Validating XML Data Using the Schema XPath and Validate XML Settings

This example demonstrates how to use the Schema XPath field to successfully validate XML data.

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In this Pipeline, custom XML data is provided using the Edit XML field in the XML Generator Snap, a snapshot of which is provided here.

The Inbound schema, Schema XPath, and the schema Root element, are specified in the Snap settings. See the screenshot below. In addition, the Validate XML check box is selected to indicate that the XML data must be validated against the schema.

The file specified as the inbound schema, CustomersOrders_withXSD.xml, is not a regular schema file (.xsd) but an XML file being used as a schema file. The contents of this file appear as follows:

In the above file, the root element of the schema is nested within the RootElm object. Therefore, the Schema XPath field value is specified as //RootElm/* to direct the XML Generator Snap to the schema object.

On validating the Pipeline, the Snap output appears as follows. Note the ContactName field.

If the ContactName field is removed from the custom XML specified in the XML editor and the Pipeline is re-validated, the Snap fails with the following error:

Note that if the Validate XML check box is deselected, the Snap does not validate the data against the schema, and an output with the missing field is generated without errors:

Similarly, if the Schema XPath value is not provided, the Snap is unable to locate the root element and fails with the following error:

This explains the scenarios in which you need to provide the schema XPath and how you can validate XML data using schema from within any XML or XSD file with the help of the Schema XPath and Validate XML properties.