David:
 
I hope you don=92t mind if I say I find this scenario a little perverse.  
 
If your community of interest considers an E-R model an effective means of =
communication (as pointed out it can only represent a subset of XSD) why no=
t publish your data requirements in the form of an E-R data model and then =
generate the XML schema from it?  Some participants might find the common E=
-R model a useful basis for producing a RELAX-NG schema or an SQL database =
design or other physical implementations.
 
In other words=2C why implement and then model?  Why not model first and th=
en implement=2C in as many media as participants desire?
 
Embarcadero probably has the most to offer in this arena.  It allows you to=
 specify your own set of standardized XSD data types=2C for instance.
 
Umodel is for UML=2C not E-R=2C although UML modelling tools can be used to=
 represent E-R models if you have the discipline to restrict your use of UM=
L features.  UML and XSD are a much closer match in terms of their respecti=
ve feature sets=2C which is one reason why UML tools are more commonly seen=
 when modelling for XML implementations.  But once again=2C it is usually t=
he UML that is used to automatically generate the XML schema=2C not the oth=
er way around.
 
As for ERwin XML=2C the last time I saw it=2C it was their own format (not =
XMI or anything) for exporting and importing an ERwin E-R model=2C complete=
 with graphical positioning information.  For instance=2C we used it to exp=
ort a data model and run it against the names in a data dictionary so we co=
uld generate a French version from the English version (naturally we had to=
 spread the entity boxes out a bit afterwards because the French names were=
 longer =96 perhaps we should have gone in the reverse direction =3B-)
 
Cheers
Jack Lindsey
http://www.dss-snd.gc.ca/publication/en/chap/chap00403.html
 

> Date: Fri=2C 22 Aug 2008 14:36:32 +1000> From: David_BANBURY@r....=
au> To: xmlschema-dev@w...> Subject: XSD to ER Diagram> > > Please excuse=
 me if this query does not directly concern specific XSD> issues but I hope=
 it is related closely enough to XSD development to be> worthy of the group=
's learned opinion.> > We are using XSD to define an XML file format for da=
ta interchange. As> such the schema is not directly related to a specific s=
ystem or> database. The schema relies heavily on key-keyref relationships t=
o> describe the relational structure of the data model. It has proven very>=
 useful throughout development to present the schema as an> Entity-Relation=
ship Diagram but deriving an ER Diagram directly from the> XSD has been pro=
blematic.> > Are there any tools available which will automatically generat=
e an ER> Diagram from XSD?> > Thanks for any information you can provide.> =
> Regards=2C> David Banbury> > Traffic Systems Branch> Roads & Traffic Auth=
ority of NSW> Australia> > Tel: +61 2 8396 1417> Fax: +61 2 8396 1600> > Be=
fore printing=2C please consider the environment.> > IMPORTANT NOTICE: This=
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