XML to JSON - unexpected behaviour while converting lists?

Question

This is my json value:

{
    "hello": [
        {
            "names": {
                "name": "abc"
            }
        },
        {
            "names": {
                "name": "def"
            }
        }
    ]
}

I tried using XML.toString(new JsonObject()) , and this is what I get:

   <hello>
       <names>
          <name>abc</name>
       </names>
   </hello>
   <hello>
       <names>
          <name>def</name>
       </names>
   </hello>

Whereas, the xml I expected was this:

   <hello>
       <names>
          <name>abc</name>
       </names>
       <names>
          <name>def</name>
       </names>
   </hello>

This unexpected behaviour results in an invalid XML error, since there is no root element now. What am I missing here?

Answer 1

The issue in your JSON code. The [] means array , and by definition array is a set of elements. So the resulting xml code contains a set of hello elements. Try change your [] with {} :

{
    "hello": {
        "names": [
            {
                "name": "abc"
            },
            {
                "name": "def"
            }
        ]
    }
}

Just tried it and got the exact output you're looking for:

<hello>
    <names>
        <name>abc</name>
    </names>
    <names>
        <name>def</name>
    </names>
</hello>