Data type attribute

In an ODABA XML schema generic types as "Collection" usually refer to a dataType attribute, which defines the data type for collection instances. Properties not referring to generic types as Collection define the type in the type attribute for the element. Data types are either structure or enumeration names or generic type definitions. Types for attributes can be defined in the type attribute for the element. When defining both, the type and the data type definition for an attribute, the data type attribute will overwrite the type attribute. Basic types in the type attribute refer to the basic types defined in XML schema. Basic types in the data type attribute refer to the ODABA type names.

Generic types are defined by passing the generic type and the referenced type(s) as: "INTERVAL". The type references refer to ODABA building types or user defined types (complex data types).

The data type attribute can also be specified for a simple type definition for an enumeration. In this case, the data type refers to the data type, the categories can apply on. When no data type is defined, the categories can apply on all object types.

When an enumeration is based on a data type, the categories (enumeration values defined for the restriction) may refer to specialized data types associated with a category by using the data type attribute.