Loading from MessageResources.properties in Struts 2

[Dave Alvarado]

Hi,

I'm migrating my Struts 1 application to Struts 2. In my Struts 1 app, I had a MessageResources.properties file in which I stored key-value pairs of error messages. For example,

error.no.redirect.found=No redirect could be found because the database is down.

How can I continue to utilize these properties in Struts 2? In my action class, I have this validate method ...

	public void validate() { 
		try { 
			final AccountsValidator accountsValidator = AccountsValidator.getInstance();
			final String actionError = accountsValidator.validate(this, request); 
			if (actionError != null && !actionError.equals("")) { 
				addActionError(actionError);
			}   // if 
		} catch (Exception e) {
			logger.error("Error validating request:" + e.getMessage(), e); 
		}   // try
	}

But right now, the string "actionError" is a key in the properties file. How do I turn it in to the value? Thanks, - Dave

[David Newton]

http://struts.apache.org/2.x/docs/localization.html

[Dave Alvarado]

Thanks. A follow up to this, what does the properties file need to be called? Currently, I have a MessageResources.properties file in my classpath, but obviously I need to tell struts.xml about the file somehow or rename it to what it is expecting.

Thanks, - Dave

[David Newton]

Sorry; forgot we're having a wiki snippet issue.

http://struts.apache.org/2.1.6/docs/localization.html

[Shashank Rudra]

you dun need to tell struts.xml rather declare this in struts.properties file

struts.custom.i18n.resources=MessageResources

[David Newton]

XML configuration is preferred over the properties file.

[Dave Alvarado]

I added a file "MyAction.properties" in the same directory as the class for that file and everything loaded correctly.

Thanks, - Dave

[Shashank Rudra]

I think the XML way of configuration in not present in Struts2.0.6 version. As when I am trying to declate the property file in struts.xml as

<package name="my-default" extends="struts-default">
		
		<message-resources parameter="ApplicationResources"/> 
			
		<action name="*">
			<result>/jsp/{1}.jsp</result>
		</action>
	
	</package>

I am getting this error

SEVERE: Element type "message-resources" must be declared. at (null:11:56)
org.xml.sax.SAXParseException: Element type "message-resources" must be declared.

Or can it be worked out in 2.0.6 also someway?

[David Newton]

...

In general, randomly trying configuration elements won't work.

http://struts.apache.org/2.1.6/docs/localization.html

Note the struts.custom.i18n.resources property, although XML property configuration is preferred. See this also (FAQ entry).

[Shashank Rudra]

ok. So David when you say XML way of doing it - you mean Listener way of doing it. However will creating an additional class- be not overhead, if the messages are being picked from the struts.properties file using

struts.custom.i18n.resources=ApplicationResources

[David Newton]

I have no idea what you're talking about. There are no listeners or additional classes: just set the constant in the XML config file (or web.xml) instead of in a struts.properties file--just like it says in the XML config link I provided.

[Shashank Rudra]

oh I was following the link attached to

see this also

this ahead of the one I was to see. My mistake. Though what that Listener in there is for? Thanks David for all the help.

[David Newton]

That's just saying it *could* be used--not that it *should* :)

[Shashank Rudra]