elementFormDefault and attributeFormDefault

• Specifies whether locally declared elements and attributes are namespace qualified

• In a schema, a locally declared element is an element declared directly inside a complexType (not by reference)

  <complexType name="CarType">
    <sequence>
      <element name="steering_wheel" type="SteeringWheelType"/>
      <element name="wheel" type="WheelType"/>
    </sequence>
  </complexType>
   

• In an instance document, this is a locally declared element:

  <vg:car xmlns:vg="http://www.vg.org/autos/" 
    width="12cm" height="10cm">
      <steering_wheel diameter="24cm" />
      <wheel number="4" />
  </vg:car>

• Does not apply to globally declared items

• Default is unqualified for both elements and attributes. This is correct for attributes but backwards from what it should be for elements.

• Always set elementFormDefault to qualified and don't use local elements.