The Microsoft .Net Framework 1.0 is unable to deserialize complex objects that
contain nested zero length arrays. As detailed in previous postings to the
axis-user list [1], this is due to a bug in .Net 1.0 where Microsoft's
deserializer is unable to handle the minimized tags that Axis 1.1rc generates
for these empty arrays such as:

<myArray xsi:type="SOAP-ENC:Array" SOAP-ENC:arrayType="xsd:string[0]"/>

The work around is to instead send the non-minimized version:

<myArray xsi:type="SOAP-ENC:Array" SOAP-ENC:arrayType="xsd:string[0]"></myArray>

which is equivalent, yet does not trigger the bug in .Net.

The attached patch adds a new global configuration option to Axis called
"sendMinimizedElements". When this option is set to false, Axis will never
generate minimized elements; this will work around the .Net bug and allow Axis
to send empty arrays to Microsoft clients.

The default value for the new option is "true", which does not change Axis's
previous behavior.

I feel this patch should be included in Axis 1.1 final. It is extremely small
and low risk, and it does not change Axis's behavior unless the new
"sendMinimizedElements" option is set to false. However, it is a big
interoperability win, as it allows .Net clients consume objects that include 0
length arrays from Axis.

[1] http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=axis-user&m=102432107114992&w=2The Microsoft
.Net Framework 1.0 is unable to deserialize complex objects that contain nested
zero length arrays. As detailed in previous postings to the axis-user list [1],
this is due to a bug in .Net 1.0 where Microsoft's deserializer is unable to
handle the minimized tags that Axis 1.1rc generates for these empty arrays such as:

<myArray xsi:type="SOAP-ENC:Array" SOAP-ENC:arrayType="xsd:string[0]"/>

The work around is to instead send the non-minimized version:

<myArray xsi:type="SOAP-ENC:Array" SOAP-ENC:arrayType="xsd:string[0]"></myArray>

which is equivalent, yet does not trigger the bug in .Net.

The attached patch adds a new global configuration option to Axis called
"sendMinimizedElements". When this option is set to false, Axis will never
generate minimized elements; this will work around the .Net bug and allow Axis
to send empty arrays to Microsoft clients.

The default value for the new option is "true", which does not change Axis's
previous behavior.

I feel this patch should be included in Axis 1.1 final. It is extremely small
and low risk, and it does not change Axis's behavior unless the new
"sendMinimizedElements" option is set to false. However, it is a big
interoperability win, as it allows .Net clients consume objects that include 0
length arrays from Axis.

[1] http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=axis-user&m=102432107114992&w=2