I agree with keeping expression evaluation separate from DynaBeans. Not only does this provide for consistency (what method on a standard JavaBean knows how to interpret "one.two[3].four(5)" :-), but different applications might want to use different expression language syntaxes -- and baking a particular one into the beans themselves would really hamper this.
Craig On Thu, 18 Apr 2002, James Strachan wrote: > Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2002 13:07:56 +0100 > From: James Strachan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: Jakarta Commons Developers List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Jakarta Commons Developers List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [BeanUtils] PropertyUtils and DynaBeans > (getPropertyDescriptors) > > From: "James Strachan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Stephen Colebourne" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > This is what I was getting at. If DynaBeans were to become used as the > > main > > > interface (instead of PropertyUtils), then DynaBeans would need to > support > > > this notation. > > > > I think DynaBeans is a great abstraction for DynaBeans and regular beans. > > DynaBeans can handle > > > > * regular properties via get(String name) > > * indexed properties via get(String name, int index); > > * mapped properties via get(String name, String key); > > > > Where DynaBeans are maybe not the best abstraction right now is for > complex > > expressions like one.two[3].four(5). > > Incidentally, there's an expression language I refer to as JEL (Java > Expression Language) - I'm hoping the name catches on like JSTL did ;-). Its > used in JSTL, will be native in JSP soon and I think JSF uses it too. Its > quite similar to a superset of the expression language currently supported > by beanutils. Right now it exists in the JSTL reference implementation over > at jakarta-taglibs in the 'standard' taglib and hopefully its gonna move > over to jakarta commons sometime soon. > > When JEL moves over here, we're gonna have a seperate commons component for > parsing and evaluating complex expressions on beans, Maps, Lists, arrays > (and hopefully DynaBeans too). So maybe its a good idea to consider > expression languages as being logically seperate from an 'introspection > wrapper'. i.e. that DynaBeans can be used as a great wrapper around > introspection while supporting new features like mapped properties and > DynaBeans themselves too and that expression languages should be used > seperately, either via the API in beanutils right now or the JEL which will > arrive here later. > > Does that sound a reasonable strategy? > > James > > > > > _________________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com > > > -- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > For additional commands, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For additional commands, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
