Problems with scopes

[amitev]

Hi all! I have defined ajax4jsf skin to point to a seam component

<context-param>
 <param-name>org.ajax4jsf.SKIN</param-name>
 <param-value>#{user.skinName}</param-value>
 </context-param>

But i got a strange error - if the scope of "user" is not "session" ajax4jsf throws an exception that the skin value is null, with session scope it works. Idea what's the problem here?

[wise_guybg]

Zdravei,

It's reasonable to think that the skin initialization takes place at application start up.

Besides, setting a context-param with a bean (user) in a scope other than application or session looks strange to me. This is an initialization parameter after all.

I suppose that org.ajax4jsf.framework.skin.SkinBean stays in the session/application scope and is responsible for managing the skin. You can try to use that bean to change the skin according to what the user has selected after the login takes place. I think this is what you're trying to do in your code. Here is an example I found with Google:

<h:selectOneRadio binding="#{skinBean.component}" />
<h:commandLink action="#{skinBean.change}" value="set skin" />

You can also spend some time on loading a skin for the login page using the browser cookie.

For start, I would suggest checking out how to programatically change the skin after login (web.xml is not the place).

[amitev]

Hi dude! The a4j skinability is dymanic, the skin is initialized at the beginning of each request and the skin name is taken from the expression you specify in web.xml. I saw this on this tutorial from exadel [1].

[1] http://www.exadel.com/EVCPTutorial/EVCPGSskinability.pdf

[wise_guybg]

The bean they specify in the pdf is session scoped:

<managed-bean>
 <managed-bean-name>infoBean</managed-bean-name>
 <managed-bean-class>sample.InfoBean</managed-bean-class>
 <managed-bean-scope>session</managed-bean-scope>
 <managed-property>
 <property-name>skin</property-name>
 <value>classic</value>
 </managed-property>
</managed-bean>

The expression you specify in web.xml must point to a session bean. Your user bean will not be initialized at login I suppose.

You can create a session bean and store the skin name there. As I suggested before the SkinBean can be used for that purpose too. When your user logs in, you simply set the skin name of that bean. Then you will have that:

the skin is initialized at the beginning of each request and the skin name is taken from the expression you specify in web.xml

[amitev]

Right. Thank you!

[wise_guybg]

Thanks for sharing:
EVCPGSskinability.pdf - "Modifying the Skin Dynamically"

I didn't know about this feature until now.

[amitev]

I guess that seam should integrate richfaces skinability

[wise_guybg]

Did the SkinBean do the job? If you can use it, there is no need for Seam to get involved.

[amitev]

The purpose of SkinBean (#{a4jSkin}) is quite different. I just need a skin changer with cookie support :)

[wise_guybg]

This really sound like a SkinSelector similar to the ThemeSelector :)

[amitev]

Will be good :)

[wise_guybg]

btw I was not talking about

org.ajax4jsf.framework.skin.SkinBean

but

org.richfaces.SkinBean

Here is the code:
http://www.koders.com/java/fidF65263F05876F2FFF880E94E1796E5FAD6058E33.aspx

[amitev]

nice one