this is my first time making an external api call in Java, so please bear with me as I'm not very experienced. I got the http request working and got a response, but now I need to parse it.
I'm trying to convert a json array to java objects. I understand the gist of it, but all examples I've seen don't apply to my issue.
I need the 'entities' objects from the json string. The details (which are an array, too) can contain any key/value pair, so I was thinking of putting that in a hashmap in each Entity object. I've tried the gson library, but I can't find any gson example that goes deeper than a single dimensional json array.
I realize this is kind of a broad question, and I don't expect anyone to deliver me a working solution, but a few tips or a link to a relevant guide would go a long way. :)
{
"return": {
"entities": [
{
"id": 2385,
"details": [
{
"name": "Other Known Name",
"value": "John Wick",
"match": false
}
],
"proofs": [],
"link": "http://domain.gg/users?id=2385"
},
{
"id": 2384,
"details": [
{
"name": "Discord ID",
"value": "159985870458322944",
"match": false
},
{
"name": "SteamID64",
"value": "76561197991558078",
"match": true
},
{
"name": "SteamVanity",
"value": "test",
"match": false
},
{
"name": "PS4",
"value": "John_S",
"match": false
},
{
"name": "XBox",
"value": "John S",
"match": false
},
{
"name": "Email",
"value": "john_smith#gmail.com",
"match": true
},
{
"name": "Comment",
"value": "Test user",
"match": false
},
{
"name": "Other Known Name",
"value": "Jonathan",
"match": false
},
{
"name": "Reddit",
"value": "/u/johns",
"match": true
}
],
"proofs": [],
"link": "http://domain.gg/users?id=2384"
},
{
"id": 1680,
"details": [
{
"name": "Other Known Name",
"value": "Johny",
"match": false
},
{
"name": "SteamID64",
"value": "76561198213003675",
"match": true
}
],
"proofs": [],
"link": "http://domain.gg/users?id=1680"
},
{
"id": 1689,
"details": [
{
"name": "Other Known Name",
"value": "JohnnyPeto",
"match": false
},
{
"name": "SteamID64",
"value": "76561198094228192",
"match": true
}
],
"proofs": [],
"link": "http://domain.gg/users?id=1689"
}
],
"notice": "Showing 4 out of 4 matches."
}
}
There are many json serialization/deserialization frameworks available. I would recommend having a look at Jackson.
Basically, you have to create Model corresponding to json schema and deserialize json into object. Based on the example in the question, model will look like this:
#JsonIgnoreProperties(ignoreUnknown = true)
class Response {
#JsonProperty("return")
private ResponseObject responseObject;
public ResponseObject getResponseObject() {
return responseObject;
}
public void setResponseObject(ResponseObject responseObject) {
this.responseObject = responseObject;
}
}
#JsonIgnoreProperties(ignoreUnknown = true)
class ResponseObject {
private List<Entity> entities;
public List<Entity> getEntities() {
return entities;
}
public void setEntities(List<Entity> entities) {
this.entities = entities;
}
}
#JsonIgnoreProperties(ignoreUnknown = true)
class Entity {
private String id;
private List<Details> details;
public String getId() {
return id;
}
public void setId(String id) {
this.id = id;
}
public List<Details> getDetails() {
return details;
}
public void setDetails(List<Details> details) {
this.details = details;
}
}
#JsonIgnoreProperties(ignoreUnknown = true)
class Details {
private String name;
public String getName() {
return name;
}
public void setName(String name) {
this.name = name;
}
}
Once the model is defined, you can use ObjectMapper class to perform serialization/deserialization, e.g.:
ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
Response response = mapper.readValue("{\"return\": {\"entities\": [{\"id\": 2385,\"details\": [{\"name\": \"Other Known Name\",\"value\": \"John Wick\",\"match\": false}],\"proofs\": [],\"link\": \"http://domain.gg/users?id=2385\"},{\"id\": 2384,\"details\": [{\"name\": \"Discord ID\",\"value\": \"159985870458322944\",\"match\": false},{\"name\": \"SteamID64\",\"value\": \"76561197991558078\",\"match\": true},{\"name\": \"SteamVanity\",\"value\": \"test\",\"match\": false},{\"name\": \"PS4\",\"value\": \"John_S\",\"match\": false},{\"name\": \"XBox\",\"value\": \"John S\",\"match\": false},{\"name\": \"Email\",\"value\": \"john_smith#gmail.com\",\"match\": true},{\"name\": \"Comment\",\"value\": \"Test user\",\"match\": false},{\"name\": \"Other Known Name\",\"value\": \"Jonathan\",\"match\": false},{\"name\": \"Reddit\",\"value\": \"/u/johns\",\"match\": true}],\"proofs\": [],\"link\": \"http://domain.gg/users?id=2384\"},{\"id\": 1680,\"details\": [{\"name\": \"Other Known Name\",\"value\": \"Johny\",\"match\": false},{\"name\": \"SteamID64\",\"value\": \"76561198213003675\",\"match\": true}],\"proofs\": [],\"link\": \"http://domain.gg/users?id=1680\"},{\"id\": 1689,\"details\": [{\"name\": \"Other Known Name\",\"value\": \"JohnnyPeto\",\"match\": false},{\"name\": \"SteamID64\",\"value\": \"76561198094228192\",\"match\": true}],\"proofs\": [],\"link\": \"http://domain.gg/users?id=1689\"}],\"notice\": \"Showing 4 out of 4 matches.\"}}", Response.class);
System.out.println(response.getResponseObject().getEntities().get(0).getId());
Here's the Javadoc.
If I were you, I'd use Jackson, not GSON. It's specialized on JavaBeans-style mapping. Write classes like this:
public class Detail{
private String name;
private String value;
private boolean match;
// + getters / setters
}
public class Entity{
private int id;
private List<Detail> details;
private String link;
private List<String> proofs;
// you don't have any example data for this, so I'm assuming strings
// + getters / setters
}
public class Result{
private List<Entity> entities;
private String notice;
// + getters / setters
}
and do the conversion with something like
Result result = new ObjectMapper().readValue(json, Result.class);
As my fellow stackoverflow users have previously posted, for this kind of initilization Jackson API would be better. I have however posted the solution for your question with Gson.
I noticed that you like your details to be stored as a HashMap with id as key. However, it seems like this id is actually related to the entities and not to the details.
Disclaimer, I got lazy and used an online POJO generator because I did not want to create objects for all of the Json elements ;) It still showcases how it should be done:
class Main{
public static void main(String[] args) throws FileNotFoundException {
//this is just to load the json file
String input = new Scanner(new File("test.txt")).useDelimiter("\\Z").next();
System.out.println(input);
Gson gson = new Gson();
Example arr = gson.fromJson(input, Example.class);
System.out.println(arr);
}
public class Detail {
#SerializedName("name")
#Expose
public String name;
#SerializedName("value")
#Expose
public String value;
#SerializedName("match")
#Expose
public Boolean match;
#Override
public String toString() {
return "Detail [name=" + name + ", value=" + value + ", match=" + match + "]";
}
}
public class Entity {
#SerializedName("id")
#Expose
public Integer id;
#SerializedName("details")
#Expose
public List<Detail> details = null;
#SerializedName("proofs")
#Expose
public List<Object> proofs = null;
#SerializedName("link")
#Expose
public String link;
#Override
public String toString() {
return "Entity [id=" + id + ", details=" + details + ", proofs=" + proofs + ", link=" + link + "]";
}
}
public class Example {
#SerializedName("return")
#Expose
public Return _return;
#Override
public String toString() {
return "Example [_return=" + _return + "]";
}
}
public class Return {
#SerializedName("entities")
#Expose
public List<Entity> entities = null;
#SerializedName("notice")
#Expose
public String notice;
#Override
public String toString() {
return "Return [entities=" + entities + ", notice=" + notice + "]";
}
}
}
Output
Example [_return=Return [entities=[Entity [id=2385, details=[Detail [name=Other Known Name, value=John Wick, match=false]], proofs=[], link=http://domain.gg/users?id=2385], Entity [id=2384, details=[Detail [name=Discord ID, value=159985870458322944, match=false], Detail [name=SteamID64, value=76561197991558078, match=true], Detail [name=SteamVanity, value=test, match=false], Detail [name=PS4, value=John_S, match=false], Detail [name=XBox, value=John S, match=false], Detail [name=Email, value=john_smith#gmail.com, match=true], Detail [name=Comment, value=Test user, match=false], Detail [name=Other Known Name, value=Jonathan, match=false], Detail [name=Reddit, value=/u/johns, match=true]], proofs=[], link=http://domain.gg/users?id=2384], Entity [id=1680, details=[Detail [name=Other Known Name, value=Johny, match=false], Detail [name=SteamID64, value=76561198213003675, match=true]], proofs=[], link=http://domain.gg/users?id=1680], Entity [id=1689, details=[Detail [name=Other Known Name, value=JohnnyPeto, match=false], Detail [name=SteamID64, value=76561198094228192, match=true]], proofs=[], link=http://domain.gg/users?id=1689]], notice=Showing 4 out of 4 matches.]]
Despite there are answers suggesting you to use Jackson, you can still accomplish easily with Gson with its default configuration just creating proper relations between mappings:
// A generic response, parameterized with <T>, can hold any type except of primitives
final class Response<T> {
#SerializedName("return")
final T ret = null;
}
final class EntitiesAndNotice {
final List<Entity> entities = null;
final String notice = null;
}
final class Entity {
// Unlike Object and any its subclasses, `int` being a primitive cannot be nulled
// Simple 0 won't work either, because the compiler will inline it
// So it's a sort of cheating javac to return a value that holds 0 already
final int id = Integer.valueOf(0);
final List<Detail> details = null;
// Your JSON document does not provide enough info on the elements type
// So it depends on how Gson parses JSON tokens
final List<Object> proofs = null;
final URL link = null;
}
final class Detail {
final String name = null;
final String value = null;
// The same for primitive booleans, or Boolean.FALSE
final boolean match = Boolean.valueOf(false);
}
Example use:
private static final String JSON = "{\"return\":{\"entities\":[{\"id\":2385,\"details\":[{\"name\":\"Other Known Name\",\"value\":\"John Wick\",\"match\":false}],\"proofs\":[],\"link\":\"http://domain.gg/users?id=2385\"},{\"id\":2384,\"details\":[{\"name\":\"Discord ID\",\"value\":\"159985870458322944\",\"match\":false},{\"name\":\"SteamID64\",\"value\":\"76561197991558078\",\"match\":true},{\"name\":\"SteamVanity\",\"value\":\"test\",\"match\":false},{\"name\":\"PS4\",\"value\":\"John_S\",\"match\":false},{\"name\":\"XBox\",\"value\":\"John S\",\"match\":false},{\"name\":\"Email\",\"value\":\"john_smith#gmail.com\",\"match\":true},{\"name\":\"Comment\",\"value\":\"Test user\",\"match\":false},{\"name\":\"Other Known Name\",\"value\":\"Jonathan\",\"match\":false},{\"name\":\"Reddit\",\"value\":\"/u/johns\",\"match\":true}],\"proofs\":[],\"link\":\"http://domain.gg/users?id=2384\"},{\"id\":1680,\"details\":[{\"name\":\"Other Known Name\",\"value\":\"Johny\",\"match\":false},{\"name\":\"SteamID64\",\"value\":\"76561198213003675\",\"match\":true}],\"proofs\":[],\"link\":\"http://domain.gg/users?id=1680\"},{\"id\":1689,\"details\":[{\"name\":\"Other Known Name\",\"value\":\"JohnnyPeto\",\"match\":false},{\"name\":\"SteamID64\",\"value\":\"76561198094228192\",\"match\":true}],\"proofs\":[],\"link\":\"http://domain.gg/users?id=1689\"}],\"notice\":\"Showing 4 out of 4 matches.\"}}";
private static final Gson gson = new Gson();
private static final TypeToken<Response<EntitiesAndNotice>> responseTypeToken = new TypeToken<Response<EntitiesAndNotice>>() {
};
public static void main(final String... args) {
final Response<EntitiesAndNotice> response = gson.fromJson(JSON, responseTypeToken.getType());
final String value = response.ret.entities.get(1).details.get(3).value;
System.out.println(value);
}
Output:
John_S