PrimeFaces AutoComplete + POJO Example

In my previous post, I have explained how to use Primefaces AutoComplete component in conjunction with completeMethod. But what if the user has decided to use a Plain Old Java Object (POJO) instead of using simple strings object as most of time that case it happens.

Using a domain objects within autoComplete isn’t trivial as it contains some additional component for making it works. At this tutorial you are going to develop a simple Primefaces application that adhered to using POJO for the autocomplete functionality.

Read : PrimeFaces Tutorials

1. The View

index.xhtml

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"
	xmlns:ui="http://java.sun.com/jsf/facelets"
	xmlns:h="http://java.sun.com/jsf/html"
	xmlns:f="http://java.sun.com/jsf/core"
	xmlns:p="http://primefaces.org/ui">
	<h:head>
		<script name="jquery/jquery.js" library="primefaces"></script>
	</h:head>
	<f:view>
		<h:form prependId="false">
			<h1>JavaBeat Primefaces Example</h1>
			<h2>Primefaces - AutoComplete + completeMethod + Pojo</h2>
			<h:outputText value="Enter name of the player you wish to see statistics for :"/>
			#{' '}
			<p:autoComplete value="#{autoComplete.player}"
								completeMethod="#{autoComplete.complete}"
								var="player"
								itemValue="#{player.playerId}"
								itemLabel="#{player.playerName}"></p:autoComplete>
		</h:form>
	</f:view>
</html>

2. Managed Bean

AutoComplete

package net.javabeat.primefaces;

import java.util.List;

import javax.faces.bean.ManagedBean;
import javax.faces.bean.ManagedProperty;
import javax.faces.bean.SessionScoped;

import net.javabeat.primefaces.data.Player;
import net.javabeat.primefaces.util.PlayerDataSource;

@ManagedBean
@SessionScoped
public class AutoComplete {
	@ManagedProperty("#{playerDataSource}")
	private PlayerDataSource ds;

	private Player player;

	public AutoComplete (){

	}

	public List<Player> complete(String query){
		// Assumed Datasource
		return ds.queryByName(query);
	}

	public Player getPlayer() {
		return player;
	}

	public void setPlayer(Player player) {
		this.player = player;
	}

	public PlayerDataSource getDs() {
		return ds;
	}

	public void setDs(PlayerDataSource ds) {
		this.ds = ds;
	}
}

3. Assumed DataSource

PlayerDataSource.java

package net.javabeat.primefaces.util;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import javax.faces.bean.ManagedBean;
import javax.faces.bean.SessionScoped;

import net.javabeat.primefaces.data.Player;
@ManagedBean
@SessionScoped
public class PlayerDataSource {
	public List<Player> players = new ArrayList<Player>();

	public PlayerDataSource(){
		// Assumed Player
		Player player = new Player();
		player.setPlayerId("1");
		player.setPlayerName("Anderias Muller");
		player.setPlayerPosition("CF");
		player.setPlayerAge("24");

		// Add Player
		players.add(player);

		// Assumed Player
		player = new Player();
		player.setPlayerId("2");
		player.setPlayerName("Olaf Thon");
		player.setPlayerPosition("CM");
		player.setPlayerAge("29");

		// Add Player
		players.add(player);

		// Assumed Player
		player = new Player();
		player.setPlayerId("3");
		player.setPlayerName("Oliver Khan");
		player.setPlayerPosition("GK");
		player.setPlayerAge("31");

		// Add Player
		players.add(player);

	}

	public List<Player> getPlayers() {
		return players;
	}

	public void setPlayers(List<Player> players) {
		this.players = players;
	}

	public List<Player> queryByName(String name){
		// Assumed search using the startsWith
		List<Player> queried = new ArrayList<Player>();
		for(Player player: this.players){
			if(player.getPlayerName().startsWith(name)){
				queried.add(player);
			}
		}
		return queried;
	}
}

4. The Associated Converter

PlayerConverter.java

package net.javabeat.primefaces.converter;

import javax.faces.bean.ManagedProperty;
import javax.faces.component.UIComponent;
import javax.faces.context.FacesContext;
import javax.faces.convert.Converter;
import javax.faces.convert.FacesConverter;

import net.javabeat.primefaces.data.Player;
import net.javabeat.primefaces.util.PlayerDataSource;

@FacesConverter
public class PlayerConverter implements Converter{
	@ManagedProperty("#{playerDataSource}")
	private PlayerDataSource ds;

	public PlayerDataSource getDs() {
		return ds;
	}

	public void setDs(PlayerDataSource ds) {
		this.ds = ds;
	}

	@Override
	public Object getAsObject(FacesContext context, UIComponent component,String value) {
		for(Player p : ds.getPlayers()){
			if(p.getPlayerId().equals(value)){
				return p;
			}
		}
		return null;
	}

	@Override
	public String getAsString(FacesContext context, UIComponent component,Object value) {
		if(value instanceof Player){
			Player player = (Player)value;
			return player.getPlayerId();
		}
		return "";
	}
}

5. The POJO

Player.java

package net.javabeat.primefaces.data;

public class Player {
	private String playerId;
	private String playerName;
	private String playerPosition;
	private String playerAge;

	public String getPlayerId() {
		return playerId;
	}
	public void setPlayerId(String playerId) {
		this.playerId = playerId;
	}
	public String getPlayerName() {
		return playerName;
	}
	public void setPlayerName(String playerName) {
		this.playerName = playerName;
	}
	public String getPlayerPosition() {
		return playerPosition;
	}
	public void setPlayerPosition(String playerPosition) {
		this.playerPosition = playerPosition;
	}
	public String getPlayerAge() {
		return playerAge;
	}
	public void setPlayerAge(String playerAge) {
		this.playerAge = playerAge;
	}

	public boolean equals(Object obj){
		if(obj instanceof Player){
			Player player = (Player)obj;
			if(this.playerId.equals(player.getPlayerId())){
				return true;
			}
		}
		return false;
	}

	public int hashCode(){
		return this.playerId.hashCode();
	}
}

6. Primefaces AutoComplete + completeMethod + POJO Demo

The below snapshot shows you using of autoComplete in conjunction with Pojo.