Apache AXIS also comes with the Bean serializer/deserializer that will take care of complex structures by mapping them to Java Beans.

To add to the list published, writting a serializer/deserializer is actually very simple, and Apache AXIS comes with a couple samples, in case the Bean serializer would not be enough. I recently wrote my own to be able to send a complete DOM tree as a parameter to SOAP methods. It was done in less then 20 lines of code.

cheers,

laurent

If you are using Apache SOAP then serializer/deserializers are already written for the following types :

• most Java primitive types, such as int, float, boolean, byte, etc. and their corresponding wrapper classes (i.e. java.lang.Integer, java.lang.Boolean, etc.)
  
• Java arrays
  
• java.lang.String
  
• java.util.Date
  
• java.util.GregorianCalendar
  
• java.util.Vector
  
• java.util.Hashtable
  
• java.util.Map (under Java editions in which this is supported)
  
• java.math.BigDecimal
  
• javax.mail.internet.MimeBodyPart
  
• java.io.InputStream
  
• javax.activation.DataSource
  
• javax.activation.DataHandler
  
• org.apache.soap.util.xml.QName
  
• org.apache.soap.rpc.Parameter
  
• java.lang.Object (a deserializer for null objects only)
  

You will have to write your own serializer/deserializer for custom objects. Looking at the source code for the predefined ones will probably provide you with the best guidance. They need to implement org.apache.soap.util.xml.Serializer and org.apache.soap.util.xml.Deserializer respectively