Spring, autowire @Value from a database

Question

I am using a properties File to store some configuration properties, that are accessed this way:

@Value("#{configuration.path_file}")
private String pathFile;

Is it possible (with Spring 3) to use the same @Value annotation, but loading the properties from a database instead of a file ?

Answer 1

Although not having used spring 3, I'd assume you can, if you make a bean that reads the properties from the database and exposes them with getters.

Answer 2

Assuming you have a table in your database stored key/value pairs:

Define a new bean "applicationProperties" - psuedo-code follows...

public class ApplicationProperties {
    @AutoWired
    private DataSource datasource;

    public getPropertyValue(String key) {
        // transact on your datasource here to fetch value for key
        // SNIPPED
    }
}

Inject this bean where required in your application. If you already have a dao/service layer then you would just make use of that.