request.getParameterMap() - getting the Strings - a better way?

Hi folks -

attempting to simplify here pls. exuse if not clear, let me know -

I want to pass a Map of all the request parameters from my Servlet code into a method in another object, so they can be moshed and inserted into DB.

So I have come up with something like this in the servlet processor:

public class savingStuffProcessor {
public String execute (HttpServletRequest request) {
...
myUtils.saveStuff(id, request.getParameterMap());
...
}
}

and in the DB container:

public String saveStuff(int id, java.util.Map params) {
....
hibernateDAO.setAddress(((String[])params.get("address"))[0]);
....
}

which does work, so fine... but....

My question is, this syntax seems overcomplicated. Is there a better simpler way to accomplish what I am trying to do? I could use request.getParameter() for each value passing along as seperate args - but I kinda need all the 25 or so form field values in the saveStuff() function and functions with 25+ arguments scare me...

should I just pass along the whole HttpServletRequest object to saveStuff()? how is this usually done, or is it not?

the hibernateDAO.setAddress() method expects a String, I can't change that.

Originally posted by Sam Szabo:
should I just pass along the whole HttpServletRequest object to saveStuff()? how is this usually done, or is it not?

No, that would introduce a dependency on the servlet layer where it is not needed and not appropriate.

Any of passing the map, extracting the info into separate parameters, or creating a data transfer object to hold the data is far preferable to passing servlet-specific structures.

Thanks for the reply:

creating a data transfer object

I understand the first two options you mention - but any pointers on how I "create a data transfer object"? you mean like a generic Object object?

dto.address = request.getParameter("address");
dto.city = request.getParameter("city");

and so forth? or something else?

thanks

Yes, that's right.
Looking more like dto.setAddress(request.getParameter("address"));

Yes, they generally follow the bean pattern and do not include any processing. Their purpose is to transfer data in an agnostic manner (in other words, not tied to a particular UI, or to a particular DB, or a particular framework, or a particular anything).

thanks,
what you are telling me is in line with the code I was building off of. The original dealt with a form with 3 fields, but mine has 30, so I tried to find something smoother.

If someone wants to add a field to the registration form, right now we have to change FIVE files

but I will try to resist re-inventing the wheel.

thanks guys, always learning.

You might consider using the jakarta commons BeanUtils package to help with the population of beans from a request properties map.

You would just use the method BeanUtils.populate(myBean, request.getParameterMap());

interesting Stefan thanks

I just read this:
http://jakarta.apache.org/commons/beanutils/apidocs/org/apache/commons/beanutils/package-summary.html#conversion

which sounds good - almost exactly what I had in mind -

but if I may extend this thread - where would you do form validation using this? do it before you call BeanUtils.populate(), in the processor?
[ November 01, 2006: Message edited by: Sam Szabo ]