Java value objects to fixed-length flat file?

Question

I am searching for framework or third party API, which can convert a java bean to fixed length record.
I want to automate this solution, using some mapping files. (Like hibernate API for java <----> xml conversions)
if anybody can give me any url or suggest ways, i would appreciate that...
thanks
ashish

Answer 1

But as business requirements change or new
integration happens.. it is possible, You can count on it.
java beans get
more data elements.. so i want solution which is
flexible easy to change or experiment ..during
development and after being deployed. I would create two classes for representing the copybook layout. One for the whole thing and another for each element. Each field will have the length type and any special formatting rules. i.e. you will have mutiple types of field classes implementing the Field interface. Then put these in a LinkedHashMap and as you are adding them set another field which will be the offset from the beiginning of the record. The Record class will hold these Fields and other Records.
Then create a schema text file format and load that in on startup. Then you buld the data like a you would a DOM model in your application.
I wish someone had done that in our code instead of copying, pasting and editing this:
int length = 10;
int offset = 500;a bazillion times. That's real fun when you want to add fields. The damn methods aren't even in consecutive order.