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Dear Spring MVC experts!

I am using a controller of type AbstractWizardFormController to
implement a multi-page form entry workflow. This controller operates
on a session-scoped command object which has a property of type
java.util.Date. On page 3 of the wizard, the user enters a date into a
textbox which will be bound to a java.util.Date property of the command
object.

In my controller, I am registering a custom editor as follows:

protected void initBinder(HttpServletRequest request,
ServletRequestDataBinder binder) throws Exception {
DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("MM/dd/yyyy");
CustomDateEditor editor = new CustomDateEditor(df, false);
binder.registerCustomEditor(Date.class, editor);
}


The data binding process is behaving as I would expect. If the user
types an invalid date into the textbox, then the field cannot be bound
and the framework adds a FieldError to the Errors object with code
"typeMismatch". Unfortunately, this FieldError results in a very
un-user-friendly error message being put on the screen. The text of
the message is:

"Failed to convert property value of type [java.lang.String] to
required type [java.util.Date] for property billDate; nested exception
is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Could not parse date:
Unparseable date: "xyz" "


It is not at all clear to me how to transform this ugly error message
to a user-friendly message. I can think of a number of possible ways
of doing this, but all seem overly-complex. Is there a standard way to
map data-binding errors to user-friendly messages? Thanks in advance
for your help.


Regards,
Craig

Have the customized typeMismatch message in your message properties
file that Spring load as messageResource.

Example:
# For generic error message on type mismatch Date
typeMismatch.java.util.Date={0} is an invalid date.

# For specific error message on perticular form field
# (e.g. startDt is a form field name)
typeMismatch.startDt=Start Date is an invalid date.

Cheers,
Liu Jian


wrote:
> Dear Spring MVC experts!
>
> I am using a controller of type AbstractWizardFormController to
> implement a multi-page form entry workflow. This controller operates
> on a session-scoped command object which has a property of type
> java.util.Date. On page 3 of the wizard, the user enters a date into a
> textbox which will be bound to a java.util.Date property of the command
> object.
>
> In my controller, I am registering a custom editor as follows:
>
> protected void initBinder(HttpServletRequest request,
> ServletRequestDataBinder binder) throws Exception {
> DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("MM/dd/yyyy");
> CustomDateEditor editor = new CustomDateEditor(df, false);
> binder.registerCustomEditor(Date.class, editor);
> }
>
>
> The data binding process is behaving as I would expect. If the user
> types an invalid date into the textbox, then the field cannot be bound
> and the framework adds a FieldError to the Errors object with code
> "typeMismatch". Unfortunately, this FieldError results in a very
> un-user-friendly error message being put on the screen. The text of
> the message is:
>
> "Failed to convert property value of type [java.lang.String] to
> required type [java.util.Date] for property billDate; nested exception
> is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Could not parse date:
> Unparseable date: "xyz" "
>
>
> It is not at all clear to me how to transform this ugly error message
> to a user-friendly message. I can think of a number of possible ways
> of doing this, but all seem overly-complex. Is there a standard way to
> map data-binding errors to user-friendly messages? Thanks in advance
> for your help.
>
>
> Regards,
> Craig

Thanks for the info. Where (online/book) is this documented?


wrote:
> Have the customized typeMismatch message in your message properties
> file that Spring load as messageResource.
>
> Example:
> # For generic error message on type mismatch Date
> typeMismatch.java.util.Date={0} is an invalid date.
>
> # For specific error message on perticular form field
> # (e.g. startDt is a form field name)
> typeMismatch.startDt=Start Date is an invalid date.
>
> Cheers,
> Liu Jian
>
>
> wrote:
> > Dear Spring MVC experts!
> >
> > I am using a controller of type AbstractWizardFormController to
> > implement a multi-page form entry workflow. This controller operates
> > on a session-scoped command object which has a property of type
> > java.util.Date. On page 3 of the wizard, the user enters a date into a
> > textbox which will be bound to a java.util.Date property of the command
> > object.
> >
> > In my controller, I am registering a custom editor as follows:
> >
> > protected void initBinder(HttpServletRequest request,
> > ServletRequestDataBinder binder) throws Exception {
> > DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("MM/dd/yyyy");
> > CustomDateEditor editor = new CustomDateEditor(df, false);
> > binder.registerCustomEditor(Date.class, editor);
> > }
> >
> >
> > The data binding process is behaving as I would expect. If the user
> > types an invalid date into the textbox, then the field cannot be bound
> > and the framework adds a FieldError to the Errors object with code
> > "typeMismatch". Unfortunately, this FieldError results in a very
> > un-user-friendly error message being put on the screen. The text of
> > the message is:
> >
> > "Failed to convert property value of type [java.lang.String] to
> > required type [java.util.Date] for property billDate; nested exception
> > is java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Could not parse date:
> > Unparseable date: "xyz" "
> >
> >
> > It is not at all clear to me how to transform this ugly error message
> > to a user-friendly message. I can think of a number of possible ways
> > of doing this, but all seem overly-complex. Is there a standard way to
> > map data-binding errors to user-friendly messages? Thanks in advance
> > for your help.
> >
> >
> > Regards,
> > Craig

[DaveHarris]

Hi Guys,

I read your thread with interest, as "typeMismatch.java.util.Date={0} is an invalid date" is exactly what I want. The only problem I have however is that when {0} is expanded out, it replaces that with the bound field name, which is usually a non-user friendly name like 'startDate'.

I want to be able to put my own string in there like I can do in my own form validator:
error.rejectValue("numAxles", "validation.error.field.numberMismatch", new Object[] {"The number of axles"}, null); where validation.error.field.numberMismatch={0} must be a number

Is there a way to control the parameter sent to {0} while in the spring binding process. While I can just use my own validator, it seems kindof silly to re-invent the wheel when its something that spring provides us, I just want to configure it.

Cheers and thanks for any help in advance
Dave

[andrei001]

I have a similar problem, and perhaps someone here knows the answer. I am using a date field in a search page, binding it using a customDateEditor, and using a validator for correct formatting. The problem i have is this: i am using the <spring:bind> tag so that the page will return with the value that caused a validation fault. But even if the page succeeds it is submitted back onto itself, this time carrying the search results. But this time the date field will return in a completly different format. I cannot use the <fmt:formatDate> tag because of <spring:bind>. How can i register a "reverse" bind editor if you will, something that will print my data according to a specific format depending on the class?

Code snippet follows :
<spring:bind path="filesRequest.fileEndDateSearch">
<input type="text" id="fileEndDateSearch" name="fileEndDateSearch" class="txtBox" value="<fmt:formatDate value="${status.value}" type="date" pattern="yyyy-MM-dd" />"/>
</spring:bind>

Using <fmt:formatDate> for the ${status.value} will cause an exception in case the validator fails, as the format date tag will try to parse the erroneous input.

[jenueheightz]

If we put the key-value pair for all the labels for the fields into messages.properties, we can make it more user friendly.

label.numAxles=The number of axles
validation.error.field.numberMismatch={0} must be a number

errors.rejectValue("numAxles", "validation.error.field.numberMismatch",
new Object[]{ new DefaultMessageSourceResolvable(new String[]{"label.numAxles"})},"");


Passing the key "label.numAxles" to the {0} would result to a message like "The number of axles must be a number". Not passing a fieldname to the {0} which is "numAxles" which results to "numAxles must be a number" which is not more user friendly.


-jenue

[rishabh2u]

This is a nice and neat feature I feel. I used below to parse a check box in a form into a boolean field in Command.

	/**
	 * This is an overridden verison of initBinder method of Spring baseCommandController.
	 * It is used by Spring to register a custom editor for a String field coming in a 
	 * Http request. This lets you have any datatype in your command and not just String.
	 */
	protected void initBinder(HttpServletRequest request, ServletRequestDataBinder binder) throws Exception {
		binder.registerCustomEditor(Boolean.class, new CustomBooleanEditor(true));
	}

[ahsan_cse2004]

Originally Posted by andrei001

I have a similar problem, and perhaps someone here knows the answer. I am using a date field in a search page, binding it using a customDateEditor, and using a validator for correct formatting. The problem i have is this: i am using the <spring:bind> tag so that the page will return with the value that caused a validation fault. But even if the page succeeds it is submitted back onto itself, this time carrying the search results. But this time the date field will return in a completly different format. I cannot use the <fmt:formatDate> tag because of <spring:bind>. How can i register a "reverse" bind editor if you will, something that will print my data according to a specific format depending on the class?

Code snippet follows :
<spring:bind path="filesRequest.fileEndDateSearch">
<input type="text" id="fileEndDateSearch" name="fileEndDateSearch" class="txtBox" value="<fmt:formatDate value="${status.value}" type="date" pattern="yyyy-MM-dd" />"/>
</spring:bind>

Using <fmt:formatDate> for the ${status.value} will cause an exception in case the validator fails, as the format date tag will try to parse the erroneous input.

Hi,
I am sorry to resurrect this old thread, but did you find the solution to your problem. I have the same issue. I am setting the dates from my controller class and it is not visible on UI. I have already setup CustomDateEditor for Date class.

Thanks
Ahsan

[ahsan_cse2004]

I did it as follows

<spring-tags:bind path="startDate">
       <input type="text" value="<fmt:formatDate value="${startDate}"  type="date" pattern="yyyy-MM-dd"/>" id="impressionReportStartDate" name="startDate"/>
</spring-tags:bind>

Where startDate is coming from my server code. Somehow I had to use name="startDate" also because path="startDate" alone did not work for me.

Thanks
Ahsan

[Naga Syamala A]

Originally Posted by ahsan_cse2004

I did it as follows

<spring-tags:bind path="startDate">
       <input type="text" value="<fmt:formatDate value="${startDate}"  type="date" pattern="yyyy-MM-dd"/>" id="impressionReportStartDate" name="startDate"/>
</spring-tags:bind>

Where startDate is coming from my server code. Somehow I had to use name="startDate" also because path="startDate" alone did not work for me.

Thanks
Ahsan

Hi All,

I am also getting same type of probelm.

I am using date format is MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm

In my controller CustomDateEditorcode is like given below

@InitBinder protected void initBinder(final WebDataBinder dataBinder) {
final SimpleDateFormat dateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat(
"MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm");
dataBinder.registerCustomEditor(Date.class,
new CustomDateEditor(dateFormat, true));
}

and in my velocity file the code is lke this:

<input type="text" id="start" name="start" value="$!date.format('MM/dd/yyyy H:m',$!campaign.start)" size="30" class='field text small #if($status.error) error #end' tabindex="4" />

If user entered date as : 19/02/2012 11:53 , then it is not ging any error or exception simply accepting and taken as Tue Jul 02 11:53:00 IST 2013.

Can anybody tell me the way how to strict the month value to maximum 12.

Thanks,
Syamala.