Date format error in .page.xml params: a Seam issue?

[jkronegg]

In this post, I present my experiments on java.util.Date passed as parameters in the .page.xml's <param> tag. Please let me know if it worth a JIRA issue. I'm using Seam 2.1.2.GA, RichFaces 3.3.0, JBoss 4.2.2 and its default JSF RI implementation.

What I would like to have is two rich:calendar with different date formats in search.xhtml :

...
<rich:calendar id="dateNaisDebut" datePattern="ddMMyyyy"   value="#{personneExtendedList.dateNaissanceDebut}" enableManualInput="true"/>
<rich:calendar id="dateNaisFin"   datePattern="dd.MM.yyyy" value="#{personneExtendedList.dateNaissanceFin}" enableManualInput="true"/>
...

These two dates are passed by GET parameters as specified in my search.page.xml, without constraining the date format using a custom converter :

...
<param name="dateNaisDebut" value="#{personneExtendedList.dateNaissanceDebut}"/>
<param name="dateNaisFin"   value="#{personneExtendedList.dateNaissanceFin}"/>
...

The problem is that I ran into JSF messages telling that my date format is incorrect (message key is javax.faces.converter.DateTimeConverter.DATE).

I added some trace in org.jboss.seam.faces.DateConverter in order to obtain more details about the DateFormat used for conversion and added some HTTP request logging. I explain below what's going on in the log files (I set the first date to january first 1975 and the second date to december 31 2000):

20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter] request: method=POST, URL=/registreEPG/PersonneExtendedList.seam
20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]   contentType=application/x-www-form-urlencoded, characterEncoding=null)
20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]   header:
20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     host = localhost:8080
20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     user-agent = Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.3pre) Gecko/20090816 SeaMonkey/2.0b2pre
... more header fields
20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]   parameters:
20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     javax.faces.ViewState = [j_id6]
20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     personneExtendedSearch2 = [personneExtendedSearch2]
20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     personneExtendedSearch2:dateNaisField:dateNaisDebutInputCurrentDate = [09/2009]
20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     personneExtendedSearch2:dateNaisField:dateNaisFinInputCurrentDate = [09/2009]


First rich:calendar field with a format ddMMyyyy, submitted as String in a POST parameter

20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     personneExtendedSearch2:dateNaisField:dateNaisDebutInputDate = [01011975]


Second rich:calendar field with a format dd.MM.yyyy, submitted as a String in a POST parameter

20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     personneExtendedSearch2:dateNaisField:dateNaisFinInputDate = [31.12.2000]

20:48:57,036 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     personneExtendedSearch2:dateNaisField:j_id170 = []
... more POST parameters fields
20:48:57,630 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] before phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
20:48:57,630 DEBUG [SeamPhaseListener] beginning transaction prior to phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
20:48:57,630 DEBUG [UTTransaction] beginning JTA transaction
20:48:57,630 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] after phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
20:48:57,630 DEBUG [Manager] No stored conversation
20:48:57,630 DEBUG [ManagedPersistenceContext] created seam managed persistence context from EntityManagerFactory
20:48:57,661 INFO  [PersonneExtendedList] setDateNaissanceDebutStr : 
20:48:57,661 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] before phase: APPLY_REQUEST_VALUES 2
20:48:57,661 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] after phase: APPLY_REQUEST_VALUES 2
20:48:57,661 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] before phase: PROCESS_VALIDATIONS 3


First POST parameter date converted from String to Date using the format defined in the first rich:calendar (ddMMyyyy)

20:48:57,661 DEBUG [DateConverter] Converting string '01011975' to date for clientId 'personneExtendedSearch2:dateNaisField:dateNaisDebut' using Seam's built-in JSF date converter
20:48:57,661 DEBUG [DateConverter] org.jboss.seam.faces.DateConverter@10c2a7a, locale = fr, pattern = ddMMyyyy


Second POST parameter date converted from String to Date using the format defined in the second rich:calendar (dd.MM.yyyy).
Notice that the same converter is used as the pseudo address is the same

20:48:57,677 DEBUG [DateConverter] Converting string '31.12.2000' to date for clientId 'personneExtendedSearch2:dateNaisField:dateNaisFin' using Seam's built-in JSF date converter
20:48:57,677 DEBUG [DateConverter] org.jboss.seam.faces.DateConverter@10c2a7a, locale = fr, pattern = dd.MM.yyyy

20:48:57,677 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] after phase: PROCESS_VALIDATIONS 3
20:48:57,677 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] before phase: UPDATE_MODEL_VALUES 4
20:48:57,677 INFO  [PersonneExtendedList] setDateNaissanceDebutStr : 
20:48:57,677 INFO  [PersonneExtendedList] setDateNaissanceDebut : Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 CET 1975
20:48:57,677 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] after phase: UPDATE_MODEL_VALUES 4
20:48:57,677 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] before phase: INVOKE_APPLICATION 5


Converting the first Date to String for the <param> in the .page.xml file. Notice that the converter
is the same as previously and the date pattern is the last used (i.e. dd.MM.yyyy)

20:48:57,693 DEBUG [DateConverter] Converting date 'Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 CET 1975' to string for clientId '_viewRoot' using Seam's built-in JSF date converter
20:48:57,693 DEBUG [DateConverter] org.jboss.seam.faces.DateConverter@10c2a7a, locale = fr, pattern = dd.MM.yyyy


Converting the second Date to String for the <param> in the .page.xml file. Notice that the converter
is the same as previously and the date pattern is the last used (i.e. dd.MM.yyyy)

20:48:57,693 DEBUG [DateConverter] Converting date 'Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 CET 2000' to string for clientId '_viewRoot' using Seam's built-in JSF date converter
20:48:57,693 DEBUG [DateConverter] org.jboss.seam.faces.DateConverter@10c2a7a, locale = fr, pattern = dd.MM.yyyy


Redirecting to the GET request using the Date as String parameters (were both converted using the dd.MM.yyyy pattern, see above)

20:48:57,693 DEBUG [FacesManager] redirecting to: /registreEPG/PersonneExtendedList.seam?prenom=&dateNaisFin=31.12.2000&dateNaisDebutStr=&dateNaisDebut=01.01.1975&prenom2=&nomJfille=&nom=&logic=and&cid=7

20:48:57,693 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] after phase: INVOKE_APPLICATION 5
20:48:57,693 DEBUG [SeamPhaseListener] committing transaction after phase: INVOKE_APPLICATION 5
20:48:57,693 DEBUG [UTTransaction] committing JTA transaction
20:48:57,693 DEBUG [Manager] Storing conversation state: 7
20:48:57,708 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter] request: method=GET, URL=/registreEPG/PersonneExtendedList.seam
20:48:57,708 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]   contentType=null, characterEncoding=null)
20:48:57,708 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]   header:
20:48:57,708 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     host = localhost:8080
20:48:57,708 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     user-agent = Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.3pre) Gecko/20090816 SeaMonkey/2.0b2pre
... more GET header fields
20:48:57,708 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]   parameters:
20:48:57,708 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     cid = [7]


The query parameters confirm that both dates are passed in the GET request parameters as String with the dd.MM.yyyy format

20:48:57,708 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     dateNaisDebut = [01.01.1975]
20:48:57,708 INFO  [HttpRequestDebugFilter]     dateNaisFin = [31.12.2000]

... more GET parameters fields
20:48:58,208 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] before phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
20:48:58,224 DEBUG [SeamPhaseListener] beginning transaction prior to phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
20:48:58,224 DEBUG [UTTransaction] beginning JTA transaction
20:48:58,224 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] after phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
20:48:58,224 TRACE [ConversationPropagation] Found conversation id in request parameter: 7
20:48:58,224 DEBUG [Manager] Restoring conversation with id: 7


The first date is converted to be put in the value of the first rich:calendar. Now, the DateConverter
instance has changed and the format has been defaulted to the default short format for locale 'fr' (french): dd/MM/yyyy

20:48:58,224 DEBUG [DateConverter] Converting string '01.01.1975' to date for clientId '_viewRoot' using Seam's built-in JSF date converter
20:48:58,224 DEBUG [DateConverter] org.jboss.seam.faces.DateConverter@191d67b, locale = fr, pattern = dd/MM/yyyy

20:48:58,224 DEBUG [ResourceLoader] resource bundle missing: PersonneExtendedList
20:48:58,224 DEBUG [ResourceLoader] resource bundle missing: PersonneExtendedList


The second date is converted to be put in the value of the first rich:calendar. The converter used is
the same as for the first date and the format has not changed (still dd/MM/yyyy)

20:48:58,224 DEBUG [DateConverter] Converting string '31.12.2000' to date for clientId '_viewRoot' using Seam's built-in JSF date converter
20:48:58,224 DEBUG [DateConverter] org.jboss.seam.faces.DateConverter@191d67b, locale = fr, pattern = dd/MM/yyyy

20:48:58,224 DEBUG [SeamPhaseListener] committing transaction after phase: RESTORE_VIEW 1
20:48:58,224 DEBUG [UTTransaction] committing JTA transaction
20:48:58,224 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] before phase: RENDER_RESPONSE 6
20:48:58,224 DEBUG [SeamPhaseListener] beginning transaction prior to phase: RENDER_RESPONSE 6
20:48:58,224 DEBUG [UTTransaction] beginning JTA transaction
20:48:58,458 TRACE [SeamPhaseListener] after phase: RENDER_RESPONSE 6
20:48:58,458 DEBUG [SeamPhaseListener] committing transaction after phase: RENDER_RESPONSE 6
20:48:58,458 DEBUG [UTTransaction] committing JTA transaction
20:48:58,458 DEBUG [Manager] Discarding conversation state: 7
20:48:58,458 DEBUG [ManagedPersistenceContext] destroying seam managed persistence context for persistence unit: java:/entityManager

So to summarize, the java.util.Date passed by <param> tags in the .page.xml file are converted from Date to String for the GET request, using the date format defined in the last used rich:calendar. Then, the GET parameters are converted back from String to Date using the default date format which may not be the same as the one defined in the rich:calendar.

IMHO, the org.jboss.seam.navigation.Param class, which underlies the <param> tag, should use its own Date converter in order to be independent from the configuration changes in the org.jboss.seam.faces.DateConverter. I think it makes sense to provide a date converter which is specific to the technical stuff of passing dates in GET request parameters.

Of course, I can create my own converter and add it to every <param> tag by means of the 'converterId' property, but this is typically something I expect that Seam is doing for me. Otherwise, it can take hours to track the problem, which makes me think about a JIRA issue.

For me, the solution would be to:

• define a org.jboss.seam.faces.DateParamConverter date converter with a selectable date format defaulted to yyyyMMddHHmmssSSS


• change the org.jboss.seam.navigation.Param class to use a the DateParamConverter converter if the param value is java.util.Date, else, use the converters registered in JSF

What do you think about that and do you think it worth a JIRA issue?
Thanks

[jkronegg]

Anyone?

[jkronegg]

I opened JBSEAM-4413

[amos_garcia_palomo]

Hi Julien,

Could you make an example of this workaround solution?

[jkronegg]

Here is my date converter:

package org.epg.general.util.converter;

import java.text.ParseException;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;

import javax.faces.component.UIComponent;
import javax.faces.context.FacesContext;
import javax.faces.convert.Converter;

import org.jboss.seam.log.Log;
import org.jboss.seam.log.Logging;

/**
 * Conversion de date pour les paramètres dans les fichier .page.xml
 * 
 * See https://jira.jboss.org/jira/browse/JBSEAM-4413
 * 
 * @author jkronegg
 *
 */
public class EpgDateConverter implements Converter {
     
     static Log log = Logging.getLog(EpgDateConverter.class);
     static SimpleDateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyyMMdd");
     
     public Object getAsObject(FacesContext arg0, UIComponent arg1, String arg2) {
          try {
               return df.parse(arg2);
          } catch (ParseException e) {
               log.warn("Impossible de convertir : " + arg2);
               return null;
          }
     }
               
     public String getAsString(FacesContext arg0, UIComponent arg1, Object arg2) {
          try {
               return df.format(arg2);
          } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
               log.warn("Impossible de convertir : " + arg2.toString());
               return null;
          }
     }


}

Note that JBSEAM-4413 use a more complex converter: org.jboss.seam.faces.DateConverter.java

This date converter is declared in faces-config.xml:

 <converter>
  <converter-id>org.epg.general.util.converter.EpgDateConverter</converter-id>
  <converter-class>org.epg.general.util.converter.EpgDateConverter</converter-class>
 </converter>

And I use it in the xxx.page.xml files:

<param name="dateNaisDebut" 
    value="#{myEntityList.birthDate}" 
    converterId="org.epg.general.util.converter.EpgDateConverter"/>

[dendroid66]

Salut Julien,
I have also French locale and I spent more than 4 hours to get this fckng calendar working with the dates like 10 février.
May be it is not exactly what are you looking for but this info would be useful.

Attention Calender doesn't work with French unless you do some tuning:
My Link

Re: UTF-8 encoding problem with page parameters.        16. Mar 2008, 14:27 CET Link
Gaël Beaudoin   Modify your server.xml jboss configuration file like this for the http connector:
Connector port="8080" address="${jboss.bind.address}"
maxThreads="250" maxHttpHeaderSize="8192" useBodyEncodingForURI="true"  URIEncoding="UTF-8"                    
The important part is useBodyEncodingForURI="true"  URIEncoding="UTF-8"

Another problem is UTC shift. When you select the date you get one day less as the result. It could also be fixed by using components.xml

xmlns:i18n="http://jboss.com/products/seam/international"
<i18n:time-zone-selector cookie-enabled="true" time-zone-id="GMT+01:00"/>

xhtml

                <s:decorate id="fromDate" template="layout/display.xhtml">
                    <ui:define name="label">From:</ui:define>
                    <rich:calendar id="d1" value="#{timeEntriesList.timeEntries.fromDate}"
                        required="true" datePattern="dd/MM/yyyy" style="width: auto;"
                        timeZone="#{org.jboss.seam.international.timeZone}"/>
                </s:decorate>

et en plus: .xml (in case of EntityQuery)
<param name="fromDate" value="#{timeEntriesList.timeEntries.fromDate}" converterId="org.jboss.seam.ui.DateTimeConverter"/>

Bon courage!

[jkronegg]

Using Richfaces, French locale in the calendar is easier, you just have issues with ' characters, see https://jira.jboss.org/jira/browse/RF-7916