Conversions

All SOAP::WSDL::XSD based classes overload arrayification - that is being accessed as a list ref - with a method returning [ $self ].

This means that you can safely use the results of get_ELEMENT calls on complexTypes as list refs (you'll have to check for definedness, though - see SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::Builtin for details.

To iterate over a (potential) list of child elements just do the following:

 if (defined $obj->get_ELEMENT()) {
     for (@{ $obj->get_ELEMENT() }) {
        ...
     }
 }

This is especially useful in mini-languages like HTML::Template::Compiled, where you could say

 <%IF_DEFINED obj.get_ELEMENT %>
    <%LOOP obj.get_ELEMENT %>
       ...
    <%/LOOP>
 <%IF%>

Note that this does not work in HTML::Template::Compiled yet - the code generated for the template checks UNIVERSAL::isa instead of dereferencing. There's a ticket open in HTC to solve the issue.

as_hash_ref

SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::ComplexType based objects have a method as_hash_ref, which returns the object's content as a hash reference.

This can be convenient for cloning:

 my $class = ref $old;
 my $clone = $class->new( $old->as_hash_ref() );

To convert from one type to another, you can just say

 my $new = MyTypes::NewType->new( $old->as_hash_ref() );

Of course this will only work if MyTypes::NewType has a superset of the old object class' elements.

Note that XML attribute data is not included in the hash ref output yet.

Base classes

Builtin types

SOAP::WSDL::XSD provides classes for all builtin XML Schema datatypes.

For a list and reference on these classes, see SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::Builtin.

Derivation classes

For derivation by list, the list derivation class SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::Builtin::list exists.

Derivation by restriction is handled without the help of additional classes.

Element construction class

For the construction of element classes, the element superclass SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::Element exists. All elements are ultimately derived from this class. Elements may inherit from type classes, too - see "TRANSLATION RULES" for details.

complexType construction class

For the construction of complexType classes, the construction class SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::ComplexType is provided. It provides a __factory method for placing attributes in generated classes, and generating appropriate setter/getter accessors.

The setters are special: They handle complex data structures of any type (meaning hash refs, list refs and objects, and any combination of them), as long as their structure matches the expected structure.

element

element with type attribute

Elements defined by referencing a builtin or user defined type inherit from SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::Element and from the corresponding type class.

  Element       Type
  base class    class
     ^            ^
     |            |
      ------------
          |
 Element type="" class

element with ref attribute

Elements defined by referencing another element inherit from the corresponding element class.

 referenced Element class
          ^
          |
 Element ref="" class

element with atomic simpleType

Elements defined by a atomic simpleType from SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::Element and from the base type of the atomic type.

   Element     atomic Type
  base class   base class
     ^              ^
     |              |
      --------------
            |
 element simpleType class

element with atomic complexType

Elements defined with a atomic complexType inherit from SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::Element and from SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::ComplexType.

   Element     complexType
  base class   base class
     ^              ^
     |              |
      --------------
            |
 element complexType class

complexType

Some content models are not implemented yet. The content models implemented are described below.

complexType with "all" variety

Complex types with "all" variety inherit from SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::ComplexType, and call it's factory method for creating fields and accessors/mutators for the complexType's elements.

All element's type classes are loaded. Complex type classes have a "has a" relationship to their element fields.

Element fields may either be element classes (for element ref="") or type classes (for element type=""). No extra element classes are created for a complexType's elements.

  complexType
  base class
       ^
       |
 complexType all
 ----------------     has a
 element name="a" ------------> Element or type class object
 element name="b" ------------> Element or type class object

The implementation for all does enforce the order of elements as described in the WSDL, even though this is not required by the XML Schema specification.

complexType with "sequence" variety

The implementation of the "sequence" variety is the same as for all.

complexType with "choice" variety

The implementation for choice currently is the same as for all - which means, no check for occurrence are made.

complexType with complexContent content model

Note that complexType classes with complexContent content model don't exhibit their type via the xsi:type attribute yet, so they currently cannot be used as a replacement for their base type.

SOAP::WSDL's XSD deserializer backend does not recognize the xsi:type="" attribute either yet.

• restriction variety

  ComplexType classes with restriction variety inherit from their base type. No additional processing or content checking is performed yet.

      complexType
    base type class
          ^
          |
     complexType
     restriction
      

• extension variety

  ComplexType classes with extension variety inherit from the XSD base complexType class and from their base type.

  Extension classes are checked for (re-)defining all elements of their parent class.

  Note that a derived type's elements (=properties) overrides the getter / setter methods for all inherited elements. All object data is stored in the derived type's class, not in the defining class (See Class::Std for a discussion on inside out object data storage).

  No additional processing or content checking is performed yet.

    complexType        complexType
    base class       base type class
         ^                 ^
         |                 |
          -----------------
         |
     complexType
      extension
      

SimpleType

Some derivation methods are not implemented yet. The derivation methods implemented are described below.

Derivation by list

Derivation by list is implemented by inheriting from both the base type and SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::XSD::list.

Derivation by restriction

Derivation by restriction is implemented by inheriting from a base type and applying the required restrictions.

Attributes

The sub-package is named as the corresponding type or element package, suffixed with "XmlAttr". The suffix "XmlAttr" has carefully been chosen to avoid potential naming clashes: The name XmlAttr cannot be included as element or type name in XML schemas - the XML standard bans the use of names starting with "xml" (case-insensitive).

All XML attributes for a XML element are set- and retrievable via the method "attr". The name is chosen to allow mimicking SOAP::Lite's behaviour, which allows setting a SOAP::Data object's attributes via "attr".

 my $attrSet = $obj->attr();
 $obj->attr({
     whitespace => 'preserve',
     nillable => 1,
 });

SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::AttributeSet is derived from SOAP::WSDL::XSD::Typelib::ComplexType with content model "all". The individual attributes can be set and retrieved via the respective set_FOO / get_FOO methods.

The "attr" method provides auto-vivification: An xml object's attribute set is instantiated when accessed.

Auto-vivification is only triggered if there actually is a set of attributes for the class/object in question, so you may want to test whether the result of ->attr is defined:

 my $attr = $unknownObject->attr();
 if (defined($attr)) {
     $unknownObject->attr({
         some => 'value',
     });
 }

group

XML Schema Group definitions are just treated as aliases that can be inserted in complexType definitions by referencing them. That is, there's no difference between a complexType with simpleContent and a sequence of three elements, and a complexType with simpleContent referencing a group containing the same sequence of elements.

XML Schema elements partially supported

•

simpleContent

simpleContent is only supported with a restriction or extension with a "base" attribute. simpleContent declarations deriving from a atomic type are not supported (yet).

Inclusion elements

•

import

The import inclusion element requires the schemaLocation attribute for resolving the XML schema to import. Support for the import element is implemented in SOAP::WSDL::Expat::WSDLParser, so alternative parsers may or may not support the import element.

SOAP::WSDL::Expat::WSDLParser keeps track of included schemas and prevents import loops.

Facets

The following XML Schema declaration elements are supported, but have no effect yet.

• enumeration
• fractionDigits
• length
• maxExclusive
• maxInclusiove
• maxLength
• minExclusive
• minInclusive
• minLength
• pattern
• totalDigits
• whitespace

XML Schema elements not implemented

•

notation

Content model definition elements

• any

  The horror of each XML schema implementation: Just anything...

  "any" declarations are not supported yet.

• anyAttribute
• attributeGroup

  "attributeGroup" declarations actually just are macros for XML Schema writers: Including an attributeGroup in a declaration has the same effect as including all attributes in the group.

  Just not implemented yet.

• group

  The group definition element is not supported yet.

Identity definition elements

These declaration elements don't declare XML elements, but apply identity constraints. They have no effect yet.

• field
• key
• keyref
• selector
• unique

Inclusion elements

• include

  Use of the include inclusion element is forbidden by the WS-I basic profile. It is not supported (yet).

• redefine

  Not supported (yet).

* Documentation elements

•

appinfo

The appinfo documentation element is ignored.