Complex type maps to UML Class with the stereotype XSDcomplexType.

  • abstract -  to UML Class abstract value(true | false).
  • annotation - to UML Class documentation.
  • attribute – to inner UML Class Attribute or UML Association End.
  • attributeGroup – to UML AssociationEnd or UML Attribute with type XSDattributeGroup.
  • name – to UML Class name.

This class also can have the stereotypes XSDsimpleContent, XSDcomplexContent, XSDall, XSDchoice, and XSDsequence.

No stereotype – the same as “XSDsequence”.

A generalization between a complex type and another type has the stereotype XSDrestriction or XSDextension. We assume the stereotype XSDextension if the generalizations do not have stereotypes.

Some complex mapping:

  • complexType with simpleContent – to UML Class. This class must be derived from another class and must have stereotype XSDsimpleContent.
  • complexType with complexContent – to UML Class. This class must be derived from another class and must have stereotype XSDcomplexContent.
complexType with group, all, choice or sequence – to UML class with appropriate stereotype
<complexType
	abstract = boolean : false
	block = (#all | List of (extension | restriction))
	final = (#all | List of (extension | restriction)) 
	id = ID
	mixed = boolean : false
	name = NCName
	{any attributes with non-schema namespace…}>
	Content: (annotation?,(simpleContent | complexContent | ((group | al 
((attribute | attributeGroup)*, anyAttribute?))))
</complexType>

When you choose the <simpleContent> alternative, the following elements are relevant, and the remaining property mappings are as below. Note that you must either choose <restriction> or <extension> as the content of <simpleContent>.

<restriction> chosen as the content of <simpleContent>
<simpleContent
	id = ID
	{any attributes with non-schema namespace…}> Content: (annotation?, (restriction | extension))
	</simpleContent>
<restriction
	base = OName
	id = ID
	{any attributes with non-schema namespace…}>
	Content: (annotation?, (simpleType?, (minExclusive | minInclusive  | maxExclusive |
maxlnclusive | totalDigits | fractionDigits | length | minLength | maxLength
whitespace | pattern) *)?, ((attribute | attributeGroup)*, anyAttribute?))
</restriction>
<extension
	base = OName
	id = ID
	{any attributes with non-schema namespace…}>
	Content: (annotation?, ((attribute | attributeGroup)*, anyAttribute?))
</extension>
<attributeGroup
	id = ID
	ref = OName
	{any attributes with non-schema namespace…}>
	Content: (annotation?)
</attributeGroup>
<anyAttribute

When the <complexContent> alternative is chosen, the following elements are relevant (as are the <attributeGroup> and <anyAttribute> elements, not repeated here), and the additional property mappings appear below. Note that you must choose either <restriction> or <extension> as the content of <complexContent>, but their content models differ in this case from the case above when they occur as children of <simpleContent>.

The property mappings below are also used in the case where the third alternative (neither <simpleContent> nor <complexContent>) is chosen. This case is understood as shorthand for complex content restricting the ur type definition. The details of the mappings should be modified as necessary.

Sample of either <restriction> or <extension> must be chosen as the content of <complexContent>
<complexContent
	id = ID
	mixed = boolean
	{any attributes with non-schema namespace…}>
	Content: (annotation?, (restriction | extension))
</complexContent>
<restriction
	base = OName
	id = ID
	{any attributes with non-schema namespace…}>
	Content: (annotation?, (group | all | choice | sequence)?, ((attribute | attributeGroup)*, anyAttribute?))
</restriction>
<extension
	base = OName
	id = ID
	{any attributes with non-schema namespace…}>
	Content: (annotation?, ((group | all | choice | sequence)?, ((attribute | attributeGroup)*, anyAttribute?)))
</extension>
Example of complexType UML model.
Example of complexType UML model with associated XML
<?xml version=’1.0’ encoding = ‘Cp1252’?›
<xs:schema xmlns:nm = "http://nomagic.com" xmlns:xs = "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" targetNamespace = "http://nomagic.com" >
	<xs:complexType name = "my_Type2" block = "extension" final = "extension" mixed = "true" >
		<xs:annotation >
			<xs:documentation >my_type2
Documentation</xs:documentation>
		</xs:annotation>
		<xs:complexContent id = "contentID" mixed = "false" >
			<xs:extension base = "nm:my_Type">
				<xs:attribute name = "surname" type = "xs:string" />
			</xs:extension>
		</xs:complexContent> 
	</xs:complexType>
	<xs:complexType name = "my_Type3" >
		<xs:complexContent >
			<xs:restriction base = "nm:my_Type">
				<xs:all >
					<xs:element name = "order" type = "xs:string"/>
					<xs:element name = "order1" type = "xs:string"/>
				</xs:all> 
			</xs:restriction>
		</xs:complexContent>
	</xs:complexType>
	<xs:complexType name = "my_Type4">
		<xs:simpleContent >
			<xs:restriction base = "xs:string" >
				<xs:minLength value = "2" />
			</xs:restriction>
		</xs:simpleContent> </xs:complexType>
	<xs:complexType name = "my_Type5">
		<xs:simpleContent >
			<xs:extension base = "xs:string">
				<xs:attribute name = "attri" type = "xs:string"/>
			</xs:extension>
		</xs:simpleContent>
	</xs:complexType>
	<xs:complexType name = "my_Type" abstract = "true" block = "extension" final = "extension" id = "myTypeID" mixed = "true" >
		<xs:annotation >
			<xs:documentation >my_type documentation</xs:documentation>
		</xs:annotation>
		<xs:attribute name = "name" type = "xs:string" />
		<xs:attributeGroup ref = "nm:attr_group" />
		<xs:anyAttribute/>
	</xs:complexType>
	<xs:attributeGroup name = "attr_group" />
</xs:schema>