johnc: NetBeans, Web Analysis, and Random Ramblings

The errors messages that are shown for each type of validation error are controlled by the Message.properties file, which is located in the javax.faces package of jsf-impl.jar. You can view this file by expanding Libraries > Sun Java System Application Server > jsf-impl.jar > javax.faces and double-clicking Message.properties.

If you want to create custom messages for these errors, you can do so by swapping out the properties file used by the application.

1. Right-click the jAstrologer project and choose New > File/Folder. Under the Other category, select Properties File and click Next. Name the file MyMessages, put it in the src/astrologer/ui folder, and click Finish. MyProperties.properties opens in the Source Editor.
2. Copy over the following properties from Message.properties to MyProperties.properties:

   javax.faces.component.UIInput.REQUIRED={0}: Validation Error: Value is required.
   javax.faces.converter.DateTimeConverter.DATE_detail={2}: ''{0}'' could not be understood as a date. Example: {1}

3. Change the values of the properties:

   javax.faces.component.UIInput.REQUIRED=Please enter a value for this field.
   	javax.faces.converter.DateTimeConverter.DATE=Please enter a valid date. 
   javax.faces.converter.DateTimeConverter.DATE_detail=Please enter a valid date. Example: {1}

4. Open faces-config.xml (under the Configuration Files node) and enter the following inside the main faces-config element:

       ...
       <application>
           <locale-config>
               <default-locale>en</default-locale>
           </locale-config>
           <message-bundle>astrologer.ui.MyMessages</message-bundle>
       </application>
   </faces-config>

5. Right-click the application and choose Run Project. When you do not enter anything for a required field or enter a bad date format for the birthday field, the application now shows the following errors:

   

   Note that any messages that you haven't specified in your custom properties file will be taken from the default Message.properties in jsf-impl.jar. Also, you can define a CSS style for error messages and then specify that style in the message tag by doing the following:

   <h:message for="birthday" style="errorMessage" /></p>