Special Edition Using XML Schema

Special Edition Using XML Schema starts with an explanation of Schema basics: why they were created, the advantages they offer over DTDs, and an overview of the two major parts of the specification: Structure and Datatypes. Next, the author explains the differences between DTDs and Schemas, and demonstrates a simple DTD-to-Schema conversion. The bulk of the book explains the many parts of Schemas, dissecting the structure of a Schema and then introducing Datatypes. Each section includes practical examples, which the author creates and explains, building from the material discussed in the previous section. At the end of the book, the author demonstrates a large, real-world example Schema, showing how all the parts of Schemas interact and how readers would build XML data from the example Schema.

It assumes knowledge of XML and DTDs, but otherwise guides you very systematically through the topics, without a need to flip back and forth.

It is neither a tutorial, nor a reference, but has very clear examples to learn from and is well-enough laid out to serve as a reference later.

In contrast to many IT books, it is written in an engaging style that I found easy to read as a narrative.
It lends itself well to reading a chapter, then starting up an XML editor and experimenting. Then trying the next chapter and so on.


Comprehensive but terrible delivery   September 19, 2002
4 out of 7 found this review helpful

It's easy to trip over some of the terminology with Schema's, and this book fumbles along through out. Well versed in DTDs, and getting comfortable with Schemas I decided to buy this book. I actually knew less about Schema's as a result of reading it. The way Contents and Types were described and then the examples that were used, will do little more than confuse the reader. Grab the O'Reilley Schema book or one of the thousands of other Schema books if you want a reference OR a tutorial.