XML attribute

Attributes are used to provide additional information about elements. Attributes often provide information that is not a part of the data.

Attributes should not be used as containers for data, because this will produce documents that are difficult to read and maintain. Attributes should only be used to provide information that is not relevant to the data.

Text in the Description field does not get generated to a DTD, but is generated to a BizTalk schema. You may enter a description of the modeling element, or its use in the schema. The description can be included in a report. By default, it is included in HTML reports.

Specifies one and only one schema that will be used throughout the diagram, and/or the XML Schema definition that elements and attributes are keyed to. Note that all elements and element attributes created on the diagram will default to this schema name. Attribute and element symbols may be keyed to one and only one schema. If the schema is renamed, all elements and attributes that use it will be rekeyed to the new name. “Names” may be the same as long as they are keyed to different schemas.

The attribute and element instances use the diagram's schema by default, however, this is not required. Element and attribute symbols using schema outside of the diagram's will display with dotted borders.

Data specified in an attributes Attribute Type properties apply to the instance of the attribute you are editing: the one which you see and have chosen on the diagram that you are in.

An attributes Attribute Type properties are not inherited across instances of the attribute: they are not global. In other words, all three instances of the attribute symbol address, even the first and third ones which share the same definition, will have different values in their Attribute Type properties.

See Descriptions of data types.

See also Text Entity References.

This refers to the default value for the attribute.

This field is used only if the attributes data type is set to “enumeration”. Separate multiple items in the Values field with single spaces. On generation of BizTalk, these spaces are preserved. On generation of DTDs, spaces are replaced with vertical lines. On import of a DTD, the vertical lines are removed and replaced with spaces.

Text Entity Schema is used to resolve the text entity references in the properties of this object. If this value is blank, it uses the diagram schema.

Text in the Comments field will be generated into the schema file, formatted like this:

Comments are generated to the place in the DTD where the attribute is used: see also Location of generated comments and processing instructions.

Processing instructions are inherited from an attribute type, if referenced, and passed to an application. They typically contain a declaration of the target application and whatever instructions the application needs to process the XML schema.

Text in the Processing Instructions field will be generated into the schema file but will be formatted as follows:

Processing Instructions are generated to the place in the schema where the attribute is used: see also Location of generated comments and processing instructions.

In this field, one and only one XML Attribute Type may be assigned to an attribute instance. An XML Attribute Type is a schema level attribute that can be applied to element level XML Attributes.

This field allows you to override the “Required” status provided to an element level attribute by a schema level Attribute Type definition.

This field allows you to override the “Default” value provided to an element level attribute by a schema level Attribute Type definition.

Text in this field declares a URI (Universal Resource Identifier) for the instance of the element type. Allows you to ensure uniqueness among same named elements.

Text in this field will be generated into the schema file but will be formatted as follows:

Comments are generated to the place in the DTD where the attribute is used: see also Location of generated comments and processing instructions.

Processing instructions are passed to an application. They typically contain a declaration of the target application and whatever instructions the application needs to process the XML schema.

Text in this field will be generated into the schema file, formatted like this:

Processing instructions are generated to the place in the schema where the attribute is used: see also Location of generated comments and processing instructions.

The Graphic Comment field enables you to provide a design comment on the symbol. Text entered into this field is displayed on the diagram next to the symbol. You can embed the text in the symbol by selecting the symbol and choosing Format, Symbol Format, Text Position, and toggling on the choice for Graphic Comment to be inside or outside the symbol. If the graphic comment is outside the symbol, you may specify that a squiggly line attach the comment to the symbol by selecting the symbol and choosing Format, Diagram Format, Notation, and toggling on the Line to Remote Text option.