Editing a ValueProxy on an EntityProxy

[RyanD]

I'm missing something basic here. Given File EntityProxy, and
FileData ValueProxy, I've tried several combinations such as:

----
File file = req.edit(existingFile);
file.getData().setTextData("something");
req.persist().using(file).fire(...);

and

File file = req.edit(existingFile);
FileData data = req.edit(existingFile.getData());
data.setTextData("something");
req.persist().using(file).fire(...);

and

File file = req.edit(existingFile);
FileData data = req.create(FileData.class);
data.setTextData("something");
file.setData(data);
req.persist().using(file).fire(...);
----

None of these will update the FileData ValueProxy on the existing File
object. On the server side the setter just receives a FileData
instance with a null property value for getTextData().

- Logging shows that persist() is being called as expected
- No exceptions thrown for any technique
- FileData implements hashCode and equals()
- file.setData(...) is being called on the server, and it is being
passed an instance of FileData, however the text property is always
null
- I am able to edit other non-ValueProxy properties on the File object
successfully, so it doesn't appear to be a problem with the process as
a whole

Any idea what I'm missing (is there a correct example out there)?

Thanks,

Ryan

[SrArcos]

Hi,

Can you post the entity code? "data" is a basic value, or another
related entity?

[Thomas Broyer]

It's possible that the setData is called before the FileData's setTextData is called; have you checked the value of TextData from within the persist() method?

[RyanD]

SrArcos: FileData is a simple ValueProxy. It is just a wrapper
around a potentially large String so I can easily include / exclude it
from certain requests.

Thomas: I retried the first scenario (above) with additional logging:

- First: file.setData(..) is called first by GWT. It is passed an
instance of FileData.
- Second: fileData.setTextData(...) is called by GWT on the instance
it just passed to file.setData(..). However setTextData is passed a
null String value.

For testing purposes on the client side I'm truly just setting a plain
String value of "something".

So it's odd, but GWT server side seems to be going through the motions
of setting the ValueProxy -- but it's setting it with a null String.

I'll presume that my first example is a valid approach for future
tests.. Any ideas on what to test or log next?

Thanks,

Ryan

[Thomas Broyer]

On Sunday, January 23, 2011 5:53:46 PM UTC+1, RyanD wrote:

SrArcos:  FileData is a simple ValueProxy.  It is just a wrapper
around a potentially large String so I can easily include / exclude it
from certain requests.

Depending on the exact use case, note that you can also do this by listing in a .with() all properties you do want (excluding the "potentially large String" property when not needed). If you're using the Editor framework, it's a no-brainer: just use the RequestFactoryEditorDriver's getPaths() method.

 

Thomas:  I retried the first scenario (above) with additional logging:

- First: file.setData(..) is called first by GWT.  It is passed an
instance of FileData.
- Second: fileData.setTextData(...) is called by GWT on the instance
it just passed to file.setData(..).  However setTextData is passed a
null String value.

I believe you have to .edit() the FileData, as in the second scenario.

[RyanD]

> I believe you have to .edit() the FileData, as in the second scenario.

Tried that -- produces the same null result via logging. Not sure
what's going on here. I may push forward with your second suggestion
and ditch the ValueProxy for now. Perhaps by the time I truly need a
ValueProxy there will be an example or insight into why this isn't
working. Thanks for your thoughts.

Ryan

[Thomas Broyer]

We do use ValueProxy-s and I believe they work (my co-workers would have blamed me otherwise, as I'm the one who pushed for the switch between GWT-RPC and RequestFactory).

Do you see the "something" string (should be something like {"textData":"something"}) in the payload sent by the browser? (use Firebug or similar)

[RyanD]

Here is the payload from both the 1st approach and the 2nd approach
(they were identical payloads):

{"O":[{"C":5,"T":"x.x.FileDataProxy","R":"1"},
{"O":"UPDATE","T":"x.x.FileProxy","S":"Ii1EWVRoRUVfU2VxWGVvX09mTU5jT1E6TXRGSlVuNG1UN3VDUW51WlY2djJjQSI=","V":"IjEyOTU3NjU3NDkyNDIi"}],"I":
[null],"S":[true]}

So it seems like it has both objects in the payload as expected.. but
no "something" value.

Ryan

[Thomas Broyer]

Looking at AbstractRequestContext, it looks like you don't have to explicitly .edit() ValueProxy-s if you .edit()ed the containing EntityProxy (or ValueProxy), so scenarios 1 and 2 would be identical (and req.edit(file.getData() should be == file.getData()).

As SrArcos already asked, could you show us the code of your proxies?

[RyanD]

Absolutely:

---
@ProxyFor(File.class)
public interface FileProxy extends EntityBaseProxy{
public String getPath();
public void setPath(String path);
public String getContentType();
public DefinitionFileDataProxy getData();
public void setData(DefinitionFileDataProxy data);
}

@ProxyFor(FileData.class)
public interface FileDataProxy extends ValueProxy {
public String getTextData();
public void setTextData(String textData);
}
---

As mentioned, I am able to successfully "edit" other properties such
as "File.path" clear through to server side, which is why I'm focusing
on the ValueProxy.

Anything useful gleaned there?

Thanks,

Ryan

[RyanD]

Oh, and EntityBaseProxy is simply the following at the moment:

public interface EntityBaseProxy extends EntityProxy {
public String getId();

[Y2i]

What is the difference between FileDataProxy and DefinitionFileDataProxy?  FileProxy doesn't have anything that works with FileDataProxy.

[RyanD]

Apologies for the confusion. I was originally retyping some of this
to make the example shorter / simpler.

So yes, the correct example proxy is:

public FileDataProxy getData();
public void setData(FileDataProxy data);

(On my end these classes are all prefixed with "Definition").

[Y2i]

It might not help, but may be you can try this code?

File file = req.edit(existingFile);

FileData data = file.getData(); 
data.setTextData("something"); 

file.setData(data);
req.persist().using(file).fire(...); 

[RyanD]

OK, I tried that. Unfortunately it produces the same payload as the
other examples.

Interesting:

I tried not setting any properties on the File object whatsoever.

Simply:

File file = req.edit(existingFile);
req.persist().using(file).fire(...);

And this also produces the same payload as all of our "setData"
examples.

So it appears that from GWT's standpoint, all of our approaches have
been no-op's.

Ryan

[Smithimage]

Hi there RyanD!

Did you find a solution to this problem?

I am in a similar predicament.. I also try to persist a large string on a EntityProxy (not using a valueproxy though) and I also get only null values on the server side when the persist method is called..

Best regards!