Preserving empty elements in XMLSerializer

[John Jai]

Hi,
I am trying to serialize a DOM document into XML file using OutputFormat.

I like to have the empty text content tags like <name></name>. But the serializer writes like <name/>. Is there a way I can make it write it in the desired manner?

Below is the serializer & formatter classes -

import com.sun.org.apache.xml.internal.serialize.OutputFormat;
import com.sun.org.apache.xml.internal.serialize.XMLSerializer;

Below method is what i use -

/**
	 * This method writes the given DOM document to XML
	 * @param inputDoc - DOM Document
	 * @param pathtoWrite - XML to write the DOM document
	 * @throws Exception - for any Exception that may occur.
	 */
	private void writeDocumentToXml(Document inputDoc, String pathtoWrite)throws Exception{
		try {			
			File outputFile = new File(pathtoWrite);
			FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream(outputFile);        		
			OutputFormat    format  = new OutputFormat(inputDoc);
			format.setLineWidth(250);
			format.setIndent(2);
			format.setOmitXMLDeclaration(false);
			format.setOmitDocumentType(false);
			format.setIndenting(true);
			format.setEncoding("UTF-8");
			format.setDoctype(inputDoc.getDoctype().getPublicId(), inputDoc.getDoctype().getSystemId());
			XMLSerializer    serial = new XMLSerializer( fos, format );               
			serial.asDOMSerializer(); 
			serial.serialize(inputDoc);
			fos.flush();
			fos.close();
		}
		catch (IOException e) {
			e.printStackTrace();
			throw new Exception("Exception occured while writing the document object to File");
		}    
	}

Sample xml output

<subscriberName/>
 <subscriberEmail/>

Thank you!

[William Brogden]

According to the XML standard, both forms are equivalent - no properly written XML processing program should notice the difference.

What problem are you trying to solve?

Bill

[John Jai]

Yes - I accept that.

I want the tags to be expanded so that the users shall come and edit the XML in a text format and enter the text content.

If it's <name/> then users have to modify it to <name>John</name>

If it's <name></name> then users have to just add John in between.

It's not a strict requirement but I like to give it that way.

[Paul Clapham]

Allowing users to edit XML in a text editor is also a design error. It isn't difficult for them to make the document non-well-formed. So give them a proper XML editor, and your empty-element problem will also cease to exist.

[John Jai]

Okay... Thanks Billy and Paul