I have a restriction so there could be no more than
ConfigurationHolder.config.support.reminder.web.person.max
object stored.
I didn't find how to add a validator which doesn't relate on particular property. So for now I implemented it in this way. Do you guys have any ideas how to make it better?
package support.reminder.web
import org.codehaus.groovy.grails.commons.ConfigurationHolder;
class Person {
String firstName
String lastName
String email
Date lastDutyDate
static constraints = {
firstName(blank: false)
lastName(blank: false)
email(blank: false, email: true)
lastDutyDate(nullable: true)
id validator: {val ->
if (val)
Person.count() <= ConfigurationHolder.config.support.reminder.web.person.max
else
Person.count() < ConfigurationHolder.config.support.reminder.web.person.max
}
}
String toString() {
"[$firstName $lastName, $email, $lastDutyDate]"
}
}
You can use the Grails Custom Constraints Plugin to manage your validation implementation. Then you can call your own constraint just like the predefined Grails constraints:
package support.reminder.web
import org.codehaus.groovy.grails.commons.ConfigurationHolder as CH
class Person {
String firstName
String lastName
String email
Date lastDutyDate
static constraints = {
firstName(blank: false)
lastName(blank: false)
email(blank: false, email: true)
lastDutyDate(nullable: true)
id(maxRows: CH.config.support.reminder.web.person.max)
}
}
Alternatively, if you don't want to rely on 3rd Party Plugins you can implement the logic of your custom validator within a Service method but call it from the custom validator in the Domain:
package support.reminder.web
import org.codehaus.groovy.grails.commons.ConfigurationHolder as CH
class Person {
def validationService
String firstName
String lastName
String email
Date lastDutyDate
static constraints = {
firstName(blank: false)
lastName(blank: false)
email(blank: false, email: true)
lastDutyDate(nullable: true)
id (validator: {val ->
validationService.validateMaxRows(val, CH.config.support.reminder.web.person.max)
}
}
}
I don't have a better idea, but I do suggest that maybe you need to check for < not <=. I think that when validating your object, it has not yet been stored in the DB, so it will not be included in Person.count(). I reckon that <= would cause it to pass the validation then be saved, then you would be violating the rule.
I recommend you using a service function, like personService.addPerson(). Then check the constraint before you save a new object. It will benefit if you get more complicated constraint, such as when it related many domain objects, for example.
The use of a validator for restricting the number of object is actually not very good if concerning about the meaning of validator: the object is valid, only the number of objects is too large.
In short: the logical code goes to the service.