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Message-ID: <20010801151059.9765.qmail@web5504.mail.yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001 08:10:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: David Winterfeldt <dwinterfeldt@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE: Automatic Form Validation - A further question
To: struts-user@jakarta.apache.org
In-Reply-To: <AD34118C0D487D478A480924DBD839F20FA3F9@moe.petrotechnics.com>
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--- "Emaho, Ghoot" <Ghoot@PETROTECHNICS.co.uk> wrote:
> Thanks again David.
> 
> I have explored extending ActionForm to check for
> and ignore first time
> validation. However, it seems from my debug, that
> the form bean is
> created a new each time. Can someone else confirm
> this ?
If you have the scope of the action set to 'request',
then the bean is only around for the request.  So it
would be created each time.  

> 
> My further question is this:
> 
> If I choose NOT to use automatic validation, and my
> request goes to the
> Action first [not the JSP], then what isthe best way
> to determine in the
> action that this is the 'first time' for this form
> bean i.e. it has been
> created only as a result of the ActionServlet, not
> because it's coming
> from the form on a JSP ?
> 
> I know you can check the values of the form bean,
> but this seems a
> little messy. Any suggestions ?
I think checking for values is the best way.  How else
can you tell one instance from another?  The only
other way I can think of is to have the a class and a
subclass(es) that doesn't do anything, but represents
what state the bean is in.

> 
> Any help is appreciated, as this is an important
> issue for us.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Ghoot
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: David Winterfeldt
> [mailto:dwinterfeldt@yahoo.com]
> > Sent: 31 July 2001 18:43
> > To: struts-user@jakarta.apache.org
> > Subject: RE: Automatic Form Validation
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --- "Emaho, Ghoot" <Ghoot@PETROTECHNICS.co.uk>
> wrote:
> > > Thanks for the reply David.
> > > 
> > > Yeah, 'action' checking is another way of
> > > determining wether or not to
> > > do the validation.
> > > 
> > > I guess I was wondering if it was possible to
> > > configure the Form to
> > > prevent first time checking ? Would anyone else
> find
> > > this useful ?
> > > 
> > > Given the recent discussions about preventing
> direct
> > > acces to JSP's, it
> > > seems that the Form validation is designed [in
> > > default operation] in
> > > such a way as to expect that you have gone
> directly
> > > to the JSP first.
> > > This is one thing I wouldnt really ever want to
> do,
> > > as I prefer all
> > > requests to go through an action - even if it is
> > > just to redirect to the
> > > JSP [call me a control freak! but there area lot
> of
> > > others that feel the
> > > same :) ]
> > I think it is good to go through the controller if
> you
> > really want to keep the view separate.
> > 
> > > 
> > > I wonder if the Auto Validation should
> accomodate
> > > the more common
> > > scenario [certainly in larger applications]
> where
> > > you do want to force
> > > requests thru actions and avoid direct JSP
> access,
> > > but avoid first time
> > > validation. I guess Action Form could be
> extended to
> > > provide this, but I
> > > was hoping it would already be there - as it
> seems
> > > quite obvious and
> > > important. I dont think we should be encouraging
> > > people to go directly
> > > to the JSP as part of the Struts framework [just
> my
> > > 2p]
> > You could always have one Action class that
> handles
> > all things that are auto-validatded and another
> for
> > things that shouldn't be validated.  I'm not sure
> how
> > you could have the framework handle something that
> is
> > specific for your application unless there was a
> > parameter that could turn off the auto-validation
> for
> > the current request
> > (org.apache.struts.action.Action.VALIDATE=false).
> > 
> > > 
> > > Picking up on what you mentioned David, about
> > > handling all 'actions'
> > > todo with a form in the one Action class. We
> have
> > > some sceanrios where
> > > this is just not practical. What about those
> > > scenarios ?!
> > You can of course have as many actions to go with
> a
> > form as you want.  I just prefer keeping it to a
> > minimum.
> > 
> > > 
> > > Thanks anyway David.
> > > 
> > > Any other comments ?
> > > 
> > > G
> > > 
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: David Winterfeldt
> > > [mailto:dwinterfeldt@yahoo.com]
> > > > Sent: 31 July 2001 16:46
> > > > To: struts-user@jakarta.apache.org
> > > > Subject: RE: Automatic Form Validation
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > If you have a variable called action that
> keeps
> > > track
> > > > of what type of action you are performing
> (create,
> > > > update, delete), you could check for this in
> the
> > > > validate method and only validate on create or
> > > update.
> > > >  The Struts example webapp has an action field
> to
> > > keep
> > > > track of this.  I wouldn't do that personally.
> 
> > > I've
> > > > always done my validation from the Action so I
> > > could
> > > > use the same action for everything associated
> with
> > > a
> > > > form/table.  For example, delete doesn't need
> > > > validation or sending someone through the
> action
> > > to
> > > > the view for the first time (as you
> mentionded). 
> > > So I
> > > > don't think there is anything wrong with not
> using
> > > the
> > > > automatic validation.  I think it just depends
> on
> > > your
> > > > design preference.
> > > > 
> > > > David
> > > > 
> > > > --- "Emaho, Ghoot" <Ghoot@PETROTECHNICS.co.uk>
> > > wrote:
> > > > > Some further details on my question:
> > > > > 
> > > > > I understand that you can have the request
> go
> > > > > straight to the JSP and
> > > > > avoid the first time validation.
> > > > > 
> > > > > This is acceptable in some circumstance, but
> in
> > > > > other circumstances you
> > > > > may wish to have your action do some work
> before
> > > > > presenting the page (a
> > > > > common requirement in more complex
> > > applications),
> > > > > and you may wish to
> > > > > avoid access to any JSP's directly.
> > > > > 
> > > > > How then (with this extra clarification) can
> you
> > > > > prevent the behaviour
> > > > > described in the original posting ?
> 
=== message truncated ===


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