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REST: convert XML content passed with POST to a java object, attribute inside the element


I am working with REST services and i want to pass an XML-text with a POST request. My server is implemented in JAVA. Let's say that i am sending this XML:

<range>
  <higher value="3"></higher>
  <lower value="2"></lower>
</range>

As i understand (correct me if i am wrong), the easiest way to convert the XML in the request to a java object, is to define a class with the proper annotations. For example:

@XmlRootElement(name = "range")
public class RangeClass {

    @XmlElement (name = "lower")
    private int lower;

    @XmlElement (name = "higher")
    private int higher;

    .
    .
    ???
}

And then read it like this:

@POST
@PATH(<somePath>)
@Consumes(MediaType.APPLICATION_XML)
@Produces(MediaType.TEXT_PLAIN)
public String myFun(RangeClass range) {
  .
  .
  .
}

The thing that i am missing (if the other parts are correct) is how to define that i have attributes inside the elements. If i put an '@XmlAttribute' annotation this will refer to an attribute of the root element ('range') and not an attribute of a specific element ('lower' or 'higher').


Solution

  • First and the easiest way is to create a Java mapping per each XML tag:

    @XmlRootElement(name = "range")
    public class RangeClass {
    
        private Higher higher;
    
        private Lower lower;
    }
    
    @XmlElement(name = "higher")
    public class Higher {
    
        @XmlAttribute
        private int value;
    }
    
    @XmlElement(name = "lower")
    public class Lower {
    
        @XmlAttribute
        private int value;
    }
    

    Second option is to change XML structure to:

    <range>
      <higher>3</higher>
      <lower>2</lower>
    </range>
    

    Then you can use @XmlElement annotation:

    @XmlRootElement(name = "range")
    @XmlAccessorType(XmlAccessType.FIELD) 
    public class RangeClass {
    
        @XmlElement
        private int lower;
    
        @XmlElement
        private int higher;
    
    }
    

    Third option is to use Eclipse Link Moxy and its @XmlPath annotation:

    @XmlRootElement(name = "range")
    @XmlAccessorType(XmlAccessType.FIELD) 
    public class RangeClass {
    
        @XmlPath("lower/@value")
        private int lower;
    
        @XmlPath("higher/@value")
        private int higher;
    
    }