JSF FacesConverter ELResolver.getValue returns null - jsf

Question

I am trying to use a converter for an input form where I use some "selectOneMenu" components.
When I try to obtain my controller object inside converter's "getAsObject" method using:
facesContext.getApplication().getELResolver().
getValue(facesContext.getELContext(), null, "usersController");
I get always null.
This is my converter class which is nested inside UserController class.
#FacesConverter(forClass = User.class, value="userConverter")
public static class UsersControllerConverter implements Converter {
#Override
public Object getAsObject(FacesContext facesContext, UIComponent component, String value) {
if (value == null || value.length() == 0) {
return null;
}
UserController controller = (UserController) facesContext.getApplication().getELResolver().
getValue(facesContext.getELContext(), null, "usersController");
System.out.println(value);
System.out.println(getKey(value));
System.out.println(controller);
return controller.getUsers(getKey(value));
}
java.lang.String getKey(String value) {
java.lang.String key;
key = value;
return key;
}
String getStringKey(java.lang.String value) {
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
sb.append(value);
return sb.toString();
}
#Override
public String getAsString(FacesContext facesContext, UIComponent component, Object object) {
if (object == null) {
return null;
}
if (object instanceof User) {
User o = (User) object;
return getStringKey(o.getUsername());
} else {
throw new IllegalArgumentException("object " + object + " is of type " + object.getClass().getName() + "; expected type: " + User.class.getName());
}
}
}
UserController class declaration:
#Named("userController")
#ManagedBean
#SessionScoped
public class UserController implements Serializable{
PS: I am a newbie, I just started learning Java EE/Faces.

Answer 1

This,
UserController controller = (UserController) facesContext.getApplication().getELResolver().
getValue(facesContext.getELContext(), null, "usersController");
is indeed not the right way. The following is the right way:
UserController controller = facesContext.getApplication().evaluateExpressionGet(
facesContext, "#{usersController}", UsersController.class);