How can I configure a Spring BeanFactory with several bean configuration files?

Question

Hi all,

I am sure that the above question has a straightforward answer but I couldn't easily find it (neither in the documentation nor on stackoverflow.com)

I got the notion that a BeanFactory/ApplicatioContext can be initialized with several bean configuration files. Is that so? And, if it is how can it be done?

Answer 1

See section 3.2.2.1 in the Spring Reference documentation. This describes how a configuration file can be split into separate configuration files that can then be imported into your main configuration file.

Answer 2

Mark's answer is fine. You may also want to try this:

ApplicationContext context = new ClassPathXmlApplicationContext( new String[]{  
                               "services.xml", 
                               "daos.xml", 
                               "webservices.xml", 
                               "validators.xml"
                             });

Answer 3

If you use an XML configuration file you can import multiple files from the classpath as such:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<beans>
  <import resource="classpath:/path/to/file/one.xml" />
  <import resource="classpath:/path/to/file/two.xml" />
</beans>

Answer 4

While reading the above answers I had found the following class and its relevant constructor:

[FileSystemXmlApplicationContext][1]

public FileSystemXmlApplicationContext(String[] configLocations,
                                       boolean refresh,
                                       ApplicationContext parent)
                                throws BeansException

[1]: http://static.springsource.org/spring/docs/2.5.x/api/org/springframework/context/support/FileSystemXmlApplicationContext.html#FileSystemXmlApplicationContext(java.lang.String[], boolean, org.springframework.context.ApplicationContext)