JAXB binding for Boolean

Question

Hi,
I'm using xml and JMS to query a remote system.
One of the values in the remote system that I am interested in is a boolean value. I do not know this field is defaulted in the remote system so I want to use a Boolean object to represent it. I.e I want it to be null is no value is available in the remote system.
Could any of you give me a quick run down on how to go abount doing this or point me to a tutorial.
Is there another way of doing what I am trying to do?
Appreciate any help.
Cheers,
Nim

Answer 1

Hi James,
Yup, I'm trying to process the xml returned by the remote system.
The Boolean is an element and not an attribute:
The schema i am using is shown below:
<xsd:schema xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<xsd:element name="accounts" type="AccountsType"/>
<xsd:complexType name="AccountsType">
<xsd:sequence>
<xsd:element name="account" type="Account" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
</xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>
<xsd:complexType name="Account">
<xsd:sequence>
<xsd:element name="accountId" type="xsd:string"/>
<xsd:element name="customerId" type="xsd:string"/>
<xsd:element name="totalAmountOwing" type="xsd:decimal"/>
<xsd:element name="amountOwing" type="xsd:decimal"/>
<xsd:element name="totalArrears" type="xsd:decimal"/>
<xsd:element name="paymentExtensionCount" type="xsd:integer"/>
<xsd:element name="paymentHistoryIndicator" type="xsd:string"/>
<xsd:element name="payDate" type="xsd:date"/>
<xsd:element name="directDebitSchedule" type="xsd:boolean"/>
<xsd:element name="easyPaySchedule" type="xsd:boolean"/>
<xsd:element name="billIssueDate" type="xsd:date"/>
<xsd:element name="arrearsDebtAge" type="xsd:integer"/>
<xsd:element name="sourceSystemId" type="xsd:string"/>
<xsd:element name="readFrequency" type="xsd:string"/>
</xsd:sequence>
</xsd:complexType>
</xsd:schema>
I have access to change the schema. I tried making the boolean an attribute as shown below:
<xsd:element name="easyPaySchedule">
<xsd:complexType>
<xsd:sequence/>
<xsd:attribute name="value" type="xs:boolean"/>
</xsd:complexType>
</xsd:element>
but I could not see the isSetMethod in the jaxb account implementation file.
I changed it back and added minOccurs="0":
<xsd:element name="easyPaySchedule" type="xsd:boolean" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/>
and started seeing the isSetMethod in the jaxb account implementation class but not the generated account interface.
Next, I used the xjb file below:
<jxb:bindings version="1.0"
xmlns:jxb="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/jaxb"
xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<jxb:bindings schemaLocation="accounts.xsd" node="/xsd:schema">
<jxb:bindings node="//xsd:complexType[@name='Account']">
<jxb:bindings node=".//xsd:element[@name='easyPaySchedule']">
<jxb:property generateIsSetMethod="true"/>
</jxb:bindings>
</jxb:bindings> <!-- node="//xsd:complexType[@name='Account'] -->
</jxb:bindings> <!-- schemaLocation="accounts.xsd" node="/xsd:schema" -->
</jxb:bindings>
and I started seeing the isSet methods in the generated Account interface.
I thought I was in the clear but when I try and run it with the xml below:
<account>
<accountId>11111111111</accountId>
<customerId>2222222</customerId>
<totalAmountOwing>123</totalAmountOwing>
<amountOwing>12</amountOwing>
<totalArrears>0</totalArrears>
<paymentExtensionCount>1</paymentExtensionCount>
<paymentHistoryIndicator>110111001111</paymentHistoryIndicator>
<payDate>2004-10-08+10:00</payDate>
<directDebitSchedule>false</directDebitSchedule>
<easyPaySchedule></easyPaySchedule> <<<<<<------ blank instead of false/true
<billIssueDate>2003-10-08+10:00</billIssueDate>
<arrearsDebtAge>0</arrearsDebtAge>
<sourceSystemId>cise</sourceSystemId>
<readFrequency>Q</readFrequency>
</account>
I start to get the following exception:
javax.xml.bind.UnmarshalException: Unexpected text ""
- with linked exception:
[java.lang.NullPointerException]
Any ideas as to whats going on?
Cheers,
Nim