches the version used to generate it.</summary>
[LxRuntimeRequirements("20.7.14.13112", "Free Community Edition", "M9WDQLWDQNEEVNLX", LiquidTechnologies.XmlObjects.LicenseTermsType.CommunityEdition)]
public partial class LxRuntimeRequirementsWritten
{
}
#endregion
}
namespace XsdExample_Ver4.XSD2.Xs
{
#region Complex Types
/// <summary>A class representing the root XSD complexType anyType@http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema</summary>
[LxSimpleComplexTypeDefinition("anyType", "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema")]
public partial class AnyTypeCt : XElement
{
/// <summary>Constructor : create a <see cref="AnyTypeCt" /> element <anyType xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema'></summary>
public AnyTypeCt() : base(XName.Get("anyType", "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema")) { }
}
#endregion
}
namespace XsdExample_Ver4.XSD2.Tns
{
#region Elements
/// <summary>A class representing the root XSD element BigCompany@https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd</summary>
[LxSimpleElementDefinition("BigCompany", "https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd", ElementScopeType.GlobalElement)]
public partial class BigCompanyElm
{
/// <summary>A <see cref="System.String" />, Required : should not be set to null</summary>
[LxElementValue(0, "CompanyName", "https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd", LxValueType.Value, XsdType.XsdString, MinOccurs = 1, MaxOccurs = 1)]
public System.String CompanyName { get; set; } = "";
/// <summary>A collection of <see cref="XsdExample_Ver4.XSD2.Tns.BigCompanyElm.EmployeeElm" /></summary>
[LxElementRef(1, MinOccurs = 0, MaxOccurs = LxConstants.Unbounded)]
public List<XsdExample_Ver4.XSD2.Tns.BigCompanyElm.EmployeeElm> Employees { get; } = new List<XsdExample_Ver4.XSD2.Tns.BigCompanyElm.EmployeeElm>();
/// <summary>A collection of <see cref="XsdExample_Ver4.XSD2.Tns.BigCompanyElm.InfoDataElm" /></summary>
[LxElementRef(2, MinOccurs = 0, MaxOccurs = LxConstants.Unbounded)]
public List<XsdExample_Ver4.XSD2.Tns.BigCompanyElm.InfoDataElm> InfoData { get; } = new List<XsdExample_Ver4.XSD2.Tns.BigCompanyElm.InfoDataElm>();
/// <summary>Represent the inline xs:element Employee@https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd.</summary>
[LxSimpleElementDefinition("Employee", "https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd", ElementScopeType.InlineElement)]
public partial class EmployeeElm
{
/// <summary>A <see cref="System.String" />, Required : should not be set to null</summary>
[LxElementValue(0, "Name_String_NO", "https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd", LxValueType.Value, XsdType.XsdString, MinOccurs = 1, MaxOccurs = 1)]
public System.String Name_String_NO { get; set; } = "";
/// <summary>A <see cref="System.String" />, Optional : null when not set</summary>
[LxElementValue(1, "City_String_O", "https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd", LxValueType.Value, XsdType.XsdString, MinOccurs = 0, MaxOccurs = 1)]
public System.String? City_String_O { get; set; }
}
/// <summary>Represent the inline xs:element InfoData@https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd.</summary>
[LxSimpleElementDefinition("InfoData", "https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd", ElementScopeType.InlineElement)]
public partial class InfoDataElm
{
/// <summary>A <see cref="System.Int32" />, Required</summary>
[LxElementValue(0, "Data1_Int_NO_R", "https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd", LxValueType.Value, XsdType.XsdInt, MinOccurs = 1, MaxOccurs = 1)]
public System.Int32 Data1_Int_NO_R { get; set; }
/// <summary>A <see cref="System.Int32" />, Required</summary>
[LxElementValue(1, "Data2_Int_NO_NR", "https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd", LxValueType.Value, XsdType.XsdInt, MinOccurs = 1, MaxOccurs = 1)]
public LxNillable<System.Int32> Data2_Int_NO_NR { get; set; } = LxNillable<System.Int32>.Create(default(System.Int32), false);
/// <summary>A nullable <see cref="System.Int32" />, Optional : null when not set</summary>
[LxElementValue(2, "Data3_Int_O_R", "https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd", LxValueType.Value, XsdType.XsdInt, MinOccurs = 0, MaxOccurs = 1)]
public System.Int32? Data3_Int_O_R { get; set; }
/// <summary>A nullable <see cref="System.Int32" />, Optional : null when not set</summary>
[LxElementValue(3, "Data4_Int_O_NR", "https://markpelf.com/BigCompany.xsd", LxValueType.Value, XsdType.XsdInt, MinOccurs = 0, MaxOccurs = 1)]
public LxNillable<System.Int32> Data4_Int_O_NR { get; set; }
}
}
#endregion
}
Here is the class diagram.
[2] The Difference Between Optional and Not Required
[99] https://github.com/MarkPelf/XsdToolsInNet8
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