AppFuseStrutsDates

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This is how you could implement date handling using Struts / AppFuse. The example uses a DOB where we want the user to enter a time in hours, minutes, and seconds:

In the POJO, your date is likely to be a java.util.Date or java.sql.Timestamp... so you have a method called getDOB() which returns a java.util.Date (for this example).

When, in your action, you convert your POJO to the form, the converters (statically initialised in the BaseAction), are setup to convert the Date(s) to Strings in your form.

So in your form you have getDOB() which returns a string....

    public MyPOJO {
        java.util.Date dob;
    }

and

    public MyForm {
        java.lang.String dob; - the bridge between the dob java.util.Date in your POJO and the form.
}

The reason the dates are of type java.lang.String rather than java.util.Date in your form is that if you apply the struts datePattern dd/MM/yyy validator to the user input field, struts does not convert the string entered to a proper java.util.Date (that is my belief anyhow - please correct me if this is wrong).... struts only seems to be able to set the date property as a java.lang.String...

Also note: the datePattern does not work if you try and apply dd/MM/yyyy HH:mm - this is not so much of a problem, as it is not particularly user friendly to make the user input this long string freetext anyhow... so it is best to allow the user to enter hours and minutes using drop downs (populated from the StartupListener)...

(BTW - a datePattern of just HH:mm does not seem to work either, so freetext entry of hours and minutes is awkward unless someone writes a custom validator)...

So we, we need to create 4 fields on our form, to capture the user inputting the dobStr, hour, minute, and second. So now our form looks like this:

    public MyForm {
        private String dob; - the bridge between the dob java.util.Date in your POJO and the form.
        java.lang.String hour;
        java.lang.String minute;
        java.lang.String second;
        java.lang.String dobStr;
}
So you have applied the datePattern to the user input field (dateStr), and a String is 
set on your form (in your chosen dateFormat), and the hours, minutes and seconds are set 
from the drop downs.

We now need to do a bit of work in the getDob() method of the form:
{{{
    public String getDob() {
        if (getDateOfOffenceString()!=null && getHourOfOffenceString()!=null &&             
            getMinuteOfOffenceString()!=null) {

            StringBuffer dateTime = new StringBuffer();         
            dateTime.append(getDateOfOffenceString());
            dateTime.append(" "); 
            dateTime.append(getHourOfOffenceString());
            dateTime.append(":");
            dateTime.append(getMinuteOfOffenceString());
            return dateTime.toString();
        } 
        return null;
    }

Now, when you convert the form back to a POJO, the DateConverter (utils), will convert the string back to a Date object (you need to check the DateConverter is applying the correct datePattern in the SimpleDateFormat to map to your datePattern)

Q) What happens if you have 2 dates in your form, and they have different datePatterns? A) I guess you would have to dynamically assign the correct converter (unregister DateConverter?)

Tip: If you are having problems with the Converter(s), put this in your log4j config:

log4j.logger.org.apache.commons.beanutils=DEBUG