org.springframework.webflow.action
Class MultiAction

java.lang.Object
  org.springframework.webflow.action.AbstractAction
      org.springframework.webflow.action.MultiAction

All Implemented Interfaces:

org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean, Action

Direct Known Subclasses:

FormAction

public class MultiAction
extends AbstractAction

Action implementation that bundles two or more action execution methods into a single class. Action execution methods defined by subclasses must adhere to the following signature:

     public Event ${method}(RequestContext context) throws Exception;
 

When this action is invoked, by default the id of the calling action state state is treated as the action execution method name. Alternatively, the execution method name may be explicitly specified as a attribute of the calling action state.

For example, the following action state definition:

     <action-state id="search">
         <action bean="searchAction"/>
         <transition on="success" to="results"/>
     </action-state>
 

... when entered, executes the method:

 public Event search(RequestContext context) throws Exception;
 

Alternatively (and typically recommended), you may explictly specify the method name:

     <action-state id="search">
         <action bean="searchAction" method="executeSearch"/>
         <transition on="success" to="results"/>
     </action-state>
 

A typical use of the MultiAction is to centralize all command logic for a flow in one place. Another common use is to centralize form setup and submit logic in one place, or CRUD (create/read/update/delete) operations for a single domain object in one place.

Author:

Keith Donald, Erwin Vervaet

See Also:

MultiAction.MethodResolver, DefaultMultiActionMethodResolver

Nested Class Summary

static interface

MultiAction.MethodResolver Strategy interface used by the MultiAction to map a request context to the name of an action execution method.

Field Summary

Fields inherited from class org.springframework.webflow.action.AbstractAction

logger

Constructor Summary

protected	MultiAction() Protected default constructor; not invokable for direct MultiAction instantiation.
	MultiAction(java.lang.Object target) Constructs a multi action that invokes methods on the specified target object.

Method Summary

protected Event	doExecute(RequestContext context) Template hook method subclasses should override to encapsulate their specific action execution logic.
MultiAction.MethodResolver	getMethodResolver() Get the strategy used to resolve action execution method names.
void	setMethodResolver(MultiAction.MethodResolver methodResolver) Set the strategy used to resolve action execution method names.
protected void	setTarget(java.lang.Object target) Sets the target of this multi action's invocations.

Methods inherited from class org.springframework.webflow.action.AbstractAction

afterPropertiesSet, doPostExecute, doPreExecute, error, error, execute, getActionNameForLogging, getEventFactorySupport, initAction, no, result, result, result, result, success, success, yes

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

MultiAction

protected MultiAction()

Protected default constructor; not invokable for direct MultiAction instantiation. Intended for use by subclasses.

Sets the target to this multi action instance.

See Also:

setTarget(Object)

MultiAction

public MultiAction(java.lang.Object target)

Constructs a multi action that invokes methods on the specified target object. Note: invokable methods on the target must conform to the multi action method signature:

       public Event ${method}(RequestContext context) throws Exception;
 

Parameters:

target - the target of this multi action's invocations

Method Detail

setTarget

protected final void setTarget(java.lang.Object target)

Sets the target of this multi action's invocations.

Parameters:

target - the target

getMethodResolver

public MultiAction.MethodResolver getMethodResolver()

Get the strategy used to resolve action execution method names.

setMethodResolver

public void setMethodResolver(MultiAction.MethodResolver methodResolver)

Set the strategy used to resolve action execution method names. Allows full control over the method resolution algorithm. Defaults to DefaultMultiActionMethodResolver.

doExecute

protected final Event doExecute(RequestContext context)
                         throws java.lang.Exception

Description copied from class: AbstractAction

Template hook method subclasses should override to encapsulate their specific action execution logic.

Specified by:

doExecute in class AbstractAction

Parameters:

context - the action execution context, for accessing and setting data in "flow scope" or "request scope"

Returns:

the action result event

Throws:

java.lang.Exception - an unrecoverable exception occured, either checked or unchecked