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RE: URL versus relative path schemaLocation imports

• From: "Michael Kay" <mike@saxonica.com>
• To: "'Ryan, Paul \(ICTL_StAI_25\)'" <pryan001@revenue.ie>,<xml-dev@l...>
• Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:01:10 +0100

> 
> We have a large number of XML schemas and have separated some 
> of these into common schemas that we reuse using the xsd 
> import element.
> 
> e.g. 
> <xsd:import namespace="http://...." schemaLocation="...."/>
> 
> I was wondering if there are any best practices for choosing URL
> (http://....) over a relative path (../../schema.xsd). Any 
> references to documentation or discussions would be great.

It's exactly the same issue as relative vs absolute URLs in HTML web pages,
isn't it?

Use relative URIs for links within a package of related documents that will
be moved around together as a unit. Use absolute URIs when referring to
something that is developed separately.
> 
> Using a HTTP URL requires that we host these schemas on a web 
> server 

No necessarily. There are many technologies that allow you to intercept the
attempt to dereference the http: URI and substitute a resource at a
different location: for example the URIResolver if you are in the Java
space.

Regards,

Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/
http://twitter.com/michaelhkay 

• References:
  • URL versus relative path schemaLocation imports
    • From: "Ryan, Paul \(ICTL_StAI_25\)" <pryan001@revenue.ie>