Bean validation and complex objects

Question

I have a bean with several fields

@NotNull( message = "{ch.ethz.id.wai.doi.validation.doi.missingdoi}" )
@Pattern( regexp = "10\\.[\\d.]+/.*", message = "{ch.ethz.id.wai.doi.validation.doi.invalidDoi}" )
private String  doi;

@ManyToOne
@NotNull( message = "{ch.ethz.id.wai.doi.validation.doi.missingpool}" )
private DoiPool doiPool;

The first annotations work as expected with the following in JSF

<h:inputText
    id       = "doi"
    value    = "#{detailModel.afterObject.doi}"
/>
<h:messages for="doi" style="clear: both; color: red;"/>

For the other field I have a disabled input text where I put the name of the referenced object . The user is able to specify an object by clicking a button and choosing it in a separate view.

<h:inputText
    id       = "doiPool"
    value    = "#{detailModel.afterObject.doiPool.name}"
    disabled = "true"
/>
<h:messages for="doiPool" style="clear: both; color: red;"/>

As the inputText does not refer to detailModel.afterObject.doiPool but to its name nothing happens.

How can I force the validation on detailModel.afterObject.doiPool even if it not directly editable with an input field?

Answer 1

As an addition to the answer of BalusC:

The @NotNull is specified on a DoiPool object and not his name (that was shown in the text field). To make it work the text field needs to be bound to the validated field:

<h:inputText
  id       = "doiPool"
  value    = "#{detailModel.afterObject.doiPool}"
  disabled = "#{facesContext.renderResponse}"
>
    <f:converter converterId="ch.ethz.id.wai.doi.DoiPoolConverter"></f:converter>
</h:inputText>

The converter simply returns the getName() of the object.

@FacesConverter( "ch.ethz.id.wai.doi.DoiPoolConverter" )
public class DoiPoolConverter implements Converter
{

    /**
     * This converter works only in the other direction.
     *
     * @return null
     */
    @Override
    public Object getAsObject( FacesContext facesContext, UIComponent uiComponent, String string )
    {
            return null;
    }

    @Override
    public String getAsString( FacesContext facesContext, UIComponent uiComponent, Object object )
    {
            if ( object instanceof DoiPool )
            {
                    return ( (DoiPool)object ).getName();
            }
            return null;
    }
}

Answer 2

Disabled inputs are skipped during processing the form submit.

Let the disabled attribute evaluate false during postback in other phases than render response.

<h:inputText ... disabled="#{not facesContext.postback or facesContext.renderResponse}" />

This way it will evaluate false during the form submit and thus be included in processing.