problems with custom converters and move from Struts 2.0.11 to 2.1.6

[Nikos Andreou]

Hi there

I am currently studying struts 2. I got a book to assist me, Struts 2 Design and Programming by Budi Kurniawan. I am happy with the book and I am working on the section with custom converters. However, although one of my sample apps work with struts 2.0.11, it fails to work with 2.1.6. My action class is this:

package app07b;

import java.util.Date;

import com.opensymphony.xwork2.ActionSupport;

public class Transaction extends ActionSupport {
    private String accountId;
    private Date transactionDate;
    private double amount;
    private int transactionType;
    private String datePattern = "yyyy-mm-dd";
    
    public String getAccountId() {
        return accountId;
    }
    public void setAccountId(String accountId) {
        this.accountId = accountId;
    }
    public double getAmount() {
        return amount;
    }
    public void setAmount(double amount) {
        System.out.println("setAmount");
        this.amount = amount;
    }
    public Date getTransactionDate() {
        return transactionDate;
    }
    public void setTransactionDate(Date transactionDate) {
        System.out.println("setTransactionDate");
        this.transactionDate = transactionDate;
    }
    public int getTransactionType() {
        return transactionType;
    }
    public void setTransactionType(int transactionType) {
        this.transactionType = transactionType;
    }
    public String getDatePattern() {
        return datePattern;
    }
    public void setDatePattern(String datePattern) {
        this.datePattern = datePattern;
    }
}

Then I have two converters:

package app07b.converter;

import java.lang.reflect.Member;
import java.text.DecimalFormat;
import java.text.NumberFormat;
import java.util.Map;
import ognl.TypeConverter;
import com.opensymphony.xwork2.conversion.TypeConversionException;

public class MyCurrencyConverter implements TypeConverter {
    public Object convertValue(Map context, Object target, 
            Member member, String propertyName, Object value, 
            Class toType) {
        System.out.println("target:" + target);
        System.out.println("member:" + member);
        System.out.println("property name:" + propertyName);
        if (toType == String.class) {
            NumberFormat formatter = new DecimalFormat("#,##0.00");
            return formatter.format((Double) value);
        } else if (toType == Double.class || toType == Double.TYPE) {
            try {
                String[] s = (String[]) value;
                String doubleValue = s[0];
                // remove commas, 
                // we could use a one-line regular expression, 
                // String doubleValue = s[0].replaceAll("[,]", "");
                // but regular expressions are comparatively 
                // much slower
                return Double.parseDouble(
                        replaceString(doubleValue, ',', ""));
            } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
                System.out.println("Error:" + e);
                throw new TypeConversionException("Wrong");
            }
        }
        return null;
    }

    
    public static String replaceString(String s, char c, String with) {
        if (s == null) {
            return null;
        }
        int length = s.length();
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(s.length() * 2);
        for (int i = 0; i < length; i++) {
            char c2 = s.charAt(i);
            if (c2 == c) {
                sb.append(with);
            } else {
                sb.append(c2);
            }
        }
        return sb.toString();
    }

}
    

and

package app07b.converter;

import java.text.DateFormat;
import java.text.ParseException;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.Map;
import javax.servlet.ServletContext;
import org.apache.struts2.StrutsStatics;
import ognl.DefaultTypeConverter;
import com.opensymphony.xwork2.conversion.TypeConversionException;


public class MyDateConverter extends DefaultTypeConverter {

    public Object convertValue(Map context, Object value, Class toType) {
        if (toType == Date.class) {
            ServletContext servletContext = (ServletContext) 
                    context.get(StrutsStatics.SERVLET_CONTEXT);
            System.out.println("servletContext == null ?" + servletContext==null);        
            System.out.println("servletContext getClass:"+servletContext.getClass());
            String datePattern = servletContext.getInitParameter("datePattern");
            System.out.println("date pattern:" + datePattern);

            DateFormat format = new SimpleDateFormat(datePattern);
            format.setLenient(false);
            try {
                String[] s = (String[]) value;
                Date date = format.parse(s[0]);
                return date;
            } catch (ParseException e) {
                System.out.println("Error:" + e);
                throw new TypeConversionException("Invalid conversion");
            }
        }
        return null;
    }
}

As you can see, I already changed the import of

com.opensymphony.xwork2.util.TypeConversionException

to

com.opensymphony.xwork2.conversion.TypeConversionException

My web.xml according to 2.1.6 instructions:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<web-app xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee"
    xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
    xsi:schemaLocation="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee/web-app_2_5.xsd"
    version="2.5"> 

    <context-param>
        <param-name>datePattern</param-name>
        <param-value>yyyy-MM-dd</param-value>
    </context-param>
  

	<filter>
		<filter-name>struts2</filter-name>
		<filter-class>org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.ng.filter.StrutsPrepareAndExecuteFilter</filter-class>
	</filter>
	
	<filter-mapping>
		<filter-name>struts2</filter-name>
		<url-pattern>*.action</url-pattern>
	</filter-mapping>
	

    <filter-mapping>
        <filter-name>struts2</filter-name>
        <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
    </filter-mapping>


    <!-- Restrict direct access to JSPs. 
         For the security constraint to work, the auth-constraint
         and login-config elements must be present -->
    <security-constraint>
        <web-resource-collection>
            <web-resource-name>JSPs</web-resource-name>
            <url-pattern>/jsp/*</url-pattern>
        </web-resource-collection>
        <auth-constraint/>
    </security-constraint>

    <login-config>
        <auth-method>BASIC</auth-method>
    </login-config>
</web-app> 

However, in MyDateConverter

ServletContext servletContext = (ServletContext)
context.get(StrutsStatics.SERVLET_CONTEXT);

returns null. After debugging the application, I found that

com.opensymphony.xwork2.conversion.impl.XWorkConverter gives an exception in line 282

return tc.convertValue(context, target, member, property, value, toClass);

Following this, I get to the point where

ognl.OgnlRuntime.callAppropriateMethod

fails and give me an exception

 throw new NoSuchMethodException( methodName + "(" + buffer + ")" );   

for method setTransactionDate

ognl.MethodFailedException: Method "setTransactionDate" failed for object app07b.Transaction@37eaa5 [java.lang.NoSuchMethodException: setTransactionDate([Ljava.lang.String;)]
	at ognl.OgnlRuntime.callAppropriateMethod(OgnlRuntime.java:823)
	at ognl.OgnlRuntime.setMethodValue(OgnlRuntime.java:964)
	at ognl.ObjectPropertyAccessor.setPossibleProperty(ObjectPropertyAccessor.java:75)
	at ognl.ObjectPropertyAccessor.setProperty(ObjectPropertyAccessor.java:131)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.ognl.accessor.ObjectAccessor.setProperty(ObjectAccessor.java:28)
	at ognl.OgnlRuntime.setProperty(OgnlRuntime.java:1656)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.ognl.accessor.CompoundRootAccessor.setProperty(CompoundRootAccessor.java:50)
	at ognl.OgnlRuntime.setProperty(OgnlRuntime.java:1656)
	at ognl.ASTProperty.setValueBody(ASTProperty.java:101)
	at ognl.SimpleNode.evaluateSetValueBody(SimpleNode.java:177)
	at ognl.SimpleNode.setValue(SimpleNode.java:246)
	at ognl.Ognl.setValue(Ognl.java:476)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.ognl.OgnlUtil.setValue(OgnlUtil.java:192)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.ognl.OgnlValueStack.setValue(OgnlValueStack.java:155)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.ognl.OgnlValueStack.setValue(OgnlValueStack.java:143)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ParametersInterceptor.setParameters(ParametersInterceptor.java:273)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ParametersInterceptor.doIntercept(ParametersInterceptor.java:187)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:87)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ParametersInterceptor.doIntercept(ParametersInterceptor.java:195)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:87)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.StaticParametersInterceptor.intercept(StaticParametersInterceptor.java:148)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.interceptor.CheckboxInterceptor.intercept(CheckboxInterceptor.java:93)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.interceptor.FileUploadInterceptor.intercept(FileUploadInterceptor.java:235)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ModelDrivenInterceptor.intercept(ModelDrivenInterceptor.java:89)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ScopedModelDrivenInterceptor.intercept(ScopedModelDrivenInterceptor.java:128)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.interceptor.ProfilingActivationInterceptor.intercept(ProfilingActivationInterceptor.java:104)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.interceptor.debugging.DebuggingInterceptor.intercept(DebuggingInterceptor.java:267)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ChainingInterceptor.intercept(ChainingInterceptor.java:126)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.PrepareInterceptor.doIntercept(PrepareInterceptor.java:138)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:87)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.I18nInterceptor.intercept(I18nInterceptor.java:148)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.interceptor.ServletConfigInterceptor.intercept(ServletConfigInterceptor.java:164)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.AliasInterceptor.intercept(AliasInterceptor.java:128)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ExceptionMappingInterceptor.intercept(ExceptionMappingInterceptor.java:176)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.impl.StrutsActionProxy.execute(StrutsActionProxy.java:52)
	at org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.Dispatcher.serviceAction(Dispatcher.java:468)
	at org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.FilterDispatcher.doFilter(FilterDispatcher.java:395)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:233)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:191)
	at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:433)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:128)
	at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:102)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:109)
	at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:286)
	at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.process(Http11Processor.java:845)
	at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Protocol$Http11ConnectionHandler.process(Http11Protocol.java:583)
	at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$Worker.run(JIoEndpoint.java:447)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)
/-- Encapsulated exception ------------\
java.lang.NoSuchMethodException: setTransactionDate([Ljava.lang.String;)
	at ognl.OgnlRuntime.callAppropriateMethod(OgnlRuntime.java:810)
	at ognl.OgnlRuntime.setMethodValue(OgnlRuntime.java:964)
	at ognl.ObjectPropertyAccessor.setPossibleProperty(ObjectPropertyAccessor.java:75)
	at ognl.ObjectPropertyAccessor.setProperty(ObjectPropertyAccessor.java:131)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.ognl.accessor.ObjectAccessor.setProperty(ObjectAccessor.java:28)
	at ognl.OgnlRuntime.setProperty(OgnlRuntime.java:1656)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.ognl.accessor.CompoundRootAccessor.setProperty(CompoundRootAccessor.java:50)
	at ognl.OgnlRuntime.setProperty(OgnlRuntime.java:1656)
	at ognl.ASTProperty.setValueBody(ASTProperty.java:101)
	at ognl.SimpleNode.evaluateSetValueBody(SimpleNode.java:177)
	at ognl.SimpleNode.setValue(SimpleNode.java:246)
	at ognl.Ognl.setValue(Ognl.java:476)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.ognl.OgnlUtil.setValue(OgnlUtil.java:192)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.ognl.OgnlValueStack.setValue(OgnlValueStack.java:155)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.ognl.OgnlValueStack.setValue(OgnlValueStack.java:143)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ParametersInterceptor.setParameters(ParametersInterceptor.java:273)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ParametersInterceptor.doIntercept(ParametersInterceptor.java:187)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:87)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ParametersInterceptor.doIntercept(ParametersInterceptor.java:195)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:87)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.StaticParametersInterceptor.intercept(StaticParametersInterceptor.java:148)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.interceptor.CheckboxInterceptor.intercept(CheckboxInterceptor.java:93)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.interceptor.FileUploadInterceptor.intercept(FileUploadInterceptor.java:235)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ModelDrivenInterceptor.intercept(ModelDrivenInterceptor.java:89)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ScopedModelDrivenInterceptor.intercept(ScopedModelDrivenInterceptor.java:128)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.interceptor.ProfilingActivationInterceptor.intercept(ProfilingActivationInterceptor.java:104)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.interceptor.debugging.DebuggingInterceptor.intercept(DebuggingInterceptor.java:267)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ChainingInterceptor.intercept(ChainingInterceptor.java:126)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.PrepareInterceptor.doIntercept(PrepareInterceptor.java:138)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:87)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.I18nInterceptor.intercept(I18nInterceptor.java:148)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.interceptor.ServletConfigInterceptor.intercept(ServletConfigInterceptor.java:164)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.AliasInterceptor.intercept(AliasInterceptor.java:128)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.interceptor.ExceptionMappingInterceptor.intercept(ExceptionMappingInterceptor.java:176)
	at com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:236)
	at org.apache.struts2.impl.StrutsActionProxy.execute(StrutsActionProxy.java:52)
	at org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.Dispatcher.serviceAction(Dispatcher.java:468)
	at org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.FilterDispatcher.doFilter(FilterDispatcher.java:395)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:233)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:191)
	at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:433)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:128)
	at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:102)
	at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:109)
	at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:286)
	at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Processor.process(Http11Processor.java:845)
	at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11Protocol$Http11ConnectionHandler.process(Http11Protocol.java:583)
	at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.JIoEndpoint$Worker.run(JIoEndpoint.java:447)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

expr: transactionDate val: [Ljava.lang.String;@12933cb context: ognl.OgnlContext@a4969457 root:[app07b.Transaction@37eaa5, com.opensymphony.xwork2.DefaultTextProvider@73dd96] value: [Ljava.lang.String;@12933cb


\--------------------------------------/    

After that, it constructs the message

Error setting expression 'transactionDate' with value '[Ljava.lang.String;@12933cb'

I am really stuck and have no clue what is wrong. The code can be downloaded at http://jtute.com/download/Struts2.zip. The application is app7b. Any help is appreciated.