Concating values from multiple output and input components - string

Question

I have 2 outputText fields, 1 required field and 1 optional field. How can I concat, or append all of the values and set it as a single model property?
<h:outputText value="AT-" />
<h:outputText value="#{yearOfDate}"/>
<p:inputMask value="#{requiredRefNo}" required="true" mask="9999"/>
<p:inputMask value="#{optionalRefNo}" mask="aa"/>
In the given example I have for example the string AT-2012-6060-VI. How can I append all of the values and set it as a single model property?

Answer 1

For you it would probably be the easiest to create a composite component for this with a backing component which extends UIInput and wherein the desired format is returned by UIInput#getSubmittedValue().
Here's a kickoff example in its simplest form:
/resources/components/refNo.xhtml
<ui:component
xmlns:ui="http://java.sun.com/jsf/facelets"
xmlns:cc="http://java.sun.com/jsf/composite"
xmlns:p="http://primefaces.org/ui"
>
<cc:interface componentType="refNoComposite" />
<cc:implementation>
AT-#{cc.year}-<p:inputMask id="ref1" required="true" mask="9999"/>-<p:inputMask id="ref2" mask="aa"/>
</cc:implementation>
</ui:component>
com.example.RefNoComposite
#FacesComponent("refNoComposite")
public class RefNoComposite extends UIInput implements NamingContainer {
public RefNoComposite() {
getStateHelper().put("year", new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy").format(new Date()));
}
#Override
public String getFamily() {
return UINamingContainer.COMPONENT_FAMILY;
}
#Override
public Object getSubmittedValue() {
return new StringBuilder()
.append("AT")
.append('-')
.append(getYear())
.append('-')
.append(((UIInput) findComponent("ref1")).getSubmittedValue())
.append('-')
.append(((UIInput) findComponent("ref2")).getSubmittedValue())
.toString();
}
public String getYear() {
return (String) getStateHelper().eval("year");
}
}
Usage example in a random Facelets page:
xmlns:cc="http://java.sun.com/jsf/composite/components"
...
<h:form>
<cc:refNo value="#{bean.value}" />
<p:commandButton value="submit" action="#{bean.submit}" />
</h:form>
Note: if you'd like to validate the value as well, you'd like to override the UIInput#validateValue() method in the backing component. The 2nd argument is by the way exactly the getSubmittedValue().