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   Best way to represent fractional values?

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Because some fractional values (e.g. 1/3) cannot be exactly represented using any of the types provided by XML Schema (due to the recurring nature of their decimal representation) I want to define a new type that will enable exact representation of such values.
 
As I see it there are two possibilities:
 
1) Create a complex type with a denominator and numerator, possibly something like:
 

<complexType name="fraction">

     <sequence>

          <element name="numerator" type="decimal"/>

          <element name="denominator" type="decimal"/>

     </sequence>

</complexType>
 
2) Create a simple type as a restriction on "string", possibly something like:
 

<simpleType name="fraction">

     <restriction base="string">

          <pattern value="[0-9]+(.[0-9]+)/[0-9]+(.[0-9]+)"/>

     </restriction>

</simpleType>
 
Both of these approaches have their benefits and pitfalls of course.
 
Are there any "best practices" in this regard? It seems a pity that there was no fraction type defined for us in the first place (or am I missing something somewhere?)
 
Many thanks
 
Hugh Wallis




 

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