How to convert a Java List<Item> to XML

[grizzleybear123]

Hello,

I am having some trouble passing a Java List of type "Item" (i.e. my own class) to XML for my web services. Basically, I have specific handler methods that deal with content-type: application/xml and text/html. However, when I am using an HTTP GET from a test client, I am issuing ACCEPT: application/xml and expecting the returned resource in XML.

I am using Spring and My handler method is given below:

	// One of the handlers

@RequestMapping(value = "/items", method = RequestMethod.GET, headers = "accept=application/xml")
	@ResponseBody
	public List<Item> getAllItems(HttpServletRequest request,
			HttpServletResponse response) {
		if (request == null) {
			throw new IllegalArgumentException(NULL_REQ);
		}
		List<Item> items = ItemDaoJpa.findAllItems();
		audit.record(
				this.getClass(),
				"REST",
				"Served request (" + request.getRemoteAddr() + "): "
						+ items.toString());
		return items;
	}

             // Another handler method
             	@RequestMapping(value = "/items", method = RequestMethod.GET, headers = "accept=text/html")
	public String showAdmin(
			HttpServletRequest request,
			HttpServletResponse response,
			ModelMap model,
			@RequestParam(value = "domainId", defaultValue = "") String domainId,
			@RequestParam(value = "nhsNo", defaultValue = "") String nhsNo,
			@RequestParam(value = "date", defaultValue = "") String timeStamp,
			@RequestParam(value = "tags", defaultValue = "") String tags,
			@RequestParam(value = "data", defaultValue = "101010212012020120122020") byte[] sdsData) {
		model.addAttribute("listAllItems", ItemDaoJpa.findAlltems());
		model.addAttribute("editBoxDomainId", domainId);
		model.addAttribute("editBoxNhsNo", nhsNo);
		model.addAttribute("editBoxDate", timeStamp);
		model.addAttribute("editBoxTags", tags);
		model.addAttribute("editBoxdata", data);
		return "items";
	}

when I am issuing a GET from my HTTP Client with Header = Accept: application/xml, it breaks down and returns a 406. I know that Spring has a default marshaller working underneath and doing all sorts of magic. I can see MyType object converted into xml as it had an @XmlRootElement annotation in the class definition. But I am not sure if I need to do anything extra to display a List<Item> in XML view

N.B. I currently have no marshaller specified explicitly in the dependency section for my POM file and I am using Maven with SPring.

Could anyone help me please ?

[t2987]

I think you only get xml out of the box if you have the jackson mappers in the classpath and have <mvc:annotation-driven/> which will auto register to mapper implimentations.

[grizzleybear123]

Got it fixed now

Idea is to use a wrapper class. Simple make it and return it from your desired handler method specified in the web controller.

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.*;

@XmlAccessorType(XmlAccessType.PROPERTY)
@XmlRootElement
public class Items {

	private List<Address> items;
	
	public Addresses() {
		// Default no-arg constructor - for JAXB
	}
	
	public Items(List<Item> items) {
		super();
		this.addresses = new ArrayList<Item>(items);
	}
              
              @XmlElementRef()
	public List<Item> getItems() {
		return items;
	}
}

NOTHING ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE (except, of course, importing the class in your existing design )