How do I parse a DTD and access the element definitions?

[Chris Gokey]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping that someone could point me in the right direction regarding what
classes I need in order to access element definitions in a DTD.

Consider the following DTD:

<!ELEMENT Personnel (Role+, First_Name?, Middle_Name?, Last_Name?, 
  Email*, Phone*, FAX*, Address?)>

<!ELEMENT Role (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT First_Name (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT Middle_Name (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT Last_Name (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT Email (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT Phone (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT FAX (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT Address (#PCDATA)>

I'd like an API something like this:

// some class that would parse a DTD and create an intermediate representation
for
// accessing its elements (like a DOM).
DTDParser parser = new DTDParser();
parser.parse("dif.dtd");

ElementList list = parser.getElements();
int len = list.getLength();
for (int i=0; i<len; i++) {
  String elementName = list.item(i).getElementName();
  String definition = list.item(i).getDefintion();
  System.out.println("elementName="+elementName);
  System.out.println("definition="+defintion);
  System.out.println("\n");
}

In which the code above might produce the following output:

elementName = Personnel
definition = (Role+, First_Name?, Middle_Name?, Last_Name?, 
  Email*, Phone*, FAX*, Address?)

elementName = Role
definition = (#PCDATA)

elementName = FirstName
defintion = (#PCDATA)

       .
       .
       .

I would imagaine the Xerces library must have something to help me achieve
this functionality?  

Thanks in advanced...

Chris

-- 
Christopher D. Gokey, Raytheon ITSS, NASA/GCMD
18 Martin Road, Shelburne Falls, MA  01370
Phone: Voice (413) 625-8129 / FAX 208-248-9055
[EMAIL PROTECTED] / http://gcmd.nasa.gov