Binding a Simple Component to an Enterprise JavaBean Method

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When you bind a simple component to an Enterprise JavaBean component (enterprise bean), you create a connection between the component and the enterprise bean method. Simple components display one value at a time. For easiest data binding, use components from the Basic category of the Palette, such as Button or Hyperlink.

After you add the Enterprise JavaBean component (enterprise bean) to the IDE and to the page, you can call an enterprise bean method by using either of the following techniques:

• Bind a method to a component. You can use this technique to view the results of the method, but you cannot update it. You do not need to write any Java code.
   
  
• Call the method in your Java code. You can use this technique to view or update the enterprise bean.
   
  

The examples in the following procedures describe how to call the same method using both techniques.

To bind a simple component to a method:

1. If the enterprise bean is not part of the IDE, add the enterprise bean to the IDE.
    
   
2. Drag and drop the method onto the component.
    
   
3. Right-click the component and choose Bind to Data.
    
   
4. In the Bind to Data dialog box, click the Bind to Data Provider tab.
    
   
5. Choose the method?s data provider.
    
   
6. Select the data field to display in the component.
    
   For example, consider the following scenario. You want to use the getPersons method of the TravelEJB to display the first person?s name in a static text field.
   1. Add the TravelEJB shipped with the IDE.
       
      
   2. Drag the Basic > Static Text component to the page.
       
      
   3. Drag the getPersons method onto the static text field.
       
      
   4. Right-click the static text and choose Bind to Data.
       
      
   5. Select name from the data field list.
       
      
   
    
   

To call a method in your Java code:

1. If the enterprise bean is not part of the IDE, add the enterprise bean to the IDE.
    
   
2. If the enterprise bean has not been added to the page, drag it to the Visual Designer.
    
   
3. If desired, select a method to see its properties in the Properties window.
    
   
4. Call the method in your Java code.
    
   For example, consider the following scenario. You want to use the getPersons method of TravelEJB to display the first person?s name in a static text field.
    
   
1. Drag the Basic > Static Text component to the page.
    
   
2. Drag the getPersons method of TravelEJB to the page.
    
   
3. Go to the Page1.java source code by selecting the Java tab.
    
   
4. In the prerender() method, enter the following code:
    
   

try {

      staticText1.setValue( travelClient1.getPersons()[0].getName() );

 } catch (Exception e) {

     log("Page1 Initialization Failure", e);

     throw e instanceof FacesException ? (FacesException) e: new FacesException(e);

 }

See Also

About Enteprise JavaBean Components

Adding a Set of Enterprise JavaBean Components to the IDE

About the Projects and Files Windows

About the Java Editor