set aBlob = anObject.classToXML()
set aBlob = anObject.classToXML(options)
Semantics
The operation takes any object (anObject) and tries to map it to an XML document. The document structure is given by the class definition of anObject. If this is not possible an error is raised (e.g. XML parser errors, invalid mappings, etc.).
By default the following mapping rules apply:
Class attributes are mapped to XML attributes.
Association ends are mapped to XML elements.
These default rules can be overridden by using the stereotypes XMLElement, XMLAttribute, and XMLCharacters on class properties. More about these mapping rules, stereotypes and tagged values (e.g. for number and date & time formatting) can be found on Controlling the XML Serialization With Stereotypes.
A conversion with operation classToXML() always returns an object of type Blob. To display this data as a String you need to transcode it first (see transcodeToString() Operation).
Substitutables
anObject
Target object can be any complex object. However, simple types and arrays are not supported, since they do not map naturally to a well formed XML document.
options
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Examples
set xmlBlob = myAddress.classToXML();
XML Serialization Example
Assume you have an object myAddressof type Address.
The following action script serializes this object.
set xmlBlob = myAddress.classToXML();
The sample XML document below illustrates the mapping executed by classToXML(). The objectmyAddressof type Addressis mapped to an XML document as depicted in the following XML document:
Note, that the XML element myAddress is of type Address. This type has the attribute id, which corresponds to the XML attribute id. Additionally, the XML elements street and city are mapped to the association ends city respectively street. Both are having the type String.