I'm cross posting due to the interproject dependencies. It has been requested that the Struts framework provide more robust support for submitting/displaying UI fields (dates as a prime example) that have string-->object conversion requirements not currently covered by the BeanUtils project leveraged by Struts. I suggested that the exiting Converter interface be expanded to accept parameters (Map of configurations?) to allow custom converters to be more flexible in their implementations. However, the Struts API accesses the ConvertUtils through the BeanUtils.populate method and that would also require modification. Because of the multiplicity of fields handled by the populate method, perhaps a new datastructure (PropertyChangeDefinition?) is appropriate for communicating the new value, the target datatype, a converter, and perhaps some conversion parameters?
--- Jon Wilmoth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 10:45:44 -0700 (PDT) > From: Jon Wilmoth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [BeanUtils & Struts]RE: Support for Date > datatypes!!! > To: Struts Developers List > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > I did investigate registering "custom" converters. > Unfortunately, anything that would support > non-hard-coded conversion patterns will require > either > a mixed paradygm usage (i.e passing a complex object > that contains the value to convert and all > convertion > configuration instead of simply the value to be > converted) of the existing Converter.convert > interface > or additional parameters. Since I think everyone > can > agree that the first option is confusing and should > be > avoided when possible the remaining option is to > modify/extend the interface. I agree this should be > communicated within the BeanUtils developer mailing > list and will cross post this in hopes of getting > further creative approaches to the problem. Because > Struts will be responsible for providing the means > to > invoke the conversion (and much more) I do feel it > is > appropriate for this list to continue to discuss the > Struts/BeanUtil interaction necessary for this > functionality. > > --- Wendy Smoak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > [Not a developer, but I've been following this > > because I ran into the date > > problem early on.] I use BeanUtils.copyProperties > > to move things back and > > forth from ActionForms (all String properties) and > > my DTO's, as shown in the > > struts-example webapp. At some point I thought > > needed a Java "Date" object > > in the DTO (that requirement went away with > further > > development). And the > > existing SQL formatted Date converter wasn't going > > to work, my database > > doesn't understand that format. > > > > What was suggested to me is writing and > registering > > my own Converter with > > BeanUtils. I don't think I went through with it, > > but that made perfect > > sense to me. IMO, Struts shouldn't get involved > > with Date conversions, > > that's already the job of Commons BeanUtils. > > > > -- > > Wendy Smoak > > Applications Systems Analyst, Sr. > > Arizona State University, PA, IRM > > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
