XML validation with XSD: how to avoid caring about the sequence of the elements?

<xsd:complexType name="questions">    <xsd:all>        <xsd:element name="location" type="location"/>        <xsd:element name="multipleChoiceInput" type="multipleChoiceInput"/>        <xsd:element name="textInput" type="textInput"/>        <xsd:element name="pictureInput" type="pictureInput"/>    </xsd:all></xsd:complexType>

NOTE: I have changed "sequence" to "all"

Sequence forces order (as defined). if order doesn't matter then all is used.

If there are chances of element occurence more than once then xsd:any can be used.

<xsd:complexType name="questions">    <xsd:sequence>        <xsd:any minOccurs="0"/>    </xsd:sequence></xsd:complexType>

You can find details of xsd:any at following link:

https://www.w3schools.com/xml/schema_complex_any.asp

I'm a little late to this discussion, but I had the same problem and found the solution:

<xsd:complexType name="questions">    <xsd:choice maxOccurs="unbounded">        <xsd:element name="location" type="location"/>        <xsd:element name="multipleChoiceInput" type="multipleChoiceInput"/>        <xsd:element name="textInput" type="textInput"/>        <xsd:element name="pictureInput" type="pictureInput"/>    </xsd:choice></xsd:complexType>

The key is to combine xs:choice with maxOccurs="unbounded". If you just use xs:all, you are allowed one of each, period.

edited to add:While xs:any will work, it won't limit your choices to the four elements itemized. It will allow anything, which pretty much defeats the purpose of a schema.

Also very late to the party here, but would using <xsd:all> in conjunction with minOccurs and maxOccurs not work?:

<xsd:complexType name="questions">    <xsd:all>        <xsd:element name="location" type="location" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>        <xsd:element name="multipleChoiceInput" type="multipleChoiceInput" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>        <xsd:element name="textInput" type="textInput" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>        <xsd:element name="pictureInput" type="pictureInput" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>    </xsd:all></xsd:complexType>