PROPOSAL: Struts Service interface?

[Bill Boland <bo...@mediaone.net>]

Hello all. 

I'm just getting to know Struts so please bear with me. I'm at this
dangerous point where I think I understand it and yet there's so much to
read and learn that it's gonna take me a while to feel confident. It's
nice to see a very active user and developer mailing list. Ted.your web
site has so much stuff. Thanks.

It is hard to know where to begin.

As I have looks at Struts, the framework that is provided is very
powerful (kudos to you all). The sequence of operations embedded in the
ActionServlet.process() method are at the heart of the logic that makes
this powerful. I'm looking for a way to extend or plug in additional
dynamic services to that sequence of operations without subclassing and
rewriting that method. For example, there have been contributors
suggesting security and exception handling capabilities (very worthwhile
and valuable services) that seems to require changes to the
ActionServlet. It would be nice to register one or more services with
the ActionServlet that confirm to a service interface that invoke
appropriate methods at each service point in the "process". This may
allow more pluggable services (security, etc.) to an existing web
application. Even some of the existing process points could be
transformed into services (form service, response service) to allow
those concerns to be extended or replaced.

Obviously, the ActionServlet base class would have to be modified to
allow for dynamic service support. I guess I'm querying to see if anyone
has had similar thoughts or has already implemented this kind of
generalized service support in Struts or is planning it for a release.
I'm willing to give it a shot but I'd rather reuse any valuable insight
or work that this group has already mustered. Thanks.


Bill Boland
Bill.boland@enhansiv.com

Re: PROPOSAL: Struts Service interface?

[Oleg V Alexeev <go...@penza.net>]

Hello Bill,

Take a look to the contrib directory in struts project. It contains
ServiceManager subproject. Half year ago I start to work under it,
prepare initial version and post it to the community. Last month I try
to refactor my old code, and improve core functions.

I am ready to listen all ideas about it.

Friday, November 02, 2001, 6:21:06 PM, you wrote:

BB> Hello all. 

BB> I'm just getting to know Struts so please bear with me. I'm at this
BB> dangerous point where I think I understand it and yet there's so much to
BB> read and learn that it's gonna take me a while to feel confident. It's
BB> nice to see a very active user and developer mailing list. Ted.your web
BB> site has so much stuff. Thanks.

BB> It is hard to know where to begin.

BB> As I have looks at Struts, the framework that is provided is very
BB> powerful (kudos to you all). The sequence of operations embedded in the
BB> ActionServlet.process() method are at the heart of the logic that makes
BB> this powerful. I'm looking for a way to extend or plug in additional
BB> dynamic services to that sequence of operations without subclassing and
BB> rewriting that method. For example, there have been contributors
BB> suggesting security and exception handling capabilities (very worthwhile
BB> and valuable services) that seems to require changes to the
BB> ActionServlet. It would be nice to register one or more services with
BB> the ActionServlet that confirm to a service interface that invoke
BB> appropriate methods at each service point in the "process". This may
BB> allow more pluggable services (security, etc.) to an existing web
BB> application. Even some of the existing process points could be
BB> transformed into services (form service, response service) to allow
BB> those concerns to be extended or replaced.

BB> Obviously, the ActionServlet base class would have to be modified to
BB> allow for dynamic service support. I guess I'm querying to see if anyone
BB> has had similar thoughts or has already implemented this kind of
BB> generalized service support in Struts or is planning it for a release.
BB> I'm willing to give it a shot but I'd rather reuse any valuable insight
BB> or work that this group has already mustered. Thanks.


BB> Bill Boland
BB> Bill.boland@enhansiv.com





-- 
Best regards,
 Oleg                            mailto:gonza@penza.net



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Re: PROPOSAL: Struts Service interface?

[Ted Husted <hu...@apache.org>]

Right now, some of these things are being addressed by two initiatives.
This is not to say these are the only possible solutions, simply what
people have already started. I personally think both solutions are quite
good, and any help anyone can offer would be appreciated.

First, there is Oleg's service manager, which could be used to plug in
things like the Validator without loading another servlet or subclassing
ActionServlet. As Oleg mentioned, the current work is in the contrib
folder of the nightly build.

Second, there is Craig's workflow package. This could help with a number
of the multi-request sequencing (workflows) that people stuggle with
now. There is some background on this here:

http://jakarta.apache.org/struts/proposal-workflow.html

The code repository is over in the Commons sandbox right now. I also
worked the workflow demo into the Struts-Simple application (which is no
longer that simple ;-). 

http://husted.com/struts/resources/struts-simple.zip

Here, I think the next step is working on loading multiple Activities
into the Registyr. 

-- Ted Husted, Husted dot Com, Fairport NY USA.
-- Custom Software ~ Technical Services.
-- Tel +1 716 737-3463
-- http://www.husted.com/struts/


Bill Boland wrote:
> 
> Hello all.
> 
> I'm just getting to know Struts so please bear with me. I'm at this
> dangerous point where I think I understand it and yet there's so much to
> read and learn that it's gonna take me a while to feel confident. It's
> nice to see a very active user and developer mailing list. Ted.your web
> site has so much stuff. Thanks.
> 
> It is hard to know where to begin.
> 
> As I have looks at Struts, the framework that is provided is very
> powerful (kudos to you all). The sequence of operations embedded in the
> ActionServlet.process() method are at the heart of the logic that makes
> this powerful. I'm looking for a way to extend or plug in additional
> dynamic services to that sequence of operations without subclassing and
> rewriting that method. For example, there have been contributors
> suggesting security and exception handling capabilities (very worthwhile
> and valuable services) that seems to require changes to the
> ActionServlet. It would be nice to register one or more services with
> the ActionServlet that confirm to a service interface that invoke
> appropriate methods at each service point in the "process". This may
> allow more pluggable services (security, etc.) to an existing web
> application. Even some of the existing process points could be
> transformed into services (form service, response service) to allow
> those concerns to be extended or replaced.
> 
> Obviously, the ActionServlet base class would have to be modified to
> allow for dynamic service support. I guess I'm querying to see if anyone
> has had similar thoughts or has already implemented this kind of
> generalized service support in Struts or is planning it for a release.
> I'm willing to give it a shot but I'd rather reuse any valuable insight
> or work that this group has already mustered. Thanks.
> 
> Bill Boland
> Bill.boland@enhansiv.com

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