Seam Validator not being executed

[asookazian]

Seam 2.1.1.GA, RF 3.3.1.GA

Plz advise why the validate() method is not being executed when user submits the form (this is the simplified version: it actually needs to work with a4j: event handlers which don't cause the validate() method to be called either).  It's funny, I wrote a knowledge base article on Seam business validation (which worked!) but for some reason I can't figure out how to get this scenario to work!  But that was with Seam 2.1 and now 2.2 requires @BypassInterceptors.  I don't think it's a scoping issue as I tried conversation scope and that did not work either.  I even added the validator attribute to a <h:inputText> and it still doesn't trigger the validate() method.  What's wrong?

Seam container installation of validator component:

09:36:55,293 INFO  [Component] Component: effectiveDateValidator, scope: EVENT, type: JAVA_BEAN, class: com.echo.cis.util.validation.EffectiveDateValidator

validator:

@Name("effectiveDateValidator")
@org.jboss.seam.annotations.faces.Validator
@BypassInterceptors
public class EffectiveDateValidator implements javax.faces.validator.Validator, java.io.Serializable {
     
   private static final long serialVersionUID = -4259611077820028265L;
   
   private String cmpId;
   private String clientId;
      
   public void validate(FacesContext context, UIComponent cmp, Object value) throws ValidatorException {        
        if (value != null) {   
             cmpId = cmp.getId();
             
             clientId = cmp.getClientId(context);
             
             Date effectiveDate = (Date)value;             
             Date today = new Date();
             if (effectiveDate.before(today)) {
                  String errorString = effectiveDate + " is a date in the past.  Please enter today's date or a future date.";             
                  throw new ValidatorException(new FacesMessage(FacesMessage.SEVERITY_WARN, errorString, errorString));
             }
        }
   }
}

facelet:

<rich:calendar id="rateCategoryEffectiveDate" 
                        inputClass="dateField" 
                        required="false"
                        value="#{merchantBillingGroupEditorUI.rateCategory.priceEffectiveDate}"
                        oninputkeypress="return restrictDate(this, event);"
                        datePattern="MM/dd/yyyy"
                        enableManualInput="true"
                        isDayEnabled="isDayEnabled"
                           dayStyleClass="getDisabledStyle"
                           validator="effectiveDateValidator"
                        label="#{messages['/restricted/billing/add_merchant_billing_group_wizard_step1.xhtml/field.effectiveDate']}">
                        <!-- 
                        <a4j:support event="onchanged"
                                        reRender="#{rateCategoryEffectiveDate}"
                                     requestDelay="0"
                                     eventsQueue="select"
                                     ignoreDupResponses="true"/>
                         <a4j:support event="oninputchange"
                                         reRender="#{rateCategoryEffectiveDate}"
                                     requestDelay="0"
                                     eventsQueue="select"
                                     ignoreDupResponses="true"/>
                                      -->
                    </rich:calendar>

[asookazian]

I tried the same validator class in the Hotel booking 2.1.1.GA app and that doesn't work either.  The only app in the 2.1.1.GA distro that uses a Seam validator class is the wiki example.  And it looks like I'm doing it the same way.  Doesn't matter if I use a h:inputText or rich:calendar control, the validate() method is not called...

[asookazian]

effectiveDateValidator and wikiCaptchaValidator both are being executed from various components via validator attributes in book.xhtml.  This is very frustrating as it still does not work in my app for some reason.

is there a limitation perhaps if the value attribute has #{foo.bar.baz}?  That's what I have in my case...

[asookazian]

So I just did the following experiment in my project.  in the testCheckinDate1 component below, both events are being fired as evidenced by the alerts.

facelet:

<ui:composition xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
                   xmlns:ui="http://java.sun.com/jsf/facelets"
                   xmlns:c="http://java.sun.com/jstl/core"
                   xmlns:h="http://java.sun.com/jsf/html"
                   xmlns:f="http://java.sun.com/jsf/core"
                   xmlns:s="http://jboss.com/products/seam/taglib"                  
                   xmlns:a4j="http://richfaces.org/a4j"                   
                   xmlns:rich="http://richfaces.org/rich">
     
     <h:form>
               <rich:calendar id="testCheckinDate1" 
                                value="#{merchantBillingGroupEditorUI.myCalendar}" 
                                validator="effectiveDateValidator" 
                                required="false" 
                                datePattern="MM/dd/yyyy" 
                                enableManualInput="true"
                                onchanged="alert('testCheckinDate1: onchanged fired!');" 
                                oninputchange="alert('testCheckinDate1: oninputchange fired!');">
                                
            </rich:calendar>
            
               <rich:calendar id="testCheckinDate2" 
                                value="#{merchantBillingGroupEditorUI.myCalendar}" 
                                validator="effectiveDateValidator" 
                                required="false" 
                                datePattern="MM/dd/yyyy" 
                                enableManualInput="true">                                
                           <a4j:support event="onchanged"
                                        reRender="#{testCheckinDate2}"
                                     requestDelay="0"
                                     eventsQueue="select"
                                     ignoreDupResponses="true"/>
                         <a4j:support event="oninputchange"
                                         reRender="#{testCheckinDate2}"
                                     requestDelay="0"
                                     eventsQueue="select"
                                     ignoreDupResponses="true"/>
            </rich:calendar>
 
     </h:form>
     
     <a4j:log popup="false"/>
         
</ui:composition>

backing bean:

@Name("merchantBillingGroupEditorUI")
@Scope(ScopeType.CONVERSATION)
@MeasureCalls
@Stateful
public class MerchantBillingGroupEditorUIBean implements
        MerchantBillingGroupEditorUI {

    public void setMyCalendar(Date date) {
         Date myCalendar = date;
    }
    
    public Date getMyCalendar() {
         return new Date();
    }
...
}

The setter and getter methods above are being executed.  The validate() method is not. 

a4j log output:

debug[12:16:59,561]: Have Event [object Object] with properties: target: undefined, srcElement: [object], type: click
debug[12:16:59,561]: Query preparation for form 'j_id0' requested
debug[12:16:59,561]: Append hidden control j_id0 with value [j_id0] and value attribute [j_id0]
debug[12:16:59,561]: Append text control j_id0:testCheckinDate1InputDate with value [01/19/2010] and value attribute [01/19/2010]
debug[12:16:59,561]: Append hidden control j_id0:testCheckinDate1InputCurrentDate with value [01/2010] and value attribute [01/2010]
debug[12:16:59,561]: Append text control j_id0:testCheckinDate2InputDate with value [01/20/2010] and value attribute [01/20/2010]
debug[12:16:59,561]: Append hidden control j_id0:testCheckinDate2InputCurrentDate with value [01/2010] and value attribute [01/2010]
debug[12:16:59,561]: Append hidden control javax.faces.ViewState with value [j_id7] and value attribute [j_id7]
debug[12:16:59,561]: parameter j_id0:j_id1 with value j_id0:j_id1
debug[12:16:59,561]: Look up queue with name 'select'
debug[12:16:59,561]: Creating new transient queue 'select' with default settings
debug[12:16:59,561]: Adding queue 'select' to queues registry
debug[12:16:59,561]: Queue is empty now
debug[12:16:59,561]: New request added to queue 'select'. Queue similarityGroupingId changed to j_id0:j_id1
debug[12:16:59,561]: Queue will wait 0ms before submit
debug[12:16:59,561]: Queue 'select' will submit request NOW
debug[12:16:59,561]: NEW AJAX REQUEST !!! with form: j_id0
debug[12:16:59,561]: Start XmlHttpRequest
debug[12:16:59,561]: Reqest state : 1
debug[12:16:59,561]: QueryString: AJAXREQUEST=_viewRoot&j_id0=j_id0&j_id0%3AtestCheckinDate1InputDate=01%2F19%2F2010&j_id0%3AtestCheckinDate1InputCurrentDate=01%2F2010&j_id0%3AtestCheckinDate2InputDate=01%2F20%2F2010&j_id0%3AtestCheckinDate2InputCurrentDate=01%2F2010&javax.faces.ViewState=j_id7&j_id0%3Aj_id1=j_id0%3Aj_id1&AJAX%3AEVENTS_COUNT=1&
debug[12:17:24,373]: Reqest state : 2
debug[12:17:24,373]: Reqest state : 3
debug[12:17:24,373]: Reqest state : 4
debug[12:17:24,373]: Reqest end with state 4
debug[12:17:24,373]: Response  with content-type: text/xml;charset=UTF-8
debug[12:17:24,373]: Full response content: <?xml version="1.0"?>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><link class="component" href="/cis/a4j/s/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/css/basic_classes.xcss/DATB/eAF7sqpgb-jyGdIAFrMEaw__" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /><link class="component" href="/cis/a4j/s/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/css/extended_classes.xcss/DATB/eAF7sqpgb-jyGdIAFrMEaw__" media="rich-extended-skinning" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /><script src="/cis/a4j/g/3_3_1.GAorg.ajax4jsf.javascript.PrototypeScript" type="text/javascript">
</script><script src="/cis/a4j/g/3_3_1.GAorg.ajax4jsf.javascript.AjaxScript" type="text/javascript">
</script><script src="/cis/a4j/g/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/events.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><script src="/cis/a4j/g/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/utils.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><script src="/cis/a4j/g/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/json/json-dom.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><script src="/cis/a4j/g/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/scriptaculous/effects.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><script src="/cis/a4j/g/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/jquery/jquery.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><script src="/cis/a4j/g/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/JQuerySpinBtn.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><script src="/cis/a4j/g/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/calendar.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><link class="component" href="/cis/a4j/s/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/css/calendar.xcss/DATB/eAF7sqpgb-jyGdIAFrMEaw__" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /><script src="/cis/a4j/g/3_3_1.GAorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/scripts/skinning.js" type="text/javascript">
</script><meta name="Ajax-Update-Ids" content="" /><title></title></head><body><span id="ajax-view-state"><input type="hidden" name="javax.faces.ViewState" id="javax.faces.ViewState" value="j_id7" /></span><meta id="Ajax-Response" name="Ajax-Response" content="true" /></body></html>
debug[12:17:24,373]: Header Ajax-Expired not found, search in <meta>
debug[12:17:24,373]: search for elements by name 'meta'  in element #document
debug[12:17:24,373]: Find <meta name='Ajax-Update-Ids' content=''>
debug[12:17:24,373]: Find <meta name='Ajax-Response' content='true'>
debug[12:17:24,373]: Header Ajax-Update-Ids not found, search in <meta>
debug[12:17:24,373]: search for elements by name 'meta'  in element #document
debug[12:17:24,373]: Find <meta name='Ajax-Update-Ids' content=''>
warn[12:17:24,388]: No information in response about elements to replace
debug[12:17:24,388]: call selectSingleNode for id= org.ajax4jsf.oncomplete
debug[12:17:24,388]: Processing updates finished, no oncomplete function to call
debug[12:17:24,388]: After request: queue 'select'
debug[12:17:24,388]: There are 0 requests more in this queue
debug[12:17:24,388]: Queue is empty now
debug[12:17:24,388]: call selectSingleNode for id= ajax-view-state
debug[12:17:24,388]: Hidden JSF state fields: 
debug[12:17:24,388]: Namespace for hidden view-state input fields is undefined
debug[12:17:24,388]: search for elements by name 'input'  in element span
debug[12:17:24,388]: Replace value for inputs: 6 by new values: 1
debug[12:17:24,388]: Input in response: javax.faces.ViewState
debug[12:17:24,388]: Found same input on page with type: hidden
debug[12:17:24,388]: search for elements by name 'INPUT'  in element span
debug[12:17:24,388]: Replace value for inputs: 6 by new values: 0
debug[12:17:24,388]: call selectSingleNode for id= _A4J.AJAX.focus
debug[12:17:24,388]: No focus information in response

[asookazian]

this doesn't work:

<h:form>
               <rich:calendar id="testCheckinDate4" 
                                value="#{merchantBillingGroupEditorUI.myCalendar}" 
                                validator="effectiveDateValidator">
            </rich:calendar>
            <a4j:commandButton value="Submit"/>
     </h:form>

this does:

<h:inputText id="testMyInputText"
                         value="#{merchantBillingGroupEditorUI.myInputText}"
                         validator="effectiveDateValidator">
                         <a4j:support event="onblur"
                                             ajaxSingle="true"
                                             reRender="#{testMyInputText}"
                                             requestDelay="0"
                                    eventsQueue="select"
                                    ignoreDupResponses="true"/>
            </h:inputText>

why?

[asookazian]

Seam validator solution abandoned.  resorting to javascript solution:

<rich:calendar  inputClass="dateField"
                                                disabled="#{pageaction == 'view'}"
                                                required="true"
                                                value="#{rateCategory.rateCategory.priceEffectiveDate}"
                                                oninputkeypress="return restrictDate(this, event);"
                                                oninputchange="return checkNoPastDate(this);"
                                                datePattern="MM/dd/yyyy"
                                                enableManualInput="true"         
                                                isDayEnabled="isDayEnabled"
                                                    dayStyleClass="getDisabledStyle"                   
                                                label="#{messages['/restricted/billing/add_merchant_billing_group_wizard_step1.xhtml/field.effectiveDate']}" /> 
                                </rich:calendar>

[kapitanpetko]

Try setting <rich:calendar mode="ajax"/> (default is client).

[asookazian]

Don't think the mode matters.  I'll try it anyways at work tomorrow.

The following both call the validate() method from book.xhtml:

<s:decorate id="checkinDateDecorate" template="edit.xhtml">
               <ui:define name="label">Check In Date:</ui:define>
               <rich:calendar id="checkinDate"                                   
                                   validator="itemValidator" 
                                   value="#{booking.checkinDate}" 
                                   required="true"
                                   datePattern="MM/dd/yyyy">
                         <a:support event="ondateselected"
                                      ajaxSingle="true"/>                                                             
               </rich:calendar>
          </s:decorate>
          
          <s:decorate id="checkinDateDecorate2" template="edit.xhtml">
               <ui:define name="label">Test Check In Date:</ui:define>
               <rich:calendar id="checkinDate"     
                                   mode="ajax"                              
                                   validator="itemValidator" 
                                   value="#{booking.checkinDate}" 
                                   required="true"
                                   datePattern="MM/dd/yyyy">
                         <a:support event="ondateselected"
                                      ajaxSingle="true"/>                                                             
               </rich:calendar>
          </s:decorate>

validator:

@Name("itemValidator")
@BypassInterceptors
@org.jboss.seam.annotations.faces.Validator
public class ItemValidator implements javax.faces.validator.Validator {
     
     Log log = Logging.getLog(ItemValidator.class);
     
     public void validate(FacesContext context, UIComponent cmp, Object value) throws ValidatorException {
          log.info("in ItemValidator:validate()!");
     }
}

[kapitanpetko]

So did you wrap your inputs with <s:validateAll/>? That's what the <s:decorate/> above is doing.

[asookazian]

I just tried the <s:validateAll/> (see below) and it still doesn't call the validate() method for the two rich:calendar instances below.  But I'm not sure if that tag is even necessary b/c it works for the h:inputText w/o that tag (the Seam ref doc example for validator does not show the use of <s:validateAll/>).  Also, the mode="ajax" did not help.

<h:form>
          <s:validateAll>
                           
               <rich:calendar id="testCheckinDate2" 
                                   mode="ajax"
                                value="#{merchantBillingGroupEditorUI.myCalendar}" 
                                validator="effectiveDateValidator" 
                                required="true" 
                                datePattern="MM/dd/yyyy" 
                                enableManualInput="true">                                
                           <a4j:support ajaxSingle="true"
                                           event="onchanged"
                                        reRender="#{testCheckinDate2}"
                                     requestDelay="0"
                                     eventsQueue="select"
                                     ignoreDupResponses="true"/>
                         <a4j:support ajaxSingle="true"
                                         event="oninputchange"
                                         reRender="#{testCheckinDate2}"
                                     requestDelay="0"
                                     eventsQueue="select"
                                     ignoreDupResponses="true"/>
            </rich:calendar>
                                    
            <rich:calendar id="testCheckinDate3" 
                                mode="ajax"
                                value="#{merchantBillingGroupEditorUI.myCalendar}" 
                                validator="effectiveDateValidator"
                                required="true">                               
                         <a4j:support ajaxSingle="true"
                                         event="onchanged"
                                    reRender="#{testCheckinDate3}"
                                 requestDelay="0"
                                 eventsQueue="select"
                                 ignoreDupResponses="true"/>
                       <a4j:support ajaxSingle="true" 
                                      event="oninputchange"
                                       reRender="#{testCheckinDate3}"
                                 requestDelay="0"
                                 eventsQueue="select"
                                 ignoreDupResponses="true"/>
            </rich:calendar>
                      
                        
            <h:inputText id="testMyInputText"
                         value="#{merchantBillingGroupEditorUI.myInputText}"
                         validator="effectiveDateValidator">
                         <a4j:support event="onblur"
                                             ajaxSingle="true"
                                             reRender="#{testMyInputText}"
                                             requestDelay="0"
                                    eventsQueue="select"
                                    ignoreDupResponses="true"/>
            </h:inputText>
           
            
         </s:validateAll>
 
     </h:form>

[kapitanpetko]

Arbi Sookazian wrote on Jan 20, 2010 17:44:


I just tried the <s:validateAll/> (see below) and it still doesn't call the validate() method for the two rich:calendar instances below.  But I'm not sure if that tag is even necessary b/c it works for the h:inputText w/o that tag (the Seam ref doc example for validator does not show the use of <s:validateAll/>).  Also, the mode="ajax" did not help.

You are right, the <s:validateAll> is for model validations. I forgot you are writing a JSF validator. So this may be a problem with the calendar control. You might want to ask on the RF forums. But while we are at it, why did you opt for a JSF validtor? A model validator (Hibernate validator) might make more sense here.

[asookazian]

Nikolay Elenkov wrote on Jan 21, 2010 03:12:

Arbi Sookazian wrote on Jan 20, 2010 17:44:


I just tried the <s:validateAll/> (see below) and it still doesn't call the validate() method for the two rich:calendar instances below.  But I'm not sure if that tag is even necessary b/c it works for the h:inputText w/o that tag (the Seam ref doc example for validator does not show the use of <s:validateAll/>).  Also, the mode="ajax" did not help.

You are right, the <s:validateAll> is for model validations. I forgot you are writing a JSF validator. So this may be a problem with the calendar control. You might want to ask on the RF forums. But while we are at it, why did you opt for a JSF validtor? A model validator (Hibernate validator) might make more sense here.

I looked at the @Future Hibernate Validator annotation but the problem is that Hibernate Validator restricts you to those validations for those fields always when there is a <s:validate/> or <s:validateAll/> surrounding a entity field in EL expression, for example.

So I thought the JSF Seam validator would be a good re-usable alternative.  Another guy had the same problem: http://community.jboss.org/message/521178#521178

[asookazian]

Also, @Past or @Future is not possible for this scenario b/c the users tab thru the controls/fields in the form and we need to allow previously saved back-dated (in the past) dates for the oninputblur event, for example.  So I must implement custom logic that compares any newly entered value with the cached value for that field/control.  If live a4j:support validation fails, the focus must be set back to that failed control.  I don't know how to do that in a rich:dataTable when there are multiple rich:calendar components in multiples rows.