namespace and targetnamespace

[jeff mutonho]

Can someone explain the difference between these 2? Or perhaps refer me to some document/book that explains this clearly.
Thanks


Jeff Mutonho

SCJP

[Peer Reynders]

targetNamespace is used in XML Schemas and WSDL to identify and select the namespace into which new elements that your are defining are created in. Once you have defined a new element you still need a namespace declaration to be able to reference the new element or type.

Example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<schema xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
    xmlns:mh="http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook" 
    targetNamespace="http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook" 
    elementFormDefault="qualified">
 
    <complexType name="USAddress">
        <sequence>
            <element name="name"            type="string" />
            <element name="street"          type="string" />
            <element name="city"            type="string" />
            <element name="state"           type="string" />
            <element name="zip"             type="string" />
        </sequence>
    </complexType>
 
    <complexType name="Book">
        <sequence>
            <element name="title"           type="string" />
            <element name="quantity"        type="unsignedShort" />
            <element name="wholesale-price" type="float" />
        </sequence>
    </complexType>
 
    <complexType name="PurchaseOrder">
        <sequence>
            <element name="accountName"     type="string" />
            <element name="accountNumber"   type="unsignedShort" />
            <element name="shipAddress"     type="mh:USAddress" />
            <element name="billAddress"     type="mh:USAddress" />
            <element name="book"            type="mh:Book" />            
            <element name="total"           type="float" />            
        </sequence>
    </complexType>
 
    <element name="purchaseOrder" type="mh:PurchaseOrder" />
    <element name="address" type="mh:USAddress" />
 
</schema>

The targetNamespace is "http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook".
Types created:

{http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook}USAddress

{http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook}Book

{http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook}PurchaseOrder

Elements created:

{http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook}purchaseOrder

{http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook}address

Note however that there is also a namespace declaration xmlns:mh="http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook". So when you reference anything that exists in the "http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook" namespace you simply use the prefix "mh" within the scope of that element (in this case schema). This is used in the PurchaseOrder type definition where {http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook}USAddress is referenced as mh:USAddress and {http://www.Monson-Haefel.com/jwsbook}Book is referenced as mh:Book.

Ronald Bourret's XML Namespaces FAQ
James Clark: XML Namespaces

[jeff mutonho]

Thanks.That really helped