[CONFIGURATION-106] [configuration] XMLConfiguration.save() does not keep element hierarchy

• Type: Bug
• Status: Resolved
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 1.0

Environment

Operating System: All
Platform: All

• Bugzilla Id: 32240
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Christian Kemmer
• Created: 15/Nov/04 19:08
• Updated: 16/May/06 12:18
• Resolved: 16/May/06 12:18

Description

I am using commons.configuration.XMLConfiguration to save some configuration
elements of my Java 1.4.2 application in a file. If I use nested elements in my
configuration, this structure is not mapped to the saved XML-File.

As an example, consider the following simple main method:

public static void main(String[] args) {
try

{ XMLConfiguration myXMLConfig = new XMLConfiguration(); myXMLConfig.setProperty("A","valueA"); myXMLConfig.setProperty("A.B","valueA.B"); myXMLConfig.setProperty("A.B.C.D","valueA.B.C.D"); myXMLConfig.setProperty("E.F.G.H","valueE.F.G.H"); myXMLConfig.setProperty("I.J.K.L","valueI.J.K.L"); myXMLConfig.setProperty("I.J.K",null); myXMLConfig.setProperty("I.J",null); myXMLConfig.setProperty("I",null); myXMLConfig.save("testConfig.xml"); }

catch (ConfigurationException e)

{ System.out.println("ERROR: " + e.toString()); }

}

What I expect to get by executing this piece of code is the following (modulo
formatting issues, of course):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<configuration>
<A> valueA
<B> valueB
<C>
<D> valueD
</D>
</C>
</B>
</A>
<E>
<F>
<G>
<H> valueE.F.G.H
</H>
</G>
</F>
</E>
<I> null
<J> null
<K> null
<L> valueI.J.K.L
</L>
</K>
</J>
</I>
</configuration>

The null-values in I.J.K and so on have only been introduced to show that such a
workarund does not work, either.
What I actually receive by storing testConfig.xml is the following:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<configuration>
<A>valueA<B>valueA.B<D>valueA.B.C.D</D>
</B>
</A>
<H>valueE.F.G.H</H>
<L>valueI.J.K.L</L>
<K>null</K>
<J>null</J>
<I>null</I>
</configuration>

In my opinion, at least two failures can be seen above:
a) The elements I, J, K, and L are not nested, but all declared on top level of
the XML-document
b) Elements without any value are not automatically inserted as, e.g., element
C for the path A.B.C.D or elements E, F, and G for E.F.G.H

I also tried to use HierarchicalXMLConfiguration, but corresponding objects can
not be saved:
ERROR: org.apache.commons.configuration.ConfigurationException: Can't save
HierarchicalXMLConfigurations

I am using the final Version 1.0 (not RC1 nor RC2) JAR-Files provied by
http://jakarta.apache.org/commons/configuration/downloads.html

Best regards,

Christian Kemmer