JSR-303 validation groups define the default group

Question

I have a bean that has many fields annotated with JSR-303 validation annotations. Now a new requirement arises that one of the fields is required, but only under certain conditions.

I looked around and found what I needed, verification teams.

This is what I have now:

public interface ValidatedOnCreationOnly { } @NotNull(groups = ValidatedOnCreationOnly.class) private String employerId; @Length(max = 255) @NotNull private String firstName; @Length(max = 255) @NotNull private String lastName; 

However, when I run this check in unit test:

 @Test public void testEmployerIdCanOnlyBeSetWhenCreating() { EmployeeDTO dto = new EmployeeDTO(); ValidatorFactory vf = Validation.buildDefaultValidatorFactory(); Set<ConstraintViolation<EmployeeDTO>> violations = vf.getValidator().validate(dto, EmployeeDTO.ValidatedOnCreationOnly.class); assertEquals(violations.size(), 3); } 

It turns out that all annotated non-group checks are ignored, and I get only 1 violation.

I can understand this behavior, but I would like to know if there is a way to get the group to include all non-annotated parameters. If not, I will have to do something like this:

 public interface AlwaysValidated { } public interface ValidatedOnCreationOnly extends AlwaysValidated { } @NotNull(groups = ValidatedOnCreationOnly.class) private String employerId; @Length(max = 255, groups = AlwaysValidated.class) @NotNull(groups = AlwaysValidated.class) private String firstName; @Length(max = 255, groups = AlwaysValidated.class) @NotNull(groups = AlwaysValidated.class) private String lastName; 

The real class I'm working with has a lot more fields (about 20), so this method turns what was an explicit way to show validations into a big mess.

Can someone tell me if there is a better way? Maybe something like:

 vf.getValidator().validate(dto, EmployeeDTO.ValidatedOnCreationOnly.class, NonGroupSpecific.class); 

I use this in a spring project, so if spring has a different way, I will be happy to know.

Answer 1

There is a Default group in javax.validation.groups.Default , which is the default Bean Validation group. If the list of groups is not explicitly defined:

• Limitations
• belong to the Default group
• validation applies to the Default group

You can expand this group:

 public interface ValidatedOnCreationOnly extends Default {} 

Answer 2

just wanted to add more:

if you use spring framework you can use org.springframework.validation.Validator

 @Autowired private Validator validator; 

and perform a manual check:

 validator.validate(myObject, ValidationErrorsToException.getInstance()); 

and in the controller:

 @RequestMapping(method = RequestMethod.POST) public Callable<ResultObject> post(@RequestBody @Validated(MyObject.CustomGroup.class) MyObject request) { // logic } 

although this way the extension from javax.validation.groups.Default will not work, so you need to include Default.class in the groups:

 class MyObject { @NotNull(groups = {Default.class, CustomGroup.class}) private String id; public interface CustomGroup extends Default {} }