5.5

Table Of Contents
XML Representations in the vCloud
API 12
The vCloud API represents objects in a cloud as XML documents in which object properties are contained in
elements and attributes that have typed values and an explicit object hierarchy defined by an XML schema.
Client programs of RESTful Web services must be able to request object representations from the server,
parse the server’s responses to extract the information they contain, and compose requests that, in many
cases, are based on the information extracted from a response. Developers of such clients must understand
the structure of each representation that might be part of a request or response, and any requirements that
the network protocol (HTTP) places on client-server interaction.
Schemas
Each vCloud API object is defined in an XML schema document. Some objects are defined in their own
schema documents. Others are defined in the context of the larger schema in which they are used. Still
others are defined in a common schema document, from which other schemas inherit. Schema files and
reference information about all elements, types, operations, and queries is included in the vCloud API Schema
Reference. See “About the Schema Reference,” on page 22.
vCloud Director uses a validating XML parser that requires elements in XML documents to agree in order
and number with the schema. Required elements must appear in request bodies. All elements that appear in
request bodies must appear in the order established by the schema, and with content that conforms to the
type constraint specified in the schema. Default values, where defined, are supplied for elements that are
empty. See “XML Namespace Identifiers,” on page 359.
Date and Time Values
Values of type xs:dateTime are always interpreted as UTC if a timezone has not been explicitly specified.
Length Limits on Element and Attribute String Values
String values for the name attribute and the Description and ComputerName elements have length limitations
that depend on the object to which they are attached.
Table 121. Length Limits on Element and Attribute String Values
Object Element or Attribute Name Maximum Length in Characters
Catalog name
128
Catalog Description
256
EdgeGateway name
35
Media name
128
Media Description
256
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