Mapping xsd:anyType element to Java.lang.Object

Question

Hi,
I am using JAXB to parse a xml and in the XSD we have one element which is of the anyType and returns java.lang.object from JAXB generated classes. The issue is that when the node contains string and we type cast the returned object to string every thing runs fine but when the element contains embeded xml then the object returned can not be type cast to string.
code snippet:
*<xsd:element name="SignatureDefinition" type="xsd:anyType" />*
and the xml I am parsing contains:
*<SignatureDefinition>
<a>name</a>
<b> job</b>
</SignatureDefinition>*
That is the element contains a object which is a well formed xml.
Can any one guide or provide me the pointers.
Thanks
Regards,
Devesh

Answer 1

Hello Devesh,
The "SignatureDefinition" portion of the XML document should be unmarshalled as a DOM Element.
File file = new File("any.xml");
Root root = (Root) jaxbContext.createUnmarshaller().unmarshal(file);
Element element = (Element) root.getSignatureDefinition();
System.out.println(element.getTextContent());
If "SignatureDefintion" is the root of the XML document, you should get a JAXBElement wrapping a DOM Element.
File file = new File("any.xml");
JAXBElement<Element> root = (JAXBElement<Element>) jaxbContext.createUnmarshaller().unmarshal(file);
System.out.println(root.getValue().getTextContent());
-Blaise