How to 'transform' a String object (containing XML) to an element on an existing JSP page

Question

Currently I have a String object that contains XML elements:

String carsInGarage = garage.getCars();

I now want to pass this String as an input/stream source (or some kind of source), but am unsure which one to choose and how to implement it.

Most of the solutions I have looked at import the package: javax.xml.transform and accept a XML file (stylerXML.xml) and output to a HTML file (outputFile.html) (See code below).

try 
{
    TransformerFactory tFactory = TransformerFactory.newInstance();
    Transformer transformer = tFactory.newTransformer 
        (new javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamSource("styler.xsl"));

    transformer.transform (
        new javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamSource ("stylerXML.xml"),
        new javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamResult (
            new FileOutputStream("outputFile.html")));
}
catch (Exception e)
{
e.printStackTrace();
}

I want to accept a String object and output (using XSL) to a element within an existing JSP page. I just don't know how to implement this, even having looked at the code above.

Can someone please advise/assist. I have searched high and low for a solution, but I just can't pull anything out.

Thankyou, Lucas

Answer 1

Use a StringReader and a StringWriter:

 try {
  StringReader reader = new StringReader("<xml>blabla</xml>");
  StringWriter writer = new StringWriter();
  TransformerFactory tFactory = TransformerFactory.newInstance();
  Transformer transformer = tFactory.newTransformer(
    new javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamSource("styler.xsl"));

  transformer.transform(
    new javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamSource(reader), 
    new javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamResult(writer));

  String result = writer.toString();
 } catch (Exception e) {
  e.printStackTrace();
 }

Answer 2

If at some point you want the source to contain more than just a single string, or you don't want to generate the XML wrapper element manually, create a DOM document that contains your source and pass it to the transformer using a DOMSource.

Answer 3

Hey Jordan, I am having the same problem as you had with the browser display being blank. I was just wondering how you got the result to appear on the screen? Thanks