FYI: Seam now installs Ajax4jsf filter automatically

[pmuir]

In Seam CVS and 1.3 when it is released, Seam installs the ajax4jsf filter as part of it's master filter, and installs it before Seam's built in filters. So, for Seam + a4j, the first filter in the list should be:

<filter>
 <filter-name>Seam Filter</filter-name>
 <filter-class>org.jboss.seam.web.SeamFilter</filter-class>
</filter>

<filter-mapping>
 <filter-name>Seam Filter</filter-name>
 <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
</filter-mapping>

[svadu]

Would it still support manual configuration in web.xml?

[pmuir]

Yes, you do end up with the filter specified twice, but the doFilter of the a4j filter checks to see whether it's already executed, and, if it has, skips. Alternatively, you could disable Seam's ajax4jsf filter in web.xml.

Do you have a specific reason for wanting to do it through web.xml?

[sergeysmirnov]

"petemuir" wrote:
In Seam CVS and 1.3 when it is released, Seam installs the ajax4jsf filter as part of it's master filter, and installs it before Seam's built in filters. So, for Seam + a4j, the first filter in the list should be

Does the inserted automatically filter supports dispatchers. (At least the FORWARD) ?

[pmuir]

No, but then none of the Seam examples had any dispatchers on the ajax4jsf filter, and the developers guide doesn't show them on the web.xml suggested for Seam.

They are needed? If so, I think we have to enable them on the Seam master filter and then for the ajax4jsf filter.

[sergeysmirnov]

If server redirect is used, the Filter will not be involved. As a result many strange glitches will appear. If Seam examples do not use server redirect, this problem is hidden.
Two other dispatchers are more exotic, but the FORWARD is useful.

[pmuir]

Ok, it looks like I can't get the dispatcher programatically, so can't *not* apply filters... Any ideas? Will it break other filters to be applied across the board like that? Can we get the framework *not* to need to these extra dispatchers?

[sergeysmirnov]

Pete, the right way when Seam Filter and Ajax4jsf filter configured on the same mapping. I.e. if Seam uses /* , Ajax4jsf should have the same (and dispatchers are not required there at all). If Seam points to the faces servlet , Ajax4jsf should be configured the same way (dispatchers are helpful here).
At the beginning we had /* . No way to miss the request. All are passed thru filter. However, then we switched to pointing to Faces Servlet. Less problems with processing the request that should not be processed actually.

[pmuir]

Sergey, thanks for the detailed explanation! We're running the Seam filter off /*. If we see problems occurring due to the a4j filter being on /* I'll modify it :)