Try #46:

.travis.yml

@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ before_script:
 script:
   - set -e
   - |
-    for FEATURES_COMMAND in "--no-default-features" "" "--features=chrono" "--features=json" "--all-features"
+    for FEATURES_COMMAND in "--no-default-features" "" "--features=chrono" "--features=json" "--features=macros" "--all-features"
     do
       cargo build --verbose --all ${FEATURES_COMMAND}
       # skip this step if clippy is not available, e.g., bad nightly

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+
+* Add `skip_serializing_none` attribute, which adds `#[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]` for each Option in a struct.
+    This is helpfull for APIs which have many optional fields.
+    The effect of can be negated by adding `serialize_always` on those fields, which should always be serialized.
+    Existing `skip_serializing_if` will never be modified and those fields keep their behavior.
+
 ## [1.2.0]
 
 ### Added

Cargo.toml

@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+[workspace]
+members = [
+    "serde_with_macros",
+]
+
 [package]
 name = "serde_with"
 version = "1.2.0"
@@ -26,12 +31,15 @@ codecov = { repository = "jonasbb/serde_with", branch = "master", service = "git
 maintenance = { status = "actively-developed" }
 
 [features]
+default = [ "macros" ]
 json = [ "serde_json" ]
+macros = [ "serde_with_macros" ]
 
 [dependencies]
 chrono = { version = "0.4.1", features = [ "serde" ], optional = true }
 serde = "1.0.75"
 serde_json = { version = "1.0.1", optional = true }
+serde_with_macros = { path = "./serde_with_macros", version = "1.0.0", optional = true}
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 fnv = "1.0.6"

serde_with_macros/Cargo.toml

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+[package]
+name = "serde_with_macros"
+version = "1.0.0"
+authors = ["jonasbb"]
+
+description = "proc-macro library for serde_with"
+documentation = "https://docs.rs/serde_with_macros/"
+repository = "https://github.com/jonasbb/serde_with/serde_with_macros"
+readme = "README.md"
+keywords = ["serde", "utilities", "serialization", "deserialization"]
+license = "MIT/Apache-2.0"
+
+[lib]
+proc-macro = true
+
+[badges]
+travis-ci = { repository = "jonasbb/serde_with", branch = "master" }
+codecov = { repository = "jonasbb/serde_with", branch = "master", service = "github" }
+maintenance = { status = "actively-developed" }
+
+[dependencies]
+proc-macro2 = { version = "0.4.27" }
+quote = "0.6.11"
+
+[dependencies.syn]
+version = "0.15.29"
+default-features = false
+features = [
+    "extra-traits", # Only for debugging
+    "full",
+    "parsing",
+    "printing",
+    "proc-macro",
+]
+
+[dev-dependencies]
+pretty_assertions = "0.5.1"
+serde = { version = "1.0.75", features = [ "derive" ] }
+serde_json = "1.0.25"
+version-sync = "0.7.0"
+
+[package.metadata.docs.rs]
+all-features = true

serde_with_macros/LICENSE-APACHE

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../LICENSE-APACHE

serde_with_macros/LICENSE-MIT

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../LICENSE-MIT

serde_with_macros/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../README.md

serde_with_macros/src/lib.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,278 @@
+#![deny(
+    missing_debug_implementations,
+    missing_copy_implementations,
+    trivial_casts,
+    trivial_numeric_casts,
+    unused_extern_crates,
+    unused_import_braces,
+    unused_qualifications,
+    variant_size_differences
+)]
+#![cfg_attr(feature = "cargo-clippy", allow(renamed_and_removed_lints))]
+#![doc(html_root_url = "https://docs.rs/serde_with_macros/1.0.0")]
+
+//! proc-macro extensions for [`serde_with`]
+//!
+//! This crate should not be used alone, but through the [`serde_with`] crate.
+//!
+//! [`serde_with`]: https://crates.io/crates/serde_with/
+
+extern crate proc_macro;
+extern crate proc_macro2;
+extern crate quote;
+extern crate syn;
+
+use proc_macro::TokenStream;
+use proc_macro2::Span;
+use quote::quote;
+use syn::{
+    parse::Parser, Attribute, Error, Field, Fields, ItemEnum, ItemStruct, Meta, NestedMeta, Path,
+    Type,
+};
+
+/// Add `skip_serializing_if` annotations to [`Option`] fields.
+///
+/// The attribute can be added to structs and enums.
+///
+/// # Example
+///
+/// JSON APIs sometimes have many optional values.
+/// Missing values should not be serialized, to keep the serialized format smaller.
+/// Such a data type might look like:
+///
+/// ```rust
+/// # extern crate serde;
+/// # use serde::Serialize;
+/// #
+/// #[derive(Serialize)]
+/// struct Data {
+///     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+///     a: Option<String>,
+///     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+///     b: Option<u64>,
+///     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+///     c: Option<String>,
+///     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+///     d: Option<bool>,
+/// }
+/// ```
+///
+/// The `skip_serializing_if` annotation is repetitive and harms readability.
+/// Instead the same struct can be written as:
+///
+/// ```rust
+/// # extern crate serde;
+/// # extern crate serde_with_macros;
+/// #
+/// # use serde::Serialize;
+/// # use serde_with_macros::skip_serializing_none;
+/// #[skip_serializing_none]
+/// #[derive(Serialize)]
+/// struct Data {
+///     a: Option<String>,
+///     b: Option<u64>,
+///     c: Option<String>,
+///     d: Option<bool>,
+/// }
+/// ```
+///
+/// Existing `skip_serializing_if` annotations will not be altered.
+///
+/// If some values should always be serialized, then the `serialize_always` can be used.
+///
+/// # Limitations
+///
+/// The `serialize_always` cannot be used together with a manual `skip_serializing_if` annotations, as these conflict in their meaning.
+/// A compile error will be generated if this occurs.
+///
+/// The `skip_serializing_none` only works if the type is called `Option`, `std::option::Option`, or `core::option::Option`.
+/// Type aliasing on `Option` and giving it another name, will cause this field to be ignored.
+/// This cannot be supported, as proc-macros run before type checking, thus it is not possible to determine if a type alias refers to an `Option`.
+///
+/// ```rust,ignore
+/// # extern crate serde;
+/// # extern crate serde_with_macros;
+/// #
+/// # use serde::Serialize;
+/// # use serde_with_macros::skip_serializing_none;
+/// type MyOption<T> = Option<T>;
+///
+/// #[skip_serializing_none]
+/// #[derive(Serialize)]
+/// struct Data {
+///     a: MyOption<String>, // This field will not be skipped
+/// }
+/// ```
+///
+/// Likewise, if you import a type and name it `Option`, the `skip_serializing_if` attributes will be added and compile errors will occur, if `Option::is_none` is not a valid function.
+/// Here the function `Vec::is_none` does not exist and therefore the example fails to compile.
+///
+/// ```rust,compile_fail
+/// # extern crate serde;
+/// # extern crate serde_with_macros;
+/// #
+/// # use serde::Serialize;
+/// # use serde_with_macros::skip_serializing_none;
+/// use std::vec::Vec as Option;
+///
+/// #[skip_serializing_none]
+/// #[derive(Serialize)]
+/// struct Data {
+///     a: Option<String>,
+/// }
+/// ```
+///
+#[proc_macro_attribute]
+pub fn skip_serializing_none(_args: TokenStream, input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
+    let res = match skip_serializing_none_do(input) {
+        Ok(res) => res,
+        Err(msg) => {
+            let span = Span::call_site();
+            Error::new(span, msg).to_compile_error()
+        }
+    };
+    TokenStream::from(res)
+}
+
+fn skip_serializing_none_do(input: TokenStream) -> Result<proc_macro2::TokenStream, String> {
+    // For each field in the struct given by `input`, add the `skip_serializing_if` attribute,
+    // if and only if, it is of type `Option`
+    if let Ok(mut input) = syn::parse::<ItemStruct>(input.clone()) {
+        skip_serializing_none_handle_fields(&mut input.fields)?;
+        Ok(quote!(#input))
+    } else if let Ok(mut input) = syn::parse::<ItemEnum>(input.clone()) {
+        input
+            .variants
+            .iter_mut()
+            .map(|variant| skip_serializing_none_handle_fields(&mut variant.fields))
+            .collect::<Result<(), _>>()?;
+        Ok(quote!(#input))
+    } else {
+        Err("The attribute can only be applied to struct or enum definitions.".into())
+    }
+}
+
+/// Return `true`, if the type path refers to `std::option::Option`
+///
+/// Accepts
+///
+/// * `Option`
+/// * `std::option::Option`, with or without leading `::`
+/// * `core::option::Option`, with or without leading `::`
+fn is_std_option(path: &Path) -> bool {
+    (path.leading_colon.is_none() && path.segments.len() == 1 && path.segments[0].ident == "Option")
+        || (path.segments.len() == 3
+            && (path.segments[0].ident == "std" || path.segments[0].ident == "core")
+            && path.segments[1].ident == "option"
+            && path.segments[2].ident == "Option")
+}
+
+/// Determine if the `field` has an attribute with given `namespace` and `name`
+///
+/// On the example of
+/// `#[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]`
+//
+/// * `serde` is the outermost path, here namespace
+/// * it contains a Meta::List
+/// * which contains in another Meta a Meta::NameValue
+/// * with the name being `skip_serializing_if`
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "cargo-clippy", allow(cmp_owned))]
+fn field_has_attribute(field: &Field, namespace: &str, name: &str) -> bool {
+    // On the example of
+    // #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    //
+    // `serde` is the outermost path, here namespace
+    // it contains a Meta::List
+    // which contains in another Meta a Meta::NameValue
+    // with the name being `skip_serializing_if`
+
+    for attr in &field.attrs {
+        if attr.path.is_ident(namespace) {
+            // Ignore non parsable attributes, as these are not important for us
+            if let Ok(expr) = attr.parse_meta() {
+                if let Meta::List(expr) = expr {
+                    for expr in expr.nested {
+                        if let NestedMeta::Meta(Meta::NameValue(expr)) = expr {
+                            if expr.ident.to_string() == name {
+                                return true;
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    false
+}
+
+/// Add the skip_serializing_if annotation to each field of the struct
+fn skip_serializing_none_add_attr_to_field<'a>(
+    fields: impl IntoIterator<Item = &'a mut Field>,
+) -> Result<(), String> {
+    fields.into_iter().map(|field| ->Result<(), String> {
+        if let Type::Path(path) = &field.ty.clone() {
+            if is_std_option(&path.path) {
+                let has_skip_serializing_if =
+                    field_has_attribute(&field, "serde", "skip_serializing_if");
+
+                // Remove the `serialize_always` attribute
+                let mut has_always_attr = false;
+                field.attrs.retain(|attr| {
+                    let has_attr = attr.path.is_ident("serialize_always");
+                    has_always_attr |= has_attr;
+                    !has_attr
+                });
+
+                // Error on conflicting attributes
+                if has_always_attr && has_skip_serializing_if {
+                    let mut msg = r#"The attributes `serialize_always` and `serde(skip_serializing_if = "...")` cannot be used on the same field"#.to_string();
+                    if let Some(ident) = &field.ident {
+                       msg += ": `";
+                       msg += &ident.to_string();
+                       msg += "`";
+                    }
+                        msg +=".";
+                    return Err(msg);
+                }
+
+                // Do nothing if `skip_serializing_if` or `serialize_always` is already present
+                if has_skip_serializing_if || has_always_attr {
+                    return Ok(());
+                }
+
+                // Add the `skip_serializing_if` attribute
+                let attr_tokens = quote!(
+                    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+                );
+                let parser = Attribute::parse_outer;
+                let attrs = parser
+                    .parse2(attr_tokens)
+                    .expect("Static attr tokens should not panic");
+                field.attrs.extend(attrs);
+            } else {
+                // Warn on use of `serialize_always` on non-Option fields
+                let has_attr= field.attrs.iter().any(|attr| {
+                    attr.path.is_ident("serialize_always")
+                });
+                if has_attr  {
+                    return Err("`serialize_always` may only be used on fields of type `Option`.".into());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }).collect()
+}
+
+/// Handle a single struct or a single enum variant
+fn skip_serializing_none_handle_fields(fields: &mut Fields) -> Result<(), String> {
+    match fields {
+        // simple, no fields, do nothing
+        Fields::Unit => Ok(()),
+        Fields::Named(ref mut fields) => {
+            skip_serializing_none_add_attr_to_field(fields.named.iter_mut())
+        }
+        Fields::Unnamed(ref mut fields) => {
+            skip_serializing_none_add_attr_to_field(fields.unnamed.iter_mut())
+        }
+    }
+}