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	RequiredFieldValidatorValidationsRequiredFieldValidator
	Validations

RequiredFieldValidator

This validator checks that a field is non-null.

Example:

...


@RequiredFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true)

Validations

If you want to use several annotations of the same type, these annotation must be nested within the @Validations() annotation.

The possible parameters for @Validations() are as followed:

Parameter	Required	Notes
requiredFields	no	Add list of RequiredFieldValidators
customValidators	no	Add list of CustomValidators
conversionErrorFields	no	Add list of ConversionErrorFieldValidators
dateRangeFields	no	Add list of DateRangeFieldValidators
emails	no	Add list of EmailValidators
fieldExpressions	no	Add list of FieldExpressionValidators
intRangeFields	no	Add list of IntRangeFieldValidators
requiredFields	no	Add list of RequiredFieldValidators
requiredStrings	no	Add list of RequiredStringValidators
stringLengthFields	no	Add list of StringLengthFieldValidators
urls	no	Add list of UrlValidators
visitorFields	no	Add list of VisitorFieldValidators
stringRegexs	no	Add list of StringRegexValidator
regexFields	no	Add list of RegexFieldValidator
expressions	no	Add list of ExpressionValidator

...

RequiredStringValidator

This validator checks that a String field is not empty (i.e. non-null with a length > 0).

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
trim	no	true	Boolean property. Determines whether the String is trimmed before performing the length check.

Example:

...


@RequiredStringValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, trim = true)

...

StringLengthFieldValidator

This validator checks that a String field is of the right length. It assumes that the field is a String.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
trim	no	true	Boolean property. Determines whether the String is trimmed before performing the length check.
minLength	no		Integer property. The minimum length the String must be.
maxLength	no		Integer property. The maximum length the String can be.

If neither minLength nor maxLength is set, nothing will be done.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java

@StringLengthFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, trim = true, minLength = "5",  maxLength = "12")

...

StringRegexValidator

This validator checks that a String field matches a configure Regular Expression, if it is not an empty String.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
regex	yes	"."	String property. The Regular Expression for which to check a match.
caseSensitive	no	true	Whether the matching of alpha characters in the expression should be done case-sensitively.

Example:

...


@StringRegexValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, regex = "a regular expression", caseSensitive = true)

...

EmailValidator

This validator checks that a field is a valid e-mail address if it contains a non-empty String.

Example:

...


@EmailValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true)

...

UrlValidator

This validator checks that a field is a valid URL.

Example:

...


@UrlValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true)

...

IntRangeFieldValidator

This validator checks that a numeric field has a value within a specified range.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
min	no		Integer property. The minimum the number must be.
max	no		Integer property. The maximum number can be.

If neither min nor max is set, nothing will be done.

The values for min and max must be inserted as String values so that "0" can be handled as a possible value.

Example:

...


@IntRangeFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, min = "0", max = "42")

...

DateRangeFieldValidator

This validator checks that a date field has a value within a specified range.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
min	no		Date property. The minimum the date must be.
max	no		Date property. The maximum date can be.

If neither min nor max is set, nothing will be done.

Example:

...


@DateRangeFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, min = "2005/01/01", max = "2005/12/31")

...

ConversionErrorFieldValidator

This validator checks if there are any conversion errors for a field and applies them if they exist. See Type Conversion Error Handling for details.

Example:

...


@ConversionErrorFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true)

...

ExpressionValidator

This validator uses an OGNL expression to perform its validation. The error message will be added to the action if the expression returns false when it is evaluated against the value stack.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
expression	yes		An OGNL expression that returns a boolean value.

Example:

...


@ExpressionValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, expression = "an OGNL expression" )

...

FieldExpressionValidator

This validator uses an OGNL expression to perform its validation. The error message will be added to the field if the expression returns false when it is evaluated against the value stack.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
expression	yes		An OGNL expression that returns a boolean value.

Example:

...


@FieldExpressionValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, expression = "an OGNL expression")

...

VisitorFieldValidator

The validator allows you to forward validation to object properties of your action using the objects own validation files. This allows you to use the ModelDriven development pattern and manage your validations for your models in one place, where they belong, next to your model classes. The VisitorFieldValidator can handle either simple Object properties, Collections of Objects, or Arrays.

The error message for the VisitorFieldValidator will be appended in front of validation messages added by the validations for the Object message.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
context	no	action alias	Determines the context to use for validating the Object property. If not defined, the context of the Action validation is propogated to the Object property validation. In the case of Action validation, this context is the Action alias.
appendPrefix	no	true	Determines whether the field name of this field validator should be prepended to the field name of the visited field to determine the full field name when an error occurs. For example, suppose that the bean being validated has a "name" property. If appendPrefix is true, then the field error will be stored under the field "bean.name". If appendPrefix is false, then the field error will be stored under the field "name". If you are using the VisitorFieldValidator to validate the model from a ModelDriven Action, you should set appendPrefix to false unless you are using "model.name" to reference the properties on your model.

Example:

...


@VisitorFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, context = "action alias", appendPrefix = true)

Here we see the context being overridden in the validator mapping, so the action alias context will not be propogated.

ModelDriven example:

...


@VisitorFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, context = "action alias", appendPrefix = true)

...

   @Validations(
            requiredFields =
                    {@RequiredFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "customfield", message = "You must enter a value for field.")},
            requiredStrings =
                    {@RequiredStringValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "stringisrequired", message = "You must enter a value for string.")},
            emails =
                    { @EmailValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "emailaddress", message = "You must enter a value for email.")},
            urls =
                    { @UrlValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "hreflocation", message = "You must enter a value for email.")},
            stringLengthFields =
                    {@StringLengthFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, trim = true, minLength="10" , maxLength = "12", fieldName = "needstringlength", message = "You must enter a stringlength.")},
            intRangeFields =
                    { @IntRangeFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "intfield", min = "6", max = "10", message = "bar must be between ${min} and ${max}, current value is ${bar}.")},
            dateRangeFields =
                    {@DateRangeFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "datefield", min = "-1", max = "99", message = "bar must be between ${min} and ${max}, current value is ${bar}.")},
            expressions = {
                @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo &gt; 1", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 1. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo &gt; 2", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 2. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo &gt; 3", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 3. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo &gt; 4", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 4. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo &gt; 5", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 5. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}.")
    }
    )
    public String execute() throws Exception {
        return SUCCESS;
    }

Anchor

	RequiredFieldValidator
	RequiredFieldValidator

RequiredFieldValidator

This validator checks that a field is non-null.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@RequiredFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true)

Anchor

	RequiredStringValidator
	RequiredStringValidator

RequiredStringValidator

This validator checks that a String field is not empty (i.e. non-null with a length > 0).

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
trim	no	true	Boolean property. Determines whether the String is trimmed before performing the length check.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@RequiredStringValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, trim = true)

Anchor

	StringLengthFieldValidator
	StringLengthFieldValidator

StringLengthFieldValidator

This validator checks that a String field is of the right length. It assumes that the field is a String.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
trim	no	true	Boolean property. Determines whether the String is trimmed before performing the length check.
minLength	no		Integer property. The minimum length the String must be.
maxLength	no		Integer property. The maximum length the String can be.

If neither minLength nor maxLength is set, nothing will be done.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@StringLengthFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, trim = true, minLength = "5",  maxLength = "12")

Anchor

	StringRegexValidator
	StringRegexValidator

StringRegexValidator

This validator checks that a String field matches a configure Regular Expression, if it is not an empty String.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
regex	yes	"."	String property. The Regular Expression for which to check a match.
caseSensitive	no	true	Whether the matching of alpha characters in the expression should be done case-sensitively.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@StringRegexValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, regex = "a regular expression", caseSensitive = true)

Anchor

	EmailValidator
	EmailValidator

EmailValidator

This validator checks that a field is a valid e-mail address if it contains a non-empty String.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@EmailValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true)

Anchor

	UrlValidator
	UrlValidator

UrlValidator

This validator checks that a field is a valid URL.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@UrlValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true)

Anchor

	IntRangeFieldValidator
	IntRangeFieldValidator

IntRangeFieldValidator

This validator checks that a numeric field has a value within a specified range.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
min	no		Integer property. The minimum the number must be.
max	no		Integer property. The maximum number can be.

If neither min nor max is set, nothing will be done.

The values for min and max must be inserted as String values so that "0" can be handled as a possible value.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@IntRangeFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, min = "0", max = "42")

Anchor

	DateRangeFieldValidator
	DateRangeFieldValidator

DateRangeFieldValidator

This validator checks that a date field has a value within a specified range.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
min	no		Date property. The minimum the date must be.
max	no		Date property. The maximum date can be.

If neither min nor max is set, nothing will be done.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@DateRangeFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, min = "2005/01/01", max = "2005/12/31")

Anchor

	ConversionErrorFieldValidator
	ConversionErrorFieldValidator

ConversionErrorFieldValidator

This validator checks if there are any conversion errors for a field and applies them if they exist. See Type Conversion Error Handling for details.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@ConversionErrorFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true)

Anchor

	ExpressionValidator
	ExpressionValidator

ExpressionValidator

This validator uses an OGNL expression to perform its validation. The error message will be added to the action if the expression returns false when it is evaluated against the value stack.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
expression	yes		An OGNL expression that returns a boolean value.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@ExpressionValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, expression = "an OGNL expression" )

Anchor

	FieldExpressionValidator
	FieldExpressionValidator

FieldExpressionValidator

This validator uses an OGNL expression to perform its validation. The error message will be added to the field if the expression returns false when it is evaluated against the value stack.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
expression	yes		An OGNL expression that returns a boolean value.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@FieldExpressionValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, expression = "an OGNL expression")

Anchor

	VisitorFieldValidator
	VisitorFieldValidator

VisitorFieldValidator

The validator allows you to forward validation to object properties of your action using the objects own validation files. This allows you to use the ModelDriven development pattern and manage your validations for your models in one place, where they belong, next to your model classes. The VisitorFieldValidator can handle either simple Object properties, Collections of Objects, or Arrays.

The error message for the VisitorFieldValidator will be appended in front of validation messages added by the validations for the Object message.

Parameter	Required	Default	Notes
context	no	action alias	Determines the context to use for validating the Object property. If not defined, the context of the Action validation is propogated to the Object property validation. In the case of Action validation, this context is the Action alias.
appendPrefix	no	true	Determines whether the field name of this field validator should be prepended to the field name of the visited field to determine the full field name when an error occurs. For example, suppose that the bean being validated has a "name" property. If appendPrefix is true, then the field error will be stored under the field "bean.name". If appendPrefix is false, then the field error will be stored under the field "name". If you are using the VisitorFieldValidator to validate the model from a ModelDriven Action, you should set appendPrefix to false unless you are using "model.name" to reference the properties on your model.

Example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@VisitorFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, context = "action alias", appendPrefix = true)

Here we see the context being overridden in the validator mapping, so the action alias context will not be propogated.

ModelDriven example:

Code Block

	java
	java


@VisitorFieldValidator(message = "Default message", key = "i18n.key", shortCircuit = true, context = "action alias", appendPrefix = true)

This will use the model's validation rules and any errors messages will be applied directly (nothing is prefixed because of the empty message).

Complex Examples

An Annotated Interface

Mark the interface with @Validation()
Apply standard or custom annoations at method level

Code Block

	java
	java


@Validation()
public interface AnnotationDataAware {

    void setBarObj(Bar b);

    Bar getBarObj();

    @RequiredFieldValidator(message = "You must enter a value for data.")
    @RequiredStringValidator(message = "You must enter a value for data.")
    void setData(String data);

    String getData();
}

An Annotated Class

Code Block

	java
	java


@Validation()
public class SimpleAnnotationAction extends ActionSupport {

    @RequiredFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.FIELD, message = "You must enter a value for bar.")
    @IntRangeFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.FIELD, min = "6", max = "10", message = "bar must be between ${min} and ${max}, current value is ${bar}.")
    public void setBar(int bar) {
        this.bar = bar;
    }

    public int getBar() {
        return bar;
    }

    @Validations(
            requiredFields =
                    {@RequiredFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "customfield", message = "You must enter a value for field.")},
            requiredStrings =
                    {@RequiredStringValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "stringisrequired", message = "You must enter a value for string.")},
            emails =
                    { @EmailValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "emailaddress", message = "You must enter a value for email.")},
            urls =
                    { @UrlValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "hreflocation", message = "You must enter a value for email.")},
            stringLengthFields =
                    {@StringLengthFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, trim = true, minLength="10" , maxLength = "12", fieldName = "needstringlength", message = "You must enter a stringlength.")},
            intRangeFields =
                    { @IntRangeFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "intfield", min = "6", max = "10", message = "bar must be between ${min} and ${max}, current value is ${bar}.")},
            dateRangeFields =
                    {@DateRangeFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "datefield", min = "-1", max = "99", message = "bar must be between ${min} and ${max}, current value is ${bar}.")},
            expressions = {
                @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo &gt; 1", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 1. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo &gt; 2", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 2. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo &gt; 3", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 3. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo &gt; 4", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 4. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo &gt; 5", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 5. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}.")
    }
    )
    public String execute() throws Exception {
        return SUCCESS;
    }
}

Child pages

Versions Compared

Old Version 7

New Version 8

Key

RequiredFieldValidator

Validations

RequiredStringValidator

StringLengthFieldValidator

StringRegexValidator

EmailValidator

UrlValidator

IntRangeFieldValidator

DateRangeFieldValidator

ConversionErrorFieldValidator

ExpressionValidator

FieldExpressionValidator

VisitorFieldValidator

RequiredFieldValidator

RequiredStringValidator

StringLengthFieldValidator

StringRegexValidator

EmailValidator

UrlValidator

IntRangeFieldValidator

DateRangeFieldValidator

ConversionErrorFieldValidator

ExpressionValidator

FieldExpressionValidator

VisitorFieldValidator

Complex Examples

An Annotated Interface

An Annotated Class