why does struts reset my form after failed validation?

1
votes

I am using the validation framework with Struts 1.1.When validation fails, the entire form is reset.

After much time scouring the net, I have gathered:

  1. When a new request is received, the form object is created if it does not exist in the current scope (request or session).
  2. Reset is called()
  3. Form values are populated from the bean properties.
  4. Validation starts if enabled
  5. If validation fails, ActionErrors are returned and the request is directed to the URI given by the input attribute of the action tag in my struts-config.xml.

That's where I have the problem. If validation fails, and I set the input param to the same page, reset() gets called again but it does not use the bean values from when the form is initially loaded. So the user has to re-enter everything.

My action mapping class for this action looks like this:

<action
  path="/edit/componentRelease"
  type="org.twdata.struts.SpringAction"
  name="edit/componentRelease"
  scope="request"
  input="/WEB-INF/jsp/edit/editComponentRelease.jsp"
  parameter="edit/componentRelease"
  validate="true"
>
  <forward
    name="edit/componentRelease"
    path="/WEB-INF/jsp/edit/editComponentRelease.jsp"
    redirect="false"
  />
</action>

The form used to display the bean starts with:

<html:form method="post" name="componentReleaseEditor" type="com.mx.releasemgr.forms.ComponentReleaseEditorForm" action="/edit/componentRelease">
3
validationstrutsreset
I'm not 100% sure what you're asking; you're asking why form values are what they're set to in reset(), the method used to reset form values? - Dave Newton
Yes. The form values are set to what is in the reset() method, even if only one field is incorrect. How can I get the form to display the properties that do not require validation or have passed validation, so the user does not have to re-enter the data for the whole form if only one field fails validation? - Bizmarck
Reset gets called first, then the form gets populated. Then validation. If validation fails, it goes to whatever is specified in input param, which in this case is the same form. So reset is doing what it is supposed to, but why isn't the form then repopulated with bean properties? Why is everything reset? - Bizmarck
In case anyone sees this again, problem is likely related to this thread: stackoverflow.com/questions/6051056/… - Bizmarck
@DaveNewton His question seems simple enough.. he expects the form values to still be there when the browser page refreshes, even though there were errors. However his form values are not showing up. I'm currently facing the same issue unfortunately. :( - KyleM

3 Answers

1
votes

the reset() is used to clear the values previously entered...if u debug it and see then u'll come to know. eg ur entering 1 in the form and say submit and again come on the same form and enter 2 and submit again now what reset will do is it will clear 1 and now 2, and thus u get 2 in ur validate() part.

1
votes
@Override
public void reset(ActionMapping mapping, HttpServletRequest request) {

    //If Clear button click will set date as today and clear all other value
    //If Insert, update with validation as failure than not clear all value on the form, but only clear that wrong when validation (means skipp all value as true on the form and only clear value wrong)
    String actionName = request.getParameter("method");
    if(actionName!=null){
        if (actionName.equals(Enums.ActionName.CLEAR.getActionName())) {
            Date date = new Date();
            SimpleDateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
            this.setPublicationDay(dateFormat.format(date));
        }
        else{
            request.setAttribute("book", this);
        }
    }

    super.reset(mapping, request);
}
0
votes

The solution is to move the display of the form to a different action than that used to forward. In my example, they are both the same.