Creating XML using Groovy's MarkupBuilder

Simple Example

Here is an example of using Groovy's MarkupBuilder to create a new XML file:

Code Block

// require(groupId:'xmlunit', artifactId:'xmlunit', version:'1.0')
import groovy.xml.MarkupBuilder
import org.custommonkey.xmlunit.*

def writer = new StringWriter()
def xml = new MarkupBuilder(writer)
xml.records() {
  car(name:'HSV Maloo', make:'Holden', year:2006) {
    country('Australia')
    record(type:'speed', 'Production Pickup Truck with speed of 271kph')
  }
  car(name:'P50', make:'Peel', year:1962) {
    country('Isle of Man')
    record(type:'size', 'Smallest Street-Legal Car at 99cm wide and 59 kg in weight')
  }
  car(name:'Royale', make:'Bugatti', year:1931) {
    country('France')
    record(type:'price', 'Most Valuable Car at $15 million')
  }
}

XMLUnit.setIgnoreWhitespace(true)
def xmlDiff = new Diff(writer.toString(), XmlExamples.CAR_RECORDS)
assert xmlDiff.similar()

We have used XMLUnit to compare the XML we created with our sample XML. To do this, make sure the sample XML is available, i.e. that the following class is added to your CLASSPATH:

Include Page

	XML Example

You may also want to see Using MarkupBuilder for Agile XML creation.

DomToGroovy Example

Also, suppose we have an existing XML document and we want to automate generation of the markup without having to type it all in? We just need to use DomToGroovy as shown in the following example:

Code Block

import javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilderFactory
import org.codehaus.groovy.tools.xml.DomToGroovy

def builder     = DocumentBuilderFactory.newInstance().newDocumentBuilder()
def inputStream = new ByteArrayInputStream(XmlExamples.CAR_RECORDS.bytes)
def document    = builder.parse(inputStream)
def output      = new StringWriter()
def converter   = new DomToGroovy(new PrintWriter(output))

converter.print(document)
println output.toString()

Running this will produce the builder code for us.

Namespace Aware Example

Finally, here are some simple examples showing how to include namespaces and prefixes.

Prefix with Namespace

Code Block

def xml = new MarkupBuilder(writer)
xml.'rec:records'('xmlns:rec': 'http://groovy.codehaus.org') {
  car(name:'HSV Maloo', make:'Holden', year:2006) {
    country('Australia')
    record(type:'speed', ' Truck with speed of 271kph')
  }
}

result

<rec:records xmlns:rec='http://groovy.codehaus.org'>
  <car name='HSV Maloo' make='Holden' year='2006'>
    <country>Australia</country>
    <record type='speed'> Truck with speed of 271kph</record>
  </car>
</rec:records>

Default Namespace

Code Block

xml.records(xmlns: 'http://groovy.codehaus.org') {
  car(name:'HSV Maloo', make:'Holden', year:2006) {
    country('Australia')
    record(type:'speed', ' Truck with speed of 271kph')
  }
}

result

<records xmlns='http://groovy.codehaus.org'>
  <car name='HSV Maloo' make='Holden' year='2006'>
    <country>Australia</country>
    <record type='speed'> Truck with speed of 271kph</record>
  </car>
</records>

Creating XML using Groovy's MarkupBuilder

Versions Compared

Old Version 13

New Version Current

Key

Simple Example

DomToGroovy Example

Namespace Aware Example

Prefix with Namespace

Default Namespace