Change the properties of an Input within a ui:repeat - jsf

Question

I'd like to change the "required" property of an InputText that is located within an ui:repeat, but I'm not able to access to the component from the ManagedBean:
<h:selectManyCheckbox id="required" value="#{test.required}"
layout="lineDirection" converter="javax.faces.Integer">
<f:ajax event="change" listener="#{test.update}" />
<f:selectItems value="#{test.selectable}"></f:selectItems>
</h:selectManyCheckbox>
<ui:repeat value="#{test.names}" var="name" id="repeat">
<h:panelGrid columns="3">
<h:outputLabel id="nameLabel">name:</h:outputLabel>
<h:inputText id="name" value="#{name}"
validator="#{test.validateName}" />
<h:message for="name"></h:message>
</h:panelGrid>
</ui:repeat>
I'm trying to use the findComponent method, but it does not work:
public void update(AjaxBehaviorEvent event) {
for(Integer i: selectable) {
UIViewRoot vr = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getViewRoot();
HtmlInputText input = (HtmlInputText)vr.findComponent("form:repeat:"+i+":name");
input.setRequired(required.contains(i));
}
}

Answer 1

The ui:repeat doesn't repeat the components in the view root, it repeats the component's output in the rendered HTML output.
There are several ways to achieve this properly. One of them is to use a value object instead and set the requireness there. E.g. a List<Item> wherein Item has the properties String name and boolean required.
<ui:repeat value="#{test.items}" var="item" id="repeat">
<h:panelGrid columns="3">
<h:outputLabel id="nameLabel">name:</h:outputLabel>
<h:inputText id="name" value="#{item.name}" required="#{item.required}" validator="#{test.validateName}" />
<h:message for="name"></h:message>
</h:panelGrid>
</ui:repeat>
There are more ways, but since the JSF version you're using and the functional requirement is unclear, it's only guessing which way is the most applicable in your case.