If we need a list of all Person
instance in the database, we can use a Query object. For example:
<framework:entity-query name="people"
ejbql="select p from Person p"/>
We can use it from a JSF page:
<h1>List of people</h1>
<h:dataTable value="#{people.resultList}" var="person">
<h:column>
<s:link view="/editPerson.jsp" value="#{person.firstName} #{person.lastName}">
<f:param name="personId" value="#{person.id}"/>
</s:link>
</h:column>
</h:dataTable>
We probably need to support pagination:
<framework:entity-query name="people"
ejbql="select p from Person p"
order="lastName"
max-results="20"/>
We'll use a page parameter to determine the page to display:
<pages>
<page view-id="/searchPerson.jsp">
<param name="firstResult" value="#{people.firstResult}"/>
</page>
</pages>
The JSF code for a pagination control is a bit verbose, but manageable:
<h1>Search for people</h1>
<h:dataTable value="#{people.resultList}" var="person">
<h:column>
<s:link view="/editPerson.jsp" value="#{person.firstName} #{person.lastName}">
<f:param name="personId" value="#{person.id}"/>
</s:link>
</h:column>
</h:dataTable>
<s:link view="/search.xhtml" rendered="#{people.previousExists}" value="First Page">
<f:param name="firstResult" value="0"/>
</s:link>
<s:link view="/search.xhtml" rendered="#{people.previousExists}" value="Previous Page">
<f:param name="firstResult" value="#{people.previousFirstResult}"/>
</s:link>
<s:link view="/search.xhtml" rendered="#{people.nextExists}" value="Next Page">
<f:param name="firstResult" value="#{people.nextFirstResult}"/>
</s:link>
<s:link view="/search.xhtml" rendered="#{people.nextExists}" value="Last Page">
<f:param name="firstResult" value="#{people.lastFirstResult}"/>
</s:link>
Real search screens let the user enter a bunch of optional search criteria to narrow the list of results returned. The Query object lets you specify optional "restrictions" to support this important usecase:
<component name="examplePerson" class="Person"/>
<framework:entity-query name="people"
ejbql="select p from Person p"
order="lastName"
max-results="20">
<framework:restrictions>
<value>lower(firstName) like lower( #{examplePerson.firstName} + '%' )</value>
<value>lower(lastName) like lower( #{examplePerson.lastName} + '%' )</value>
</framework:restrictions>
</framework:entity-query>
Notice the use of an "example" object.
<h1>Search for people</h1>
<h:form>
<div>First name: <h:inputText value="#{examplePerson.firstName}"/></div>
<div>Last name: <h:inputText value="#{examplePerson.lastName}"/></div>
<div><h:commandButton value="Search" action="/search.jsp"/></div>
</h:form>
<h:dataTable value="#{people.resultList}" var="person">
<h:column>
<s:link view="/editPerson.jsp" value="#{person.firstName} #{person.lastName}">
<f:param name="personId" value="#{person.id}"/>
</s:link>
</h:column>
</h:dataTable>
The examples in this section have all shown reuse by configuration. However, reuse by extension is equally possible for Query objects.