Format date in <f:selectItem(s) itemLabel> using DateTimeConverter - jsf

Question

I have a <h:selectOneMenu> that has <f:selectItems> with CategoryHistory objects loaded in it. I only show the Date date field as itemLabel.
That works but I want to format the date:
I created a converter that extends javax.faces.convert.DateTimeConverter and change the fields in the constructor. But my dates only show in default format :(
DateAndTimeConverter.java
import javax.faces.bean.ManagedBean;
import javax.faces.convert.Converter;
import javax.faces.convert.DateTimeConverter;
import javax.faces.convert.FacesConverter;
#FacesConverter(value = "dateAndTimeconverter")
#ManagedBean
public class DateAndTimeConverter extends DateTimeConverter implements Converter {
public DateAndTimeConverter(){
this.setDateStyle("short");
}
xhtml
<h:selectOneMenu valueChangeListener="#{admin.categoryHistoryListener}"
onchange="submit()" value="#{admin.categoryHistory.id}" converter="#{dateAndTimeconverter}">
<f:selectItems value="#{admin.categoryHistories}" var="n"
itemValue="#{n.id}" itemLabel="#{n.date}">
</f:selectItems>
</h:selectOneMenu>
It also doesn't work when I try:
<h:selectOneMenu valueChangeListener="#{admin.categoryHistoryListener}"
onchange="submit()" value="#{admin.categoryHistory.id}">
<f:converter converterId="dateAndTimeconverter"/>
<f:selectItems value="#{admin.categoryHistories}" var="n"
itemValue="#{n.id}" itemLabel="#{n.date}">
</f:selectItems>
</h:selectOneMenu>
CategoryHistory Has a Date date, and Long id +...
Thank you

Answer 1

Unfortunately, the JSF converters only applies on the input value, not on the input label.
You'll need to solve this other ways. E.g. a getter which uses SimpleDateFormat to format the date. Or if your environment supports EL 2.2, simply invoke the converter method directly (you've it as managed bean already):
<f:selectItems value="#{admin.categoryHistories}" var="n" itemValue="#{n.id}"
itemLabel="#{dateAndTimeconverter.getAsString(facesContext, component, n.date)}">
If you happen to use JSF utility library OmniFaces, then you can also use its of:formatDate() function. E.g.:
<f:selectItems value="#{admin.categoryHistories}" var="n" itemValue="#{n.id}"
itemLabel="#{of:formatDate(n.date, 'd MMM yyyy')}">

Answer 2

You can use a converter method in your bean, as:
public class Admin{
...
public String formatDate(Date fecha, String pattern) {
return (new SimpleDateFormat(pattern)).format(fecha);
}
...
}
And, in your xhtml page inside f:selectItems:
<f:selectItems value="#{admin.categoryHistories}" var="n"
itemValue="#{n.id}" itemLabel="#{admin.formatDate(n.date,'d MMM yyyy')}">
</f:selectItems>

Answer 3

Example
xhtml
<h:selectOneMenu value="#{tbMonitoreoController.fechaMonitoreo}">
<f:selectItems value="#{tbMonitoreoController.fechasMonitoreo}" />
Method in tbMonitoreoController
public SelectItem[] getFechasMonitoreo(){
Collection<Date> entities = getEjbFacade().getFechasMonitoreo();
return JsfUtil.getSelectItemsFechasMonitoreo(entities, true);
}
public static SelectItem[] getSelectItemsFechasMonitoreo(Collection<Date> listDate, boolean selectOne) {
int size = selectOne ? (listDate.size() + 1) : listDate.size();
SelectItem[] items = new SelectItem[size];
int i = 0;
if (selectOne) {
items[0] = new SelectItem(null, "---");
i++;
}
SimpleDateFormat simpleDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("dd/MM/yyyy");
for (Date x : listDate) {
items[i++] = new SelectItem(x, simpleDateFormat.format(x));
}
return items;
}