# Adding import elements

If your schemas are large, you might choose to divide their content among several schema documents to make them easier to maintain, reuse, and read. You can use an `import` element to bring in definitions and declarations from an imported schema into the current schema.

You can import a schema from a different namespace than the current schema. You can add multiple import elements to an XML schema; however, an imported schema cannot have the same namespace or prefix as another imported schema.

The following instructions were written for the Resource perspective, but they will also work in many other perspectives.

To add an import element, complete the following steps:

1. Open your XML schema in the XML schema editor.
2. In the Design view, right-click in the Directives section and click Add Import.
3. In the Select XML schema file wizard, you can import an XML schema that is located in your workspace or you can import a schema from an HTTP Web address.
   - If you want to import an XML schema located in your workspace:
     1. Select Workbench projects and click Next.
     2. Select the schema that you want to import and click Finish.
   - If you want to import an XML schema located at an HTTP Web address:
     1. Select HTTP and click Next.
     2. Type the URL of the XML schema and click Finish.
        Note: A local copy of the schema is not stored in your workspace. If you validate your schema, the schema's contents are checked from the URL that you specify.
4. Optional: Use the Properties view to define additional properties for your import element.
   1. If you want to add a unique prefix for this namespace, click the General tab and type the prefix in the Prefix field.
   2. Click the Documentation tab if you want to provide any information about this import element. The Documentation page is used for human readable material, such as a description.
   3. Click the Extensions tab if you want to add application information elements to your annotations of schema components. The Extensions page allows you to specify the schema and add XML content to your annotations.

Once you have added an import element to your XML schema, when you define new elements, attributes, complex types, or simple types where you can specify type information, any declarations from the included schema will be available in the Type list for the element, attribute, complex or simple type.

Related tasks
Adding include elements
Adding redefine elements
Related reference
XML namespaces