UML profile for XML - how to model B2B messages?

[skylstad]

We have a large UML domain model for multi modal transport.  The system architecture is service oriented using  xml coded messages for all messaging.  Experimenting with EA I first tried to model a message by creating a message X package, adding a class diagram to this package, and modelling the message on this diagram by copying all relevant classes AS LINKS to this diagram.  And then I performed the Generate XML Schema of package X.  Result: no schema, only an error message: "Error: No classes were loaded, or packages were empty." My second attempt was to generate a schema for the complete domain model, and to model a specific message x in a separate package creating local classes as subclasses of the domain model classes.  Now I could generate a schema, but the xml element name and type contained no namespace info - I cannot use the domain logical names on the corresponding message class. -- OK; I could continue experimenting and find a useful approach, but certainly others travelled this path before??  WHAT APPROACH / MODELLING STRATERGY IS ADVANTAGOUS TO MODELLING XML MESSAGES WITH EA?

[thomaskilian]

Issue Generate XML Schema. Press the Help Button. Follow the instructions?

HTH

[skylstad]

Mmmm.. You did not catch my problem.  The domain model contains a couple hundred classes with a lot of associations, inheritance. The XML B2B messages are "filtered" subgraphs of the domain object graph plus some protocol info.  EA implementation of the XML Schema generation together with the UML profile for XML gives me a number of constrants how to model my messages.  For example: two messages may involve the same classes, but not containing the same associations or the same attributes.  One way to model this is: 1. for each message define a message package. 2. create a class diagram in this package. 3. add a clone of the appropriate domain model structure (classes + associations), 4. relate each of the cloned classes to the original classes by a <<derived>> relation (so I at least have a cross reference), 5. modify the cloned classes and associations so it confirms to the message requirements (using UML profile for XML features PLUS MODIFICATION IN THE CLONED CLASS MODEL).  This will work, BUT I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THIS SOLUTION!! (For example: any change in the domain model will not automatically be reflected in messagage models; I would have to build a tool for that...)  ANYBODY WITH A BETTER SOLUTION??