XML Schema choiceElement

Definition and Usage

The XML Schema choice element only allowsone of the elements in the declaration to appear in the containing element.

Element Information

Parent elements: group, choice, sequence, complexType, restriction (both simpleContent and complexContent), extension (both simpleContent and complexContent)

Syntax

(The ? symbol declares that an element in the choice element may appear zero or one time; the * symbol declares that an element may appear zero or more times.)

Attributes	Description
id	Optional. Specifies a unique ID for the element.
maxOccurs	Optional. Specifies the maximum number of times the choice element can appear in the parent element. The value can be an integer greater than or equal to zero. To set no limit on the maximum number, use the string "unbounded". The default value is 1.
minOccurs	Optional. Specifies the minimum number of times the choice element can appear in the parent element. The value can be an integer greater than or equal to zero. To specify that this any group is optional, set this attribute to zero. The default value is 1.
any attributes	Optional. Specifies any other attributes with a non-schema namespace.

Example 1

<xs:element name="person">
  <xs:complexType>
    <xs:choice>
      <xs:element name="employee" type="employee"/>
      <xs:element name="member" type="member"/>
    </xs:choice>
  </xs:complexType>
</xs:element>

The example above defines that the "person" element must contain either an "employee" element or a "member" element.

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