How to specify in Spring XML configuration file class for a Map property?

Question

Here is what I mean, see following spring XML file:

<bean id = 'a' class="A">
   <property name="mapProperty">
       <map>
          <entry key="key1"><value>value1</value></entry>
       </map>
   </property>
</bean>

And my class looks like following:

class A {
   HashMap mapProperty

}

How can I tell in spring XML file that Map to be injected is of type java.util.HashMap ? Or in general can I provide class name for the Map ?

Please note, I cannot change the class A to use Map instead of HashMap

Thanks in advance !!

Answer 1

You can use util:map

<util:map id="someId" map-class="java.util.HashMap">
    <entry key="key1">
        <value>value1</value>
    </entry>
</util:map>

<bean id="a" class="A">
    <property name="mapProperty" ref="someId">
    </property>
</bean>

Don't forget to add the util namespace.