Good/Bad Practices

["Kamholz, Keith (corp-staff) USX" <kk...@moog.com>]

> Hey everyone,
> 
> I've been trying to get in the habit of using good struts programming
> practices, (without making things too hard on myself).  I have another
> question for anyone that could give me some input on it.
> 
> I'm working on a data entry application, and the user can make three
> different types of entries.  Let's call them A, B, and C.  They each have
> some form fields in common with each other, but each has a couple unique
> fields.  To add an entry, I have a separate JSP for each, and different
> action mappings for each (that all refer back to the same action class).
> This works fine.  
> 
> Now I'm working on an edit function for the entries.  I have a link within
> a <logic:iterate> tag that displays a link to an edit form.  I tried using
> one action and one JSP for the edits, but it gets very messy trying to
> allow for the different types of entries.
> 
> Is it a bad idea to use lots of different action mappings and different
> JSP's for each operation for each type of entry, even though they are
> similar and all have to perform very similar operations?  Or should I go
> to great lengths to make very complex generalized actions and JSP's that
> can handle any type of entry?  I'm not sure how understandable my question
> is, or if it's a stupid question, but I want to get this figured out
> before I spend too much more time on the 'edit' functionality.  I'm having
> some issues, and I keep redesigning the operation, so I'ld appreciate some
> input before I rewrite this shiznat too many more times.  Thanks a lot
> everyone!
> 
> 
> ~ Keith
> http://www.buffalo.edu/~kkamholz
> 

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RE: Good/Bad Practices

[Robert Taylor <rt...@mulework.com>]

I'm taking a different approach which may or may not be the best way but it
makes
sense to me.

I see Action classes and Action forms as "throw away" objects. They are not
as
reusable as business objects. I therefore try and reduce the number of those
classes that I have to create.

I try and group functionality and leverage DispatchAction. I also remove all
business logic from the Action classes which makes them simple proxies to my
business tier. In this fashion, I have more business components that can be
reused
and are easily tested and less Action classes. DispatchAction uses
reflection
to invoke the correct operation and therefore there is no messy "if else"
logic.
And because the Action class is a simple proxy, I have no business logic;
just a
call to my business service. If it fails, I propagate an exception and let
Struts decide how it is to be handled. (Explicitely in 1.0 or declaratively
in 1.1).

I also use this "one to many" relationship with the ActionForms. I tend to
place
all the input fields I need into a large form for a group of related
actions. I
use the Struts Validator to house all the simple user input validation for
my forms
and therefore there is no complex logic in my form for validation.
The fields are validated based on the action mapping. This also reduces the
number
of ActionForms I have to create. If you use DynaActionForms, then you can
almost eliminate
the number of physical forms you have to create.

This is just one approach, ultimately you have to decide what works best for
you.

Good luck.

robert

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Nichols [mailto:struts@partitionsoftware.com]
> Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2002 12:00 PM
> To: Struts Users Mailing List
> Subject: RE: Good/Bad Practices
>
>
> I prefer the more granular approach, with many actions and JSPs
> over a more
> complex and generalized approach. In my case I find that having
> single-function actions and JSPs leads to easier coding today
> (and therefore
> easier maintenance tomorrow). I can also split the work up over more
> developers, rather than "single threading" development through one complex
> action.
>
> Our intranet application has about 60 separate 'screens', each
> with its own
> action. Maybe overkill, but for a first attempt at Struts this pattern has
> made life easier by far.
>
> </mark>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Kamholz, Keith (corp-staff) USX [mailto:kkamholz@moog.com]
> > Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2002 9:32 AM
> > To: Struts (E-mail)
> > Subject: Good/Bad Practices
> >
> >
> > > Hey everyone,
> > >
> > > I've been trying to get in the habit of using good struts programming
> > > practices, (without making things too hard on myself).  I have another
> > > question for anyone that could give me some input on it.
> > >
> > > I'm working on a data entry application, and the user can make three
> > > different types of entries.  Let's call them A, B, and C.  They
> > each have
> > > some form fields in common with each other, but each has a
> couple unique
> > > fields.  To add an entry, I have a separate JSP for each, and
> different
> > > action mappings for each (that all refer back to the same
> action class).
> > > This works fine.
> > >
> > > Now I'm working on an edit function for the entries.  I have a
> > link within
> > > a <logic:iterate> tag that displays a link to an edit form.  I
> > tried using
> > > one action and one JSP for the edits, but it gets very messy trying to
> > > allow for the different types of entries.
> > >
> > > Is it a bad idea to use lots of different action mappings and
> different
> > > JSP's for each operation for each type of entry, even though they are
> > > similar and all have to perform very similar operations?  Or
> should I go
> > > to great lengths to make very complex generalized actions and
> JSP's that
> > > can handle any type of entry?  I'm not sure how understandable
> > my question
> > > is, or if it's a stupid question, but I want to get this figured out
> > > before I spend too much more time on the 'edit' functionality.
> > I'm having
> > > some issues, and I keep redesigning the operation, so I'ld
> > appreciate some
> > > input before I rewrite this shiznat too many more times.  Thanks a lot
> > > everyone!
> > >
> > >
> > > ~ Keith
> > > http://www.buffalo.edu/~kkamholz
> > >
> >
> > --
> > To unsubscribe, e-mail:
> <ma...@jakarta.apache.org>
> For additional commands, e-mail:
> <ma...@jakarta.apache.org>
>
>
>
>
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RE: Good/Bad Practices

[Mark Nichols <st...@partitionsoftware.com>]

I prefer the more granular approach, with many actions and JSPs over a more
complex and generalized approach. In my case I find that having
single-function actions and JSPs leads to easier coding today (and therefore
easier maintenance tomorrow). I can also split the work up over more
developers, rather than "single threading" development through one complex
action.

Our intranet application has about 60 separate 'screens', each with its own
action. Maybe overkill, but for a first attempt at Struts this pattern has
made life easier by far.

</mark>

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kamholz, Keith (corp-staff) USX [mailto:kkamholz@moog.com]
> Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2002 9:32 AM
> To: Struts (E-mail)
> Subject: Good/Bad Practices
>
>
> > Hey everyone,
> >
> > I've been trying to get in the habit of using good struts programming
> > practices, (without making things too hard on myself).  I have another
> > question for anyone that could give me some input on it.
> >
> > I'm working on a data entry application, and the user can make three
> > different types of entries.  Let's call them A, B, and C.  They
> each have
> > some form fields in common with each other, but each has a couple unique
> > fields.  To add an entry, I have a separate JSP for each, and different
> > action mappings for each (that all refer back to the same action class).
> > This works fine.
> >
> > Now I'm working on an edit function for the entries.  I have a
> link within
> > a <logic:iterate> tag that displays a link to an edit form.  I
> tried using
> > one action and one JSP for the edits, but it gets very messy trying to
> > allow for the different types of entries.
> >
> > Is it a bad idea to use lots of different action mappings and different
> > JSP's for each operation for each type of entry, even though they are
> > similar and all have to perform very similar operations?  Or should I go
> > to great lengths to make very complex generalized actions and JSP's that
> > can handle any type of entry?  I'm not sure how understandable
> my question
> > is, or if it's a stupid question, but I want to get this figured out
> > before I spend too much more time on the 'edit' functionality.
> I'm having
> > some issues, and I keep redesigning the operation, so I'ld
> appreciate some
> > input before I rewrite this shiznat too many more times.  Thanks a lot
> > everyone!
> >
> >
> > ~ Keith
> > http://www.buffalo.edu/~kkamholz
> >
>
> --
> To unsubscribe, e-mail:
<ma...@jakarta.apache.org>
For additional commands, e-mail:
<ma...@jakarta.apache.org>




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