JAX-WS / JAXB: Unable to target embedded XSD schema node in WSDL via bindings.xml

I’m trying to generate Java classes from a WSDL file using the Maven plugin com.sun.xml.ws:jaxws-maven-plugin. The WSDL includes embedded XSD schema(s), and I’m not allowed to modify the WSDL or its schemas.

My goal is to add the @XmlRootElement annotation to the generated classes ImportStatusReadRequest and ImportStatusReadResponse using an external jaxb-bindings.xml file.

Unfortunately, I cannot manage to properly target the relevant node using XPath in the bindings file. Every attempt leads to the following error during the jaxws:wsimport execution:

[ERROR] XPath evaluation of "<node>" results in an empty target node

Here’s what I have tried:

• Using <xjc:simple /> globally, which does generate the @XmlRootElement annotation
• However, this also enables automatic pluralization for List properties (e.g., a List<ITEM> property is named items instead of item), which I want to avoid.

So, my needs are:

1. To target only the specific types in the embedded schema using XPath
2. To add the @XmlRootElement annotation without enabling pluralization

I will include:

• The plugin configuration
• A simplified version of the WSDL file (representative of the structure)
• My current jaxb-bindings.xml

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated — thank you!

<!-- pom.xml -->
<plugin>
  <groupId>com.sun.xml.ws</groupId>
  <artifactId>jaxws-maven-plugin</artifactId>
  <version>4.0.3</version>
  <configuration>
    <sourceDestDir>${project.basedir}/target/generated-sources</sourceDestDir>
    <destDir>${project.basedir}/target/generated-sources</destDir>
    <wsdlDirectory>${project.basedir}/src/main/resources/wsdl</wsdlDirectory>
    <bindingDirectory>${project.basedir}/src/main/resources/wsdl</bindingDirectory>
  </configuration>
  <executions>
    <execution>
      <id>default</id>
      <goals>
        <goal>wsimport</goal>
      </goals>
    </execution>
  </executions>
</plugin>

<!-- SST-073.wsdl -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<wsdl:definitions name="os_ImportStatusRead" targetNamespace="urn:be.ch:KTBE_ERP_FI:IMPORT_STATUS" xmlns:p1="urn:be.ch:KTBE_ERP_FI:IMPORT_STATUS" xmlns:wsdl="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/wsdl/" xmlns:wsp="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/ws/2004/09/policy" xmlns:wsu="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-utility-1.0.xsd">
  <wsdl:documentation/>
  <wsp:UsingPolicy wsdl:required="true"/>
  <wsp:Policy wsu:Id="OP_os_ImportStatusRead"/>
  <wsdl:types>

    <xsd:schema targetNamespace="urn:be.ch:KTBE_ERP_FI:IMPORT_STATUS"
      xmlns="urn:be.ch:KTBE_ERP_FI:IMPORT_STATUS"
      xmlns:p5="urn:be.ch:KTBE_ERP_FI:GENERAL"
      xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
      <xsd:import namespace="urn:be.ch:KTBE_ERP_FI:GENERAL"/>
      <xsd:element name="ImportStatusRead_Response" type="ImportStatusRead_Response"/>
      <xsd:element name="ImportStatusRead_Request" type="ImportStatusRead_Request"/>
      <xsd:complexType name="ImportStatusRead_Response">
        <!-- complexType definition -->
      </xsd:complexType>
      <xsd:complexType name="ImportStatusRead_Request">
        <!-- complexType definition -->
      </xsd:complexType>
    </xsd:schema>

    <xsd:schema targetNamespace="urn:be.ch:KTBE_ERP_FI:GENERAL"
      xmlns="urn:be.ch:KTBE_ERP_FI:GENERAL"
      xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
      <xsd:complexType name="SenderParms">
        <!-- complexType definition -->
      </xsd:complexType>
      <xsd:complexType name="ReturnCodeID">
        <!-- complexType definition -->
      </xsd:complexType>
    </xsd:schema>

  </wsdl:types>
  <!-- wsdl:message and wsdl:service -->
</wsdl:definitions>

<!-- jaxws-bindings.xml -->
<jaxws:bindings
  xmlns:wsdl="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/wsdl/"
  xmlns:jaxws="https://jakarta.ee/xml/ns/jaxws"
  xmlns:jaxb="https://jakarta.ee/xml/ns/jaxb"
  xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
  xmlns:xjc="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/jaxb/xjc"
  version="3.0">
  <jaxws:bindings wsdlLocation="SST-073.wsdl"
    node="wsdl:definitions/wsdl:types">

  <!-- This adds @XmlRootElement annotation, but enable pluralisation -->
    <jaxws:bindings node="xs:schema">
      <jaxb:globalBindings>
        <xjc:simple/>
      </jaxb:globalBindings>
    </jaxws:bindings>

  <!-- This fails to target the node -->
    <jaxws:bindings node="/xs:schema[@targetNamespace='urn:be.ch:KTBE_ERP_FI:IMPORT_STATUS']">
     </jaxws:bindings>

  </jaxws:bindings>
</jaxws:bindings>