better understanding of JSF Life cycle

Question

I need your help to understand this better. This is my case. I have a custom validator for each of my input controls in the form. So when there is any validation error,I add a corresponding FacesMessage in the validate method. My understanding was that when there is any validation error - or when there are any FacesMessages added in the validate method of the Custom Validator, it would skip the INVOKE APPLICATION phase and would directly call the RENDER RESPONSE PHASE - showing the FacesMessage that was added in the PROCESS VALIDATION Phase - Is this correct?

The problem I'm facing is - I add a FacesMessage in the PROCESS VALIDATION Phase - because of a validation error - and I add a confirmation message for the action that was taken by the user in the INVOKE APPLICATION PHASE - Now both are shown in the page in the RENDER RESPONSE Phase ? - If my understanding is correct in the above question - is it the best practice to conditionally add a confirmation FacesMessage after confirming that there are no FacesMessages in the currect FacesContext ?

This is how the message is added :

FacesMessage facesMessage = new FacesMessage(FacesMessage.SEVERITY_ERROR,Constants.invalidMessageDetail,null);
         FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().addMessage(null, facesMessage);
throw new ValidatorException(facesMessage);

This is how it is shown:

<h:messages errorClass="ErrorMsg" warnClass="WarningMsg" infoClass="InfoMsg" layout="table"  />

Appreciate your help.

Answer 1

My understanding was that when there is any validation error - or when there are any FacesMessages added in the validate method of the Custom Validator, it would skip the INVOKE APPLICATION phase and would directly call the RENDER RESPONSE PHASE - showing the FacesMessage that was added in the PROCESS VALIDATION Phase - Is this correct?

Partly true. It will only skip the update model values and invoke application phases when a ValidationException is been thrown, not when simply a FacesMessage is been added to the FacesContext.

If my understanding is correct in the above question - is it the best practice to conditionally add a confirmation FacesMessage after confirming that there are no FacesMessages in the currect FacesContext ?

You need to throw the ValidatorException as follows:

public void validate(FacesContext context, UIComponent component, Object value) throws ValidatorException {
    if (value does not meet conditions) {
        throw new ValidatorException(new FacesMessage("value does not meet conditions"));
    }
}

Then it will skip the update model values and invoke application phases as desired.