[XML-SIG] XML Validation

[Jason Mobarak]

Hello --

In short: what methods do you use to validate proper structure of an XML
document?

In programs I've written I've used minidom to traverse the nodes of an
XML document and an FSM to verify that all tags appeared where they were
allowed. This particular validation solution also allowed me to verify
that the nodes of the XML document had the proper data.

I'm definitely not an XML expert but from what I've heard my validation
  solution is not part of the "real" XML tool chain -- the valid
structure of my document is described by Python code. I should be able
to have a schema or DTD that specifies structure and valid content.

However, DTDs seem limited, I haven't seen that they can verify the kind
of complex structure that I might want, am I wrong?

As far as I've seen a schema would provide the best solution. For
validating XML documents with schemas, I haven't found any python
libraries that I wanted to use (i.e. I don't want to try and use XSV,
it's major focus seems to be the commandline/web, and I can't find
adequate documentation).

--
Jason