You discussed 2 options:
1) All drop-down list data goes into session
2) "input" attribute for the update event goes back to "edit" Action instead of "edit" JSP
I went with #2 and that brings up a new issue. Doing that causes all of the current values for the fields to be lost (i.e. the user inputs a bad number format in a field.... they click submit and receive the JSP with a list of errors at the top) Because the process went through the "edit" action again, the Action re-queried the database and updated the ActionForm with database values, overwriting all the user's values (including ones that were correctly edited and contained no errors).
To avoid this I have to insert code in the "edit" Action to check for a populated ActionForm before querying the database. This feels a little messy.
Of course I could use the session solution (#1), but I like to avoid using sessions unless absolutely necessary. In addition, these drop downs could have 100's of items in them, I'd like to keep big chunks of data like that in the request.
So the alternative, I guess, is to have another action that NEVER queries the database, but just prepares a blank form. I actually already have one of these... it's my "create" action.
This appears to be the best practice in this situation.... anyone else have any feedback?
Thanks again, Aaron
Dirk Markert wrote:
Hello Aaron,
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AL> I am on the last leg of a web application, and I've run into problems AL> adding validation to the mix.
AL> I have an "edit" Action that retrieves a database record, a list of AL> drop-down options, and then populates the "editor" ActionForm. Works AL> great, and I LOVE STRUTS!
AL> Now I've implemented validation (through the Validator Framework, but I AL> think my problem is with validate() in general).
AL> After the user clicks submit, their post is sent to my "update" action.
AL> If they do not break any validation rules, all goes well. The problem AL> occurs when a validation rule is broken.... They are returned to the AL> form... but the drop-downs (which are populated in the "edit" Action) AL> are empty. I have set breakpoints in the code... and I see that the page AL> neither my "edit" Action code (the part where the drop-down data is AL> retrieved), nor my "update" Action code is actually running.
AL> Question.... between pressing submit and returning the "edit" JSP with a AL> populated ActionErrors object. Where is "validate()" actually called?
After the RequestProcessor has populated your action form, validate is called. This happens before your action is called.
AL> Where can I insert code to populate a drop-down with a set of values so AL> that it will appear both when the form is presented the first time, and AL> after a validation error?
You have at least 2 choices.
1) You can put your drop-down values into session scope.
2) You can set the input attribute of your action mapping to your edit action.
AL> Thank you for your help, AL> Aaron Longwell
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Regards, Dirk
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