How to validate empty string value tag in xsd - xsd

Question

I have an xml file which is having some date values and other datatypes.
<Purchasedate Name="purcaseDate" value=""/>
I am validating these xml files with a xsd file.
In xsd shcema I have written a regular expression pattern for dd/mm/yyyy format.
This is working fine if value attribute have a value.
My pattern is validating against the value attribute.
The field (purchasedate) is not mandatory.
if value="", this means my pattern is validating against an empty string also, which is not mandatory.
I need to validate the optional field
and i am using <xs:attribute name="PurchaseDate" use="optional"> also.
I need to validate this field when value tag is not empty.

Answer 1

That's too easy ..
Just all you have to do is to include empty string specification in your pattern
This is the way to do that ..
<xs:pattern value="|(Regular_pattern_goes_here)"/>
For your reference I have written a sample chunks of codes .. just go through them ..
sample XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xmln xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.example.com XMLFile1.xsd" xmlns="http://www.xsdef.com/xml/123">
<Purchasedate Name="purcaseDate" value=""/>
</xmln>
sample XSD:(includes custom type def)
<xs:schema xmlns:xsLocal="http://www.xsdef.com/xml/123" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" targetNamespace="http://www.xsdef.com/xml/123" elementFormDefault="qualified" attributeFormDefault="unqualified">
<xs:element name="xmln">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="Purchasedate">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:simpleContent>
<xs:extension base="xs:string">
<xs:attribute name="Name" type="xs:string" use="required" />
<xs:attribute name="value" type="xsLocal:CUSTOM_DATE" use="required" />
</xs:extension>
</xs:simpleContent>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
<xs:simpleType name="CUSTOM_DATE">
<xs:restriction base="xs:string">
<xs:pattern value="|((01|02|03|04|05|06|07|08|09|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|26|27|28|29|30|31)/(01|02|03|04|05|06|07|08|09|10|11|12)/[1-2][0-9][0-9][0-9])"/>
</xs:restriction>
</xs:simpleType>
</xs:schema>

Answer 2

try adding this attribute nillable="true" into the xml tag definition
Also you can take a look at his link http://www.zvon.org/xxl/XMLSchemaTutorial/Output/ser_over_st0.html
Best Reagds,
Iordan

Answer 3

The '?' character in the Regex means that the character before it must occur 0 or 1 times.
So in order to solve your issue you need to wrap the regex in parenthesis and put a questionmark at the end:
<xs:simpleType name="PurchaseDateType">
<xs:restriction base="xs:string">
<xs:pattern value="(Regular_pattern_goes_here)?"/>
</xs:restriction>
</xs:simpleType>
Use this type on your field and you should be fine

Answer 4

If you control the syntax of the XML, you should consider defining the element as follows. Since XML-Schema already provides a date type, you should use it unless you have a really good reason. I say this because it will make it easier for others to use the xml and for you to use better code frameworks later. I didn't include the "name" attribute because it seemed redundant to the element name.
<xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" elementFormDefault="qualified">
<xs:element name="Purchasedate" nillable="true" type="xs:date"/>
<xs:element name="Purchasedate2">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:attribute name="value" type="xs:date"/>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
<xs:element name="root">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element ref="Purchasedate"/>
<xs:element minOccurs="0" ref="Purchasedate2"/>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>