Added --defaults-json to output fields at default value.

Normal behavior is to not output fields that happen to have
the default value, since those will be reproduced anyway
when turned into a FlatBuffer binary. This however can be problematic
when using JSON to interop with other system since they might not
know this default value. This flatc option (and also flag
to GenerateText) will force those fields to be output anyway.

Tested: on Linux.

docs/source/Compiler.md

@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ be generated for each file processed:
     in quotes, no trailing commas in tables/vectors). By default, no quotes are
     required/generated, and trailing commas are allowed.
 
+-   `--defaults-json` : Output fields whose value is equal to the default value
+    when writing JSON text.
+
 -   `--no-prefix` : Don't prefix enum values in generated C++ by their enum
     type.
 

include/flatbuffers/idl.h

@@ -400,6 +400,7 @@ extern void GenComment(const std::vector<std::string> &dc,
 // Container of options that may apply to any of the source/text generators.
 struct GeneratorOptions {
   bool strict_json;
+  bool output_default_scalars_in_json;
   int indent_step;
   bool output_enum_identifiers;
   bool prefixed_enums;
@@ -411,7 +412,9 @@ struct GeneratorOptions {
 
   Language lang;
 
-  GeneratorOptions() : strict_json(false), indent_step(2),
+  GeneratorOptions() : strict_json(false),
+                       output_default_scalars_in_json(false),
+                       indent_step(2),
                        output_enum_identifiers(true), prefixed_enums(true),
                        include_dependence_headers(false),
                        mutable_buffer(false),

src/flatc.cpp

@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ static void Error(const std::string &err, bool usage, bool show_exe_name) {
       "  -M              Print make rules for generated files.\n"
       "  --strict-json   Strict JSON: field names must be / will be quoted,\n"
       "                  no trailing commas in tables/vectors.\n"
+      "  --defaults-json Output fields whose value is the default when\n"
+      "                  writing JSON\n"
       "  --no-prefix     Don\'t prefix enum values with the enum type in C++.\n"
       "  --gen-includes  Generate include statements for included schemas the\n"
       "                  generated file depends on (C++).\n"
@@ -130,6 +132,8 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[]) {
         include_directories.push_back(argv[argi]);
       } else if(arg == "--strict-json") {
         opts.strict_json = true;
+      } else if(arg == "--defaults-json") {
+        opts.output_default_scalars_in_json = true;
       } else if(arg == "--no-prefix") {
         opts.prefixed_enums = false;
       } else if(arg == "--gen-mutable") {

src/idl_gen_text.cpp

@@ -216,8 +216,11 @@ static void GenStruct(const StructDef &struct_def, const Table *table,
        it != struct_def.fields.vec.end();
        ++it) {
     FieldDef &fd = **it;
-    if (struct_def.fixed || table->CheckField(fd.value.offset)) {
-      // The field is present.
+    auto is_present = struct_def.fixed || table->CheckField(fd.value.offset);
+    auto output_anyway = opts.output_default_scalars_in_json &&
+                         IsScalar(fd.value.type.base_type) &&
+                         !fd.deprecated;
+    if (is_present || output_anyway) {
       if (fieldout++) {
         text += ",";
       }
@@ -225,30 +228,36 @@ static void GenStruct(const StructDef &struct_def, const Table *table,
       text.append(indent + Indent(opts), ' ');
       OutputIdentifier(fd.name, opts, _text);
       text += ": ";
-      switch (fd.value.type.base_type) {
-         #define FLATBUFFERS_TD(ENUM, IDLTYPE, CTYPE, JTYPE, GTYPE, NTYPE, \
-           PTYPE) \
-           case BASE_TYPE_ ## ENUM: \
-              GenField<CTYPE>(fd, table, struct_def.fixed, \
-                              opts, indent + Indent(opts), _text); \
+      if (is_present) {
+        switch (fd.value.type.base_type) {
+           #define FLATBUFFERS_TD(ENUM, IDLTYPE, CTYPE, JTYPE, GTYPE, NTYPE, \
+             PTYPE) \
+             case BASE_TYPE_ ## ENUM: \
+                GenField<CTYPE>(fd, table, struct_def.fixed, \
+                                opts, indent + Indent(opts), _text); \
+                break;
+            FLATBUFFERS_GEN_TYPES_SCALAR(FLATBUFFERS_TD)
+          #undef FLATBUFFERS_TD
+          // Generate drop-thru case statements for all pointer types:
+          #define FLATBUFFERS_TD(ENUM, IDLTYPE, CTYPE, JTYPE, GTYPE, NTYPE, \
+            PTYPE) \
+            case BASE_TYPE_ ## ENUM:
+            FLATBUFFERS_GEN_TYPES_POINTER(FLATBUFFERS_TD)
+          #undef FLATBUFFERS_TD
+              GenFieldOffset(fd, table, struct_def.fixed, indent + Indent(opts),
+                             union_sd, opts, _text);
               break;
-          FLATBUFFERS_GEN_TYPES_SCALAR(FLATBUFFERS_TD)
-        #undef FLATBUFFERS_TD
-        // Generate drop-thru case statements for all pointer types:
-        #define FLATBUFFERS_TD(ENUM, IDLTYPE, CTYPE, JTYPE, GTYPE, NTYPE, \
-          PTYPE) \
-          case BASE_TYPE_ ## ENUM:
-          FLATBUFFERS_GEN_TYPES_POINTER(FLATBUFFERS_TD)
-        #undef FLATBUFFERS_TD
-            GenFieldOffset(fd, table, struct_def.fixed, indent + Indent(opts),
-                           union_sd, opts, _text);
-            break;
+        }
+        if (fd.value.type.base_type == BASE_TYPE_UTYPE) {
+          auto enum_val = fd.value.type.enum_def->ReverseLookup(
+                                  table->GetField<uint8_t>(fd.value.offset, 0));
+          assert(enum_val);
+          union_sd = enum_val->struct_def;
+        }
       }
-      if (fd.value.type.base_type == BASE_TYPE_UTYPE) {
-        auto enum_val = fd.value.type.enum_def->ReverseLookup(
-                                 table->GetField<uint8_t>(fd.value.offset, 0));
-        assert(enum_val);
-        union_sd = enum_val->struct_def;
+      else
+      {
+        text += fd.value.constant;
       }
     }
   }