Using a Map to store complex preferences

[shnplr]

Hi,
I'm trying to use a map to save some preferences in JSON format. The map is able to be saved but not able to be read. I don't think this issue is a bug, possibly an enhancement.
e.g.

@ArtifactProviderFor(GriffonModel)
@PreferencesAware
class SampleModel {
    @Preference Map myMap
    @Preference String myString
}

After setting the model values & calling preferencesManager.save(sampleModel) the default.json is produced as follows:

{"sample": {"SampleModel": {
    "myString": "string",
    "myMap": {"key": "value2"}
}}}

However when the data is loaded the String value for myMap is processed as a JSONObject so the DefaultPreferencesNode is created as "key"->"value2" instead of "myMap"->(Map)

This appears to all happen in JsonPreferencesPersistor.readInto private method.

In this case could the framework detect that "myMap" property is java.util.Map type and utilize JSonSlurper or some custom converter to convert the string value back to a map?

Cheers,
Paul

[shnplr]

Current workaround is to use a @preferences String and serialize the object on save and de-serialize on load. e.g. (something like this)

@ArtifactProviderFor(GriffonController)
class SampleController {
    @Inject PreferencesManager prefsMgr
    void save() {
        model.doSerialize()
        prefsMgr.save(model)
    }
}

@ArtifactProviderFor(GriffonModel)
@PreferencesAware
class SampleModel {
@FXObservable ObservableList sampleList
@Preference String serializedData
void doSerialize() {
    serializedData = JsonOutput.toJson(sampleList)
}