Date range checks on rich:calendar

[francof]

I have 2 dates (start and end) bound to rich:calendar
What I am trying to achieve is -
- if one of the dates is entered and the other is blank, then it is required.
- if both are entered, they should be validated for correctness - start should not be later than end.

I don't have a problem with the second. I just can't seem to get the required attribute generated correctly for these dates.

Here is my markup

<s:decorate id="featureStartDateDecoration" >
<rich:calendar id="featureStartDate"
 value="#{catalogItemHome.instance.featureStartDate}"
 datePattern="MM/dd/yyyy"
 inputSize="10"
 process="featureEndDate"
 ajaxSingle="true"
 required="#{catalogItemHome.instance.featureEndDate != null ? true : false}"
 requiredMessage="Feature start date is required if you enter end date"
 >
 <a4j:support event="onchanged" action="#{catalogItemHome.validateFeatureDateRange}"
 reRender="featureStartDateDecoration,featureEndDateDecoration"/>

</rich:calendar>
</s:decorate>

<s:decorate id="featureEndDateDecoration" >
<rich:calendar id="featureEndDate"
 value="#{catalogItemHome.instance.featureEndDate}"
 datePattern="MM/dd/yyyy"
 inputSize="10"
 process="featureStartDate"
 ajaxSingle="true"
 required="#{catalogItemHome.instance.featureStartDate != null ? true : false}"
 requiredMessage="Feature end date is required if you enter start date"
 >
 <a4j:support event="onchanged" action="#{catalogItemHome.validateFeatureDateRange}"
 reRender="featureStartDateDecoration,featureEndDateDecoration"/>
</rich:calendar>
</s:decorate>

Let's say I have values for these dates when I start

I go to start date, and hit Clean button on the calendar to clear the value.
So it's required message is shown because end date still has a value. Ok.

Now I clean the end date too and this time both fields required messages are displayed.

Is it possible to do what I am doing or should I validate this at form level?

using RF 3.3

Thanks
Franco

[francof]

After some playing, I found

hitting the Clean button does not trigger my onchanged event, so basically I still have the old value.
That explains why my expression
required="#{catalogItemHome.instance.featureEndDate != null ? true : false}"

sees no change.

Is there an event that gets fired when the calendar value is cleared ?
Also, is the value null as I am thinking ?

[francof]

I am rethinking this after finding some more threads in this forum.

I will write a validator and attach it to the end date.

Thanks
Franco