CODEWITHSUNDEEP
jsfjsf-2date-conversionconverters
user3579358
user3579358

Reputation: 303

Converting from one String reprensation of a Date to another in JSF

In my application, I have to deal with a Date that comes as a String, formatted as yyyy-MM-dd. I can't change the underlying class. On the view, for user convenience I want it to be displayed in dd.MM.yyyy format.

From what I understand, f:convertDateTime> only works on java.util.Date, not on Strings that just pretend to be Dates. So I wrote my own converter:

@Override
public String getAsString(FacesContext context, UIComponent component, Object value) {
    try {
        SimpleDateFormat inputFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
        Date tempDate = inputFormat.parse((String) value);
        SimpleDateFormat outputFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("dd.MM.yyyy");
        return outputFormat.format(tempDate);
    }
    catch (ParseException e) {
        return null;
    }
}

This works, but it just feels wrong. Converting from a String to a date and back to a different String. Also, I like how convertDateTime deals with timezones and user locale which is completely ignored in this approach.

Is there a better solution? Like parsing a date and then passing it through f:convertDateTime?

Upvotes: 2

Views: 4792

Answers (1)

Josef E.
Josef E.

Reputation: 2219

Back end (Bean):

String string = "2014-05-14";
Date date = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd", Locale.ENGLISH).parse(string);
System.out.println(date); // Sat May 14 00:00:00 BOT 2014
setDate(date); //Set date in bean

Front end (Reference that field in bean within value):

<h:outputText value="#{bean.date}">
   <f:convertDateTime pattern="dd.MM.yyyy" timeZone="EST" type="date" />
</h:outputText>

Haven't tested it or anything... Is that kinda what you are looking for?

Documentation

Upvotes: 2

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