Wildcard vs. Import

[Grant Robertson]

I am having a little trouble sorting out the exact differences between
using wildcards and using import in XML schema.

I know that a wildcard allows any global elements from the referenced
schema/namespace to be used in an XML instance document based on the
current schema but only within the element where the wildcard is
specified. When I import a schema, does that allow ANY elements from the
imported schema to be used ANYWHERE in the XML instance document? Or does
that just allow you to then borrow only specific components from the
imported schema for use within your current schema and only those
components are allowed to appear in the XML instance document?

If the latter, is the only difference - between wildcards and import -
that wildcards allow any element from the referenced schema while import
only allows the specified elements? Are there any subtle differences that
I should know about?

 

[Joe Kesselman]

When I import a schema, does that allow ANY elements from the
imported schema to be used ANYWHERE in the XML instance document?

No.

The importing schema still defines the structure of its own elements.
The imported elements may only be used in places where the importing
schema explicitly references them, or uses a wildcard/ANY to allow them.

Suggested reading:
http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-1/#composition-schemaImport

 

[Grant Robertson]

The importing schema still defines the structure of its own elements.
The imported elements may only be used in places where the importing
schema explicitly references them, or uses a wildcard/ANY to allow them.

Thanks, again, for your help.