How to create ElementMap without entry?

Question

I need serialize Map object like this with simlexml:

<attributes>
   <name>name1</name>
   <value>value1</value>
   <name>name2</name>
   <value>value2</value>
   <name>name3</name>
   <value>value3</value>
</attributes>

I tried this:

@ElementMap(name = "attributes", key = "name", value = "value", inline = true, required = false)
private HashMap<String, String> attributes;

But result looks like:

   <entry>
      <name>name1</name>
      <value>value1</value>
   </entry>
   <entry>
      <name>name2</name>
      <value>value2</value>
   </entry>
   <entry>
      <name>name3</name>
      <value>value3</value>
   </entry>

Is this possible to create element that i need using simplexml?

Answer 1

As runefist noted, the entry tag will get generated for this type. But what you can do: Customize the (de-)serialization process by using a Converter.

Here's an example class for serialization:

@Root(name = "Example")
public class Example
{
    @Element
    @Convert(ExampleConverter.class)
    private HashMap<String, String> attributes; // Will use the Converter instead

    // ...

    public static class ExampleConverter implements Converter<HashMap<String, String>>
    {
        @Override
        public HashMap<String, String> read(InputNode node) throws Exception
        {
            // Implement if needed
        }


        @Override
        public void write(OutputNode node, HashMap<String, String> value) throws Exception
        {
            value.forEach((k, v) -> {
                try
                {
                    node.getChild("name").setValue(k);
                    node.getChild("value").setValue(v);
                }
                catch( Exception ex )
                {
                    // Handle Error
                }
            });
        }

    }
}

If you also need to deserialize your class, you only have to implement the read() method.

Finally, don't forget to enable the AnnotationStrategy:

Serializer ser = new Persister(new AnnotationStrategy());
                               //  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

This will generate following output:

<Example>
   <attributes>
      <name>name2</name>
      <value>value2</value>
      <name>name1</name>
      <value>value1</value>
      <name>name0</name>
      <value>value0</value>
   </attributes>
</Example>