Package javax.xml.bind.annotation

Annotation Type XmlElement

@Retention(RUNTIME)
@Target({FIELD,METHOD,PARAMETER})
public @interface XmlElement

Maps a JavaBean property to a XML element derived from property name.

Usage

@XmlElement annotation can be used with the following program elements:

• a JavaBean property
• non static, non transient field
• within XmlElements

The usage is subject to the following constraints:

• This annotation can be used with following annotations: XmlID, XmlIDREF, XmlList, XmlSchemaType, XmlValue, XmlAttachmentRef, XmlMimeType, XmlInlineBinaryData, XmlElementWrapper, XmlJavaTypeAdapter
• if the type of JavaBean property is a collection type of array, an indexed property, or a parameterized list, and this annotation is used with XmlElements then, @XmlElement.type() must be DEFAULT.class since the collection item type is already known.

A JavaBean property, when annotated with @XmlElement annotation is mapped to a local element in the XML Schema complex type to which the containing class is mapped.

Example 1: Map a public non static non final field to local element

     //Example: Code fragment
     public class USPrice {
        @XmlElement(name="itemprice")
         public java.math.BigDecimal price;
     }
 

     <!-- Example: Local XML Schema element -->
     <xs:complexType name="USPrice"/>
       <xs:sequence>
         <xs:element name="itemprice" type="xs:decimal" minOccurs="0"/>
       </sequence>
     </xs:complexType>
   

Example 2: Map a field to a nillable element.

     //Example: Code fragment
     public class USPrice {
        @XmlElement(nillable=true)
         public java.math.BigDecimal price;
     }
 

     <!-- Example: Local XML Schema element -->
     <xs:complexType name="USPrice">
       <xs:sequence>
         <xs:element name="price" type="xs:decimal" nillable="true" minOccurs="0"/>
       </sequence>
     </xs:complexType>
   

Example 3: Map a field to a nillable, required element.

     //Example: Code fragment
     public class USPrice {
        @XmlElement(nillable=true, required=true)
         public java.math.BigDecimal price;
     }
 

     <!-- Example: Local XML Schema element -->
     <xs:complexType name="USPrice">
       <xs:sequence>
         <xs:element name="price" type="xs:decimal" nillable="true" minOccurs="1"/>
       </sequence>
     </xs:complexType>
   

Example 4: Map a JavaBean property to an XML element with anonymous type.

See Example 6 in @XmlType.

Author:

Sekhar Vajjhala, Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since:

1.6, JAXB 2.0

Optional Element Summary

Optional Elements

Modifier and Type	Optional Element	Description
java.lang.String	defaultValue	Default value of this element.
java.lang.String	name	Name of the XML Schema element.
java.lang.String	namespace	XML target namespace of the XML Schema element.
boolean	nillable	Customize the element declaration to be nillable.
boolean	required	Customize the element declaration to be required.
java.lang.Class	type	The Java class being referenced.

Element Detail

name

java.lang.String name

Name of the XML Schema element.

If the value is "##default", then element name is derived from the JavaBean property name.

Default:

"##default"

nillable

boolean nillable

Customize the element declaration to be nillable.

If nillable() is true, then the JavaBean property is mapped to a XML Schema nillable element declaration.

Default:

false

required

boolean required

Customize the element declaration to be required.

If required() is true, then Javabean property is mapped to an XML schema element declaration with minOccurs="1". maxOccurs is "1" for a single valued property and "unbounded" for a multivalued property.

If required() is false, then the Javabean property is mapped to XML Schema element declaration with minOccurs="0". maxOccurs is "1" for a single valued property and "unbounded" for a multivalued property.

Default:

false

namespace

java.lang.String namespace

XML target namespace of the XML Schema element.

If the value is "##default", then the namespace is determined as follows:

1. If the enclosing package has XmlSchema annotation, and its elementFormDefault is QUALIFIED, then the namespace of the enclosing class.
2. Otherwise '' (which produces unqualified element in the default namespace.

Default:

"##default"

defaultValue

java.lang.String defaultValue

Default value of this element.

The

''

value specified as a default of this annotation element is used as a poor-man's substitute for null to allow implementations to recognize the 'no default value' state.

Default:

"\u0000"

type

java.lang.Class type

The Java class being referenced.

Default:

javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlElement.DEFAULT.class