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Validation Annotation

This annotation has been deprecated since Struts 2.1 as its previous purpose, to define classes that support annotation validations, is no longer necessary.

Usage

Validation annotation must be applied at Type level.

Parameters

validations - list of validations to apply

Examples

An Annotated Interface

Apply standard or custom annotations at method level

 public interface AnnotationDataAware {

     void setBarObj(Bar b);

     Bar getBarObj();

     @RequiredFieldValidator(message = "You must enter a value for data.")
     @RequiredStringValidator(message = "You must enter a value for data.")
     void setData(String data);

     String getData();
 }

An Annotated Class

 public class SimpleAnnotationAction extends ActionSupport {

     @RequiredFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.FIELD, message = "You must enter a value for bar.")
     @IntRangeFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.FIELD, min = "6", max = "10", message = "bar must be between ${min} and ${max}, current value is ${bar}.")
     @StrutsParameter
     public void setBar(int bar) {
         this.bar = bar;
     }

     public int getBar() {
         return bar;
     }

     @Validations(
             requiredFields =
                     {@RequiredFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "customfield", message = "You must enter a value for field.")},
             requiredStrings =
                     {@RequiredStringValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "stringisrequired", message = "You must enter a value for string.")},
             emails =
                     { @EmailValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "emailaddress", message = "You must enter a value for email.")},
             urls =
                     { @UrlValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "hreflocation", message = "You must enter a value for email.")},
             stringLengthFields =
                     {@StringLengthFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, trim = true, minLength="10" , maxLength = "12", fieldName = "needstringlength", message = "You must enter a stringlength.")},
             intRangeFields =
                     { @IntRangeFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "intfield", min = "6", max = "10", message = "bar must be between ${min} and ${max}, current value is ${bar}.")},
             dateRangeFields =
                     {@DateRangeFieldValidator(type = ValidatorType.SIMPLE, fieldName = "datefield", min = "-1", max = "99", message = "bar must be between ${min} and ${max}, current value is ${bar}.")},
             expressions = {
                 @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo > 1", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 1. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                 @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo > 2", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 2. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                 @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo > 3", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 3. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                 @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo > 4", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 4. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}."),
                 @ExpressionValidator(expression = "foo > 5", message = "Foo must be greater than Bar 5. Foo = ${foo}, Bar = ${bar}.")
     }
     )
     public String execute() throws Exception {
         return SUCCESS;
     }
 }

When multiple methods are used to map different actions on the same class, and one of them is annotated with @Validations, those validators will be triggered for all the actions, unless they are annotated with @SkipValidation or validateAnnotatedMethodOnly is set to true in the validation interceptor, like:

<interceptor-ref name="validation">
    <param name="validateAnnotatedMethodOnly">true</param>
    <param name="excludeMethods">input,back,cancel,browse</param>
</interceptor-ref>