Serialize enum field into JSON in Kotlin - kotlin

Question

I've got a stupid question that stunned me a bit.
I have an enum and a data class like this:
enum class MyEventType(val typeName: String) {
FIRST("firstEventReceived")
}
data class MyEvent(
val id: String,
val event: MyEventType
)
I need to send this as a json string, but common desearilizer makes such a json
{
"id": "identifier",
"event": "FIRST"
}
but i need
{
"id": "identifier",
"event": "firstEventReceived"
}
As far as i understand, kotlin allows to override getter in data class, but i didn't succeed in it... Trying to make
data class MyEvent(
val id: String
) {
val event: MyEventType get() event.typeName
}
but i've missed something, i guess...

Answer 1

The simplest way is probably to annotate the property with #JsonValue:
enum class MyEventType(#JsonValue val typeName: String) {
FIRST("firstEventReceived")
}
data class MyEvent(
val id: String,
val event: MyEventType
)
fun main() {
MyEvent(id = "foo", event = MyEventType.FIRST)
.let { jacksonObjectMapper().writeValueAsString(it) }
.let { println(it) }
}
Prints:
{"id":"foo","event":"firstEventReceived"}

Answer 2

The easiest way is to annotate the typeName with #JsonValue. This will serialise and deserialise the enum field as you want.
enum class MyEventType(#JsonValue val typeName: String) {
FIRST("firstEventReceived");
}
An alternative is to use #JsonFormat (if you are using jackson version < 2.9);
enum class MyEventType(#JsonFormat(shape = JsonFormat.Shape.OBJECT) val typeName: String) {
FIRST("firstEventReceived");
}
Herer's an example;
#JvmStatic
fun main(args: Array<String>) {
val mapper = jacksonObjectMapper()
val json = mapper.writeValueAsString(MyEvent("1", MyEventType.FIRST))
println(json)
val event = mapper.readValue<MyEvent>(json)
println(event)
}
You get the output;
{"id":"1","event":"firstEventReceived"}
MyEvent(id=1, event=FIRST)
I used Jackson version 2.12.0. Here's a good read on enum manipulation with Jackson - https://www.baeldung.com/jackson-serialize-enums

Answer 3

Also you can have enum with 2+ fields which you want to be serialized
enum class MyEventType(
val firstField: String,
val secondField: String,
val thirdField: String
) {
MY_ENUM("firstFieldValue", "secondFieldValue", "thirdFieldValue")
}
You can chose one of the following two options:
Put #JsonValue over a method(lets call it getter) that will return the required value(if you need only part of the fields):
#JsonValue
fun getSerializedObject(): String {
return "{firstField: $firstField, thirdField: $thirdField}"
}
Result will be "{firstField: firstFieldValue, thirdField: thirdFieldValue}"
Put #JsonFormat(shape = JsonFormat.Shape.OBJECT) over your enum class(for serialization class as common class):
#JsonFormat(shape = JsonFormat.Shape.OBJECT)
enum class MyEventType(
val firstField: String,
val secondField: String,
val thirdField: String
) {
MY_ENUM("firstField", "secondField", "thirdField")
}
Result will be "{"firstField": "firstFieldValue", "secondField": "secondFieldValue", "thirdField": "thirdFieldValue"}"

Answer 4

For GSON users, you can use the #SerializedName annotation:
enum class ConnectionStatus {
#SerializedName("open")
OPEN,
#SerializedName("connecting")
CONNECTING,
#SerializedName("closed")
CLOSED
}