Soren Kuula wrote:
> Hi, if I do:
> 
 > [cut]



The ref attribute of <xsd:element refers to
another element.

The name attribute of xsd:element declares the name of the element.


so:

<xsd:element name="a">

refers to

<a></a>  ( we did not specify type)



<xsd:element ref="a"> is a referention to element whose name is a.

So they are equal.


The ref attribute is here because know you don't have to define 
elements more than one time.

Example:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<xsd:schema xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">

<xsd:element name="tree">
	<xsd:complexType>
	<xsd:sequence>
	 <xsd:element ref="branch"/>
	</xsd:sequence>
	</xsd:complexType>
</xsd:element>

<xsd:element name="branch">
	<xsd:complexType>
	<xsd:choice>
	   <xsd:element ref="branch" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
	   <xsd:element ref="leaf" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
	</xsd:choice>
	</xsd:complexType>
</xsd:element>

<xsd:element name="leaf" type="xsd:string">
</xsd:element>

</xsd:schema>



Example document: (generated):
PS, i dont know why the leafs are between <!-- -->
:


<tree xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="Untitled1.xsd">
     <branch>
         <branch>
             <branch>
                 <branch><!--
                     <leaf>string</leaf>-->
                 </branch>
                 <branch><!--
                     <leaf>string</leaf>-->
                 </branch><!--
                 <leaf>string</leaf>-->
             </branch>
             <branch>
                 <branch><!--
                     <leaf>string</leaf>-->
                 </branch>
                 <branch><!--
                     <leaf>string</leaf>-->
                 </branch><!--
                 <leaf>string</leaf>-->
             </branch><!--
             <leaf>string</leaf>-->
         </branch>
         <branch>
             <branch>
                 <branch><!--
                     <leaf>string</leaf>-->
                 </branch>
                 <branch><!--
                     <leaf>string</leaf>-->
                 </branch><!--
                 <leaf>string</leaf>-->
             </branch>
             <branch>
                 <branch><!--
                     <leaf>string</leaf>-->
                 </branch>
                 <branch><!--
                     <leaf>string</leaf>-->
                 </branch><!--
                 <leaf>string</leaf>-->
             </branch><!--
             <leaf>string</leaf>-->
         </branch><!--
         <leaf>string</leaf>-->
     </branch>
</tree>