Showing the JSF Error Messages - css

Question

I am using JSF Myfaces Impl 1.2 without tomahawk and other libs :
I am using different styles + images to show JSF Error messages, find below a sample.
<h:panelGroup rendered="${adminBean.showErrorIcon==2}">
<table width="375" align="center" class="InfoMsg" border="1"
cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr>
<td>
<table width="375" align="center" class="InfoMsg" border="0">
<tr>
<td width="50"><img src="static/images/info_icon.gif"
width="40" height="40" border="0" /></td>
<td width="325" align="left"><h:messages layout="table"
errorClass="InfoMsg" /></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
Based on the int variable of the Backing Bean , I am displaying a diff image and the corresponding FacesMessage(s) in the screen - only 2 cases - error or an information.
I am using the below code to set the variable of the Backing Bean
//Checking if there are messages!
log.debug("Checking if there are messages to be shown ]");
if(getShowErrorIcon()==99){//Set only if the value is still the default :
log.debug("getShowErrorIcon was DEFAULT - Changing it ]");
Iterator<FacesMessage> messages = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getMessages();
if(messages != null && getShowErrorIcon()==99){//Set Error/Info for messages that are not added here :
while(messages.hasNext()){
log.debug("There are ***messages***");
FacesMessage aMessage =(FacesMessage) messages.next();
if(aMessage.getSeverity().compareTo(FacesMessage.SEVERITY_ERROR)==0){
setShowErrorIcon(1);
break;//just once is enough
}
if(aMessage.getSeverity().compareTo(FacesMessage.SEVERITY_INFO)==0){
setShowErrorIcon(2);
break;
}
}
}
}//if it is not default, then something has been set already, why again?
Now the problem I have is , There are FacesMessage(s) that are added by the MyFacesImpl - like the required=true and the custom validator messages which are added during PROCESS_VALIDATION Phase, These are not shown in the screen since my integer variable of the Backing Bean is not set , and since the INVOKE_APPLICATION Phase was not called (and that means the above code was not called!!!)
How do I resolve this? Or Whats the best way / Where's the best place to place the above checking code ?
Appreciate your help.Thanks!

Answer 1

I'm not sure, but this all look like unnecessarily overcomplicated. To change icons/styles based on the message severity, just make use of the CSS powers. You can specify different CSS classes based on message severity using infoClass and errorClass attributes of the <h:messages> and you can specify the icons as CSS background image.
JSF:
<h:messages id="messages" layout="table" infoClass="info" errorClass="error" />
CSS:
#messages .info td {
background: url('info.gif') no-repeat left center;
padding-left: 15px;
}
#messages .error td {
background: url('error.gif') no-repeat left center;
padding-left: 15px;
}
The <h:messages layout="table"> itself already renders a HTML <table>. I think the whole table around it is unnecessary as well. Just apply styles accordingly the usual CSS way.
#messages {
width: 375px;
margin: 0 auto;
border: 1px black solid;
border-collapse: collapse;
}
See also:
W3schools CSS tutorial/reference
CSStutorial.net CSS tutorial
Update: as per the comments, you're looking for something like this:
<h:messages layout="table" styleClass="messages info" infoClass="info" errorClass="error" />
<h:messages layout="table" styleClass="messages error" infoClass="info" errorClass="error" />
with CSS:
.messages {
width: 375px;
margin: 0 auto;
border-collapse: collapse;
border: 1px black solid;
}
.messages.info {
background: url('info.gif') no-repeat left center;
}
.messages.error {
background: url('error.gif') no-repeat left center;
}
.messages.info tr.error, .messages.error tr.info {
display: none;
}
.messages td {
padding-left: 15px;
}
This shows two separate message tables, one for info and other for error messages, each with a single icon on the left center.