Flat file to XML format

[joek71]

Hi guys

I have a question. I have a java program that produces a lot of output I would like to save in XML format instead of .txt format. What should I use or is there software that already do it for me? Are there classses already out there that do this? Any help would be great.

Thanks in advance.

[ArchAngel]

This really depends upon how deep into XML you want to get.

However, the quite and easy (and perhaps just a little bit dirty) solution is to overload the toString() method of you objects to return an XML representation of that object.

  public class Catalogue {
    private String title;
    private List books;
    ...
    public String toString() {
      StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
      sb.append("<catalogue title=\"" + title + "\">");
      Iterator i = books.iterator();
      while(i.hasNext()) {
         Book b = (Book)i.next();
         sb.append(b.toString());
      }
      sb.append("</catalogue>");
      return sb.toString();
    }
  }

  public class Book {
     private int ISBN;
     private Person author;
     ...

     public String toString() {
      StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
      sb.append("<book isbn=\"" + ISBN + "\");
      ....
      return sb.toString();
    }
  }

So, you just call 'toString()' on the top-most object. It will return some XML which you then write to a file.

[joek71]

Thanks, is there any imports that I have to download or any parsers? I have a big file around 400+ lines.

[Fantik]

I'm not following your question. why don't you just post your code and explain what you are trying to do with it a little more.

[joek71]

Ok here is my code:

import java.util.Random;
import com.objectplanet.chart.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.io.*;

public class ProjectCalculation extends Frame
{
private BarChart chart = new BarChart(6);
static boolean isStandardOutput = false;
static Writer outStream;

public static void main(String[] args)
{
ProjectCalculation pc = new ProjectCalculation();

double yArray[] = new double[400];
double a, b, c, d, angle;
int initialConstant = 6;
int i;

for(int j = 0; j < 400; j++)
{
for(i = 1; i < 11; i++)
{
a = pc.getRandomNumber();
b = pc.getRandomNumber();
c = pc.getRandomNumber();
d = pc.getRandomNumber();
angle = pc.getAngle();
yArray[j] += (c/d) + ((initialConstant * d - c) /
(d * Math.cos(angle))) *
(Math.cos(Math.sqrt(a*c) * j - angle));

// assign double[] to double
double lg = yArray[j];

//print("yArray is : " + yArray[j] + " A: " + a + " B " + b + " C " + c + " D "+ d + " Angle " + angle );
debug(0, " yArray is : " + yArray[j] + "\n" + " A: " + a + "\n" + " B " + b + "\n" + " C " + c + "\n" +" D "+ d + "\n" +" Angle " + angle );
if(j == 399)
{
pc.display(lg,a,b,c,d,angle);
}
}
}
}
//method returns a random number between 1.00 and 2.00
public double getRandomNumber()
{
return Math.random() + 1;
}

//method returns a value between 0 and 2Pi, except 0.5Pi
public double getAngle()
{
double result = (Math.PI * 2) * Math.random();
if(result == Math.PI * 0.5)
{
System.exit(1);
}
else
{
}
//print("Result : " + result);
return result;
}

public void display(double arr,double a,double b, double c, double d, double ang)
{

NonFlickerPanel p = new NonFlickerPanel();
p.add("Center", chart);
add(p);

String[] str = new String[] {"Array","A", "B", "C", "D", "Anlge"};
double[] values = new double[] {arr,a, b, c, d, ang};

chart.setSampleValues(0, values);

// Sets the look of the Chart.
chart.setMaxValueLineCount(-1);
chart.setMultiColorOn(true);
chart.setLegendOn(true);
chart.set3DModeOn(true);
chart.setAutomaticRepaintOn(true);
chart.setDefaultGridLinesOn(true);
chart.setBarAlignment(1);
chart.setAutoLabelSpacingOn(true);
chart.setBarType(0);
chart.setBarLabelsOn(true);
chart.setBarLabels(str);
chart.setMultiSeriesOn(false);
chart.autoRepaint();
chart.forceRepaint();

// Diplay the Chart
Frame f = new Frame();
f.add("Center", chart);
f.setSize(600,600);
f.show();
}
//This method replaces System.out.println()
public static void print(String str)
{
System.out.println(str);
}


// This method writes everything that has a debug next to it, it will write to file.
static void debug(int dbgLevel, String msg)
{
//if(dbgLevel < 2)
// return;
if(isStandardOutput)
System.out.println(msg);
else
{
if(outStream == null)
{
try
{
outStream = new FileWriter("dump.txt");
}
catch(IOException exc)
{
System.out.println(" ===== CAN'T OPEN DUMP FILE =====");
return;
}
}
try
{
outStream.write(msg+"\n");
}
catch(IOException exc)
{
System.out.println(" ===== CAN'T WRITE INTO DUMP FILE =====");
return;
}
}
}
}

As you can see I am printing to a TXT file. I would like to print an XML format instead of a TXT file.

[ArchAngel]

Why do you want it in XML? It hardley seems worth it. Don't bother if it's just because 'XML is cool'. That's naff - find a solution which would actually benefit from it.

(and, by the way, my solution needs no special imports).

ArchAngel.

[joek71]

I would like c ause the plain text comes out to messy, what would you suggest? I try to put in new line so I get a new line in between the text but for some reason it does not work.

[ArchAngel]

An extra blank line should be added if you include another '\n' to the FileWriter.