A communiqué from Eduardo Gutentag reports on the availability of the 'Sun XML Datatypes Library'. Developed by Kohsuke Kawaguchi, the datatypes library is Sun's implementation of W3C's XML Schema Part 2 intended for use with applications that incorporate XML Schema Part 2. It can be used from any Java code to validate strings with datatypes and to convert strings into Java objects. The preview version 1 of 'April 2001' implements the proposed recommendation version of the W3C XML Schema Part 2 Datatypes. The distribution of the XML Datatypes Library includes a sample class file src/com/sun/tranquilo/datatype/CommandLineTester.java provided "as a guide for implementing your own Java classes with the Datatypes Library." Documented examples include validating a string with an integer datatype, deriving a new type from an existing DataType object, and diagnosing errors. The library distribution includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation; its use requires JDK 1.3.

From the README: "This preview version implements the proposed recommendation version http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/PR-xmlschema-2-20010316/) of the W3C XML Schema Part 2 Datatype. Being a proposed recommendation means that it is subject to change. In fact, many important changes were made after the October 24, 2000 version, and many changes may be made before it becomes a recommendation. So developers should be forewarned about possible future changes, including (but of course not limited to): [1] Change/addition/removal of type names; [2] Change/addition/removal of facets."