xsd:anyType and xsd:any

Hello,

I was not able to fully understand the difference between an xsd:any and an element with a type xsd:anyType.

• Is there any difference?
• Do both wildcard methods refer to any child element(s) or does one or both refer to a wildcard subtree?
• What should be the parse mode (parserContents) for processing xsd:anyType? Should is be same as xsd:any’s “skip” or “lax” or “strict” or perhaps to something else?

The section 3.4.7 Built-in Complex Type Definition (in http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-1/) says, if I understand correctly, that the subtree should be processed in “lax”. Is that so?

What’s the difference, if any between the following wildcard definitions (with regards to the depth of subtree they refer to, the processing mode and any other issue):

·         xsd:any

·         element definition with type=”xsd:anyType”

·         a complexContent that has a restriction base=”xsd:anyType” with an xsd:anyAttribute namespace=”##other” and processorContents=”lax”

·         a complexContent that has a restriction base=”xsd:anyType” with an xsd:anyAttribute namespace=”##other” and processorContents=”skip”

Thanks.

Shlomo.