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Overview

Jakarta XML Binding provides an API and tools that automate the mapping between XML documents and Java objects.

The Jakarta XML Binding framework enables developers to perform the following operations:

  • Unmarshal XML content into a Java representation

  • Access and update the Java representation

  • Marshal the Java representation of the XML content into XML content

Jakarta XML Binding gives Java developers an efficient and standard way of mapping between XML and Java code. Java developers using Jakarta XML Binding are more productive because they can write less code themselves and do not have to be experts in XML. Jakarta XML Binding makes it easier for developers to extend their applications with XML and Web Services technologies.

1. Documentation

Documentation for this release consists of the following:

2. Software Licenses

3. Sample Apps

This page summarizes basic use-cases for Java-2-Schema, Schema-2-Java, and lists all of the sample applications that ship with JAXB.

3.1. Using the Runtime Binding Framework

3.1.1. Schema-2-Java

Schema-2-Java is the process of compiling one or more schema files into generated Java classes. Here are some of the basic steps for developing an app:

  1. Develop/locate your schema

  2. Annotate the schema with binding customizations if necessary (or place them in an external bindings file)

  3. Compile the schema with the XJC binding compiler

  4. Develop your JAXB client application using the Java content classes generated by the XJC binding compiler along with the jakarta.xml.bind runtime framework

  5. Set your CLASSPATH to include all of the Identifying the JAR Files

  6. Compile all of your Java sources with javac

  7. Run it!

3.1.2. Java-2-Schema

Java-2-Schema is the process of augmenting existing Java classes with the annotations defined in the jakarta.xml.bind.annotation package so that the JAXB runtime binding framework is capable of performing the (un)marshal operations. Here are the basic steps for developing an app:

  1. Develop your data model in Java

  2. Apply the jakarta.xml.bind.annotation annotations to control the binding process

  3. Set your CLASSPATH to include all of the Identifying the JAR Files

  4. Compile your data model with javac

    Important

    Make sure that you CLASSPATH includes jaxb-xjc.jar before running javac.

  5. The resulting class files will contain your annotations as well other default annotations needed by the JAXB runtime binding framework

  6. Develop your client application that uses the data model and develop the code that uses the JAXB runtime binding framework to persist your data model using the (un)marshal operations.

  7. Compile and run your client application!

For more information about this process, see the the Java WSDP Tutorial and the extensive Sample Apps documentation.

3.1.3. Building and Running the Sample Apps with Ant

To run the sample applications, add jaxb dependencies to classpath at jaxb.home property, and run ant without any option into each sample directory.

A few sample applications do not use Ant. For those samples, refer to the included readme.txt files for instructions.

3.1.4. List of Sample Apps

samples/catalog-resolver

This example demonstrates how to use the -catalog compiler switch to handle references to schemas in external web sites.

samples/character-escape

This example shows how you can use the new JAXB RI Marshaller property org.glassfish.jaxb.characterEscapeHandler to change the default character escaping behavior.

samples/class-resolver

This little DI-container-by-JAXB example demonstrates how one can avoid passing in a list of classes upfront, and instead load classes lazily.

samples/create-marshal

This sample application demonstrates how to use the ObjectFactory class to create a Java content tree from scratch and marshal it to XML data. It also demonstrates how to add content to a JAXB List property.

samples/cycle-recovery

Eclipse Implementation of JAXB's vendor extension CycleRecoverable provides application a hook to handle cycles in the object graph. Advanced.

samples/datatypeconverter

This sample application is very similar to the inline-customize sample application (formerly SampleApp6), but illustrates an easier, but not as robust, <jaxb:javaType> customization.

samples/dtd

This sample application illustrate some of the DTD support available in the Eclipse Implementation of JAXB's extension mode. Please refer to the Eclipse Implementation of JAXB Extensions page for more detail.

samples/element-substitution

This sample application illustrates how W3C XML Schema substitution groups are supported in Eclipse Implementation of JAXB's extension mode. Please refer to the Eclipse Implementation of JAXB Extensions page for more detail.

samples/external-customize

This sample application is identical to the datatypeconverter sample application (formerly SampleApp7) except that the binding customizations are contained in an external binding file.

samples/fix-collides

Another binding customization example that illustrates how to resolve name conflicts. Running this sample without the binding file will result in name collisions (see readme.txt) . Running ant will use the binding customizations to resolve the name conflicts while compiling the schema.

samples/inline-customize

This sample application demonstrates how to customize the default binding produced by the XJC binding compiler.

samples/j2s-crete-marshal

This sample application demonstrates marshalling, unmarshalling and unmarshal validation with existing Java classes annotated with JAXB annotations.

samples/j2s-xmlAccessorOrder

This sample application demonstrates the use of mapping annotations @XmlAccessorOrder and @XmlType.propOrder in Java classes for ordering properties and fields in Java to schema bindings.

samples/j2s-xmlAdapter

This sample application demonstrates the use of interface XmlAdapter and annotation XmlJavaTypeAdapter for custom marshaling/unmarshaling XML content into/out of a Java type.

samples/j2s-xmlAttribute

This sample application demonstrates the use of annotation @XmlAttribute for defining Java properties and fields as XML attributes.

samples/j2s-xmlRootElement

This sample application demonstrates the use of annotation @XmlRootElement to define a class to be an XML element.

samples/j2s-xmlSchematType

This sample application demonstrates the use of annotation @XmlSchemaType to customize the mapping of a property or field to an XML built-in type.

samples/j2s-xmlType

This sample application demonstrates the use of mapping annotations @XmlAccessorOrder and @XmlType.propOrder in Java classes for ordering properties and fields in Java to schema bindings.

samples/locator-support

This sample shows how to use the new non-standard locator support. By following the instructions in the readme.txt file, you can cause all of the generated impl classes to implement a new interface that provides more information about error locations. When a ValidationEvent happens on your content tree, simply retrieve the object and cast it down to com.sun.xml.bind.extra.Locatable.

samples/modify-marshal

This sample application demonstrates how to modify a java content tree and marshal it back to XML data.

samples/namespace-prefix

This sample application demonstrates how to use the new Eclipse Implementation of JAXB Marshaller property org.glassfish.jaxb.namespacePrefixMapper to customize the namespace prefixes generated during marshalling.

samples/partial-unmarshalling

In this example, the input document will be unmarshalled a small chunk at a time, instead of unmarshalling the whole document at once.

samples/pull-parser

This sample app demonstrates how a pull-parser can be used with JAXB to increase the flexibility of processing.

samples/streaming-unmarshalling

This example illustrates a different approach to the streaming unmarshalling, which is suitable for processing a large document.

samples/synchronized-methods

This sample shows how to use the new non-standard synchronized method support. By following the instructions in the readme.txt, you can cause all of the generated impl class methods signatures to contain the synchronized keyword.

samples/type-substitution

This sample app demonstrates type substitution using the W3C XML Schema Part 0: Primer international purchase order schema.

samples/ubl

This project processes a UBL (Universal Business Language) order instance and prints a report to the screen.

samples/unmarshal-read

This sample application demonstrates how to unmarshal an instance document into a Java content tree and access data contained within it.

samples/unmarshal-validate

This sample application demonstrates how to enable validation during the unmarshal operations.

samples/updateablePartialBind

This sample application demonstrates how to partially map a DOM tree to JAXB (using JAXP 1.3 XPath), modify JAXB mapped instance and then update modifications back to the DOM tree.

samples/vendor-extensions

This example demonstrates how to use <xjc:superClass> vendor extensions provided by Eclipse Implementation of JAXB's, as well as <jaxb:serializable> customization.

samples/xml-channel

This example demonstrates how one can use one communication channel (such as a socket) to send multiple XML messages, and how it can be combined with JAXB.

samples/xml-stylesheet

A common customization need for the marshalling output is about introducing extra processing instruction and/or DOCTYPE declaration. This example demonstrates how such modification can be done easily.

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