Is there a “standard” way for modeling a node
structure that can be constrained up to a specific depth whereby all nodes are
the same type?
For example, the concept is a dimension which could be any
hierarchical concept such as geography, or product, and is constrained to a
maximum depth of 15. In addition, the number of dimensions is constrained
to a maximum of 50. One approach to the metadata definition for geography
is straightforward since I can define a dimension generically such that:
<xs:element name="Dimension">
<xs:annotation>
<xs:documentation>A
Dimension is a user defined element such as 'Geography'.</xs:documentation>
</xs:annotation>
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="Dimension_Member" maxOccurs="15">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:attribute name="Id" type="xs:ID" use="required"/>
<xs:attribute name="Label" use="required">
…
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
Note that the hierarchy can be defined using either a sequence
number attribute of by assuming that the sequence itself defines the hierarchy.
The problem with this implementation is the duplication of
element data and there will be thousands of “rows”.
<GEOGRAPHY>
<COUNTRY>USA</COUNTRY><STATE>CO</STATE><CITY>DENVER</CITY>
<COUNTRY>USA</COUNTRY><STATE>CO</STATE><CITY>ASPEN</CITY>
<COUNTRY>USA</COUNTRY><STATE>CO</STATE><CITY>VAIL</CITY>
<COUNTRY>USA</COUNTRY><STATE>CO</STATE><CITY>COLORADO
SPRINGS</CITY>
<COUNTRY>CANADA</COUNTRY><STATE>QC</STATE><CITY>HULL</CITY>
<COUNTRY> CANADA
</COUNTRY><STATE> QC </STATE><CITY>HUDSON</CITY>
<COUNTRY> CANADA
</COUNTRY><STATE> QC </STATE><CITY>MONTREAL</CITY>
<COUNTRY> CANADA
</COUNTRY><STATE> QC </STATE><CITY>HULL</CITY>
</GEOGRAPHY>
<PRODUCT>
Different hierarchy…
</PRODUCT>
<ANOTHER DIM>
Different hierarchy…
</ANOTHER DIM>
…
What I would like is a more generic way for defining
dimensions such that I can model the hierarchy and avoid duplication.
<GEOGRAPHY>
<COUNTRY>
<STATE>
<COUNTY>
<CITY></CITY>
</COUNTY>
</STATE>
</COUNTRY>
</GEOGRAPHY>
Since the maximum node depth is known I also took the
following approach but it seems like there has to be a better way.
<xs:element name="DimensionData">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="Dim1" maxOccurs="unbounded">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:complexContent>
<xs:extension base="DimensionMemberData">
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="Dim2" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:complexContent>
<xs:extension base="DimensionMemberData">
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="Dim3" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded">
<xs:complexType>
…and
so on til a depth of 15
Is the answer to use the anyType or something else?
Thanks in advance.
Paul
