Serialize JSON attribute that is a reserved keyword in Apex

Question

To use the Javascript tree library DynaTree on my Visualforce page I create JSON data in its controller

List<DynaTreeNode> rootNodes = nodesByParentId.get(null).values();   
dynaTreeJson = JSON.serialize(rootNodes);
dynaTreeJson = dynaTreeJson.replaceAll('select_X', 'select');

To construct the nodes I use this Apex class

public virtual class DynaTreeNode {
    //...
    public Boolean select_X = false;
    public Boolean hideCheckbox = false;
}

The problem is that the Javascript expect a property called select which I cannot use as a name in Apex as it is a reserved (SOQL) keyword. According to this answer I prefixed it with _X and do a replaceAll() on the output.

The problem is that I now run into expeception when used on large JSON strings.

System.LimitException: Regex too complicated Error is in expression

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 15 '16 at 11:44

This is a case where instead of an Apex class with fields a Map<String, Object> can be used instead because the map keys can be any valid string. Convert the DynaTreeNode objects to Map<String, Object> objects before you serialize:

private List<Map<String, Object>> toSerializableForm(List<DynaTreeNode> rootNodes) {
    ...
}

Tedious I know.

(Or use Map<String, Object> everywhere instead of DynaTreeNode.)

Serialize JSON attribute that is a reserved keyword in Apex

1 Answers1