Generate .NET classes with XSD.EXE based on schemas with import declarations

If you define two schemas - MySchema and MySubSchema - where MySchema references MySubschema, you will probably get in trouble if you try to generate .NET classes for those schemas using XSD.EXE.

Here's a quick example: MySchema.xsd is imports MySubschema.xsd and declares an element of type ns2:MySubSchemaRoot

MySchema.xsd

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>

<xs:schema xmlns:b="http://schemas.microsoft.com/BizTalk/2003" xmlns="http://Namespace1" xmlns:ns2="http://Namespace2" targetNamespace="http://Namespace1" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">

<xs:import schemaLocation=".\MySubSchema.xsd" namespace="http://Namespace2" />

<xs:annotation>

<xs:appinfo>

<b:references>

<b:reference targetNamespace="http://Namespace2" />

</b:references>

</xs:appinfo>

</xs:annotation>

<xs:element name="MySchemaRoot">

<xs:complexType>

<xs:sequence>

<xs:element name="Element1" type="xs:string" />

<xs:element ref="ns2:MySubSchemaRoot" />

</xs:sequence>

</xs:complexType>

</xs:element>

</xs:schema>

 

MySubSchema.xsd

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>

<xs:schema xmlns:b="http://schemas.microsoft.com/BizTalk/2003" xmlns="http://Namespace2" targetNamespace="http://Namespace2" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">

<xs:element name="MySubSchemaRoot">

<xs:complexType>

<xs:sequence>

<xs:element name="Element1" type="xs:string" />

</xs:sequence>

</xs:complexType>

</xs:element>

</xs:schema>

 

If you run XSD.EXE to generate the .NET class for MySchema…

xsd.exe /c MySchema.xsd

…you'll get this error:

The element 'http://Namespace2:MySubSchemaRoot' is missing.

To workaround this issue, you must also specify MySubSchema.xsd as a parameter for xsd.exe, like this:

xsd.exe /c MySubSchema.xsd MySchema.xsd

This will correctly generate MySchema.cs class