how to define an ArrayList of objects in xml

[cyber]

I am testing my spring application, now what i want to do is define an arraylist to be used in my application.

i am trying this way but i am having errors:

<bean id="testList" class="java.util.ArrayList">
	<list>
		<value>Test</value>
		<ref bean="testViewBean"/>
	</list>
</bean>

what i want to do is like this (in java code terminology)

ArrayList testList = new ArrayList();
bean1 = new MyBean();
bean2 = new MyBean();
bean3 = new MyBean();
testList.add(bean1);
testList.add(bean2);
testList.add(bean3);

now testList will be used a parameter for one of my business class.

i am asking this because in my test i need to submit an ArrayList of MyBean() as parameter for one of my business class.

	public void testSimpleCheck() {
                ArrayList testList = (ArrayList)this.applicationContext.getBean("testList");
                for&#40;int i=0;i<testList.size&#40;&#41;;i++&#41;&#123;
                       MyBean bean = &#40;MyBean&#41; testList.get&#40;i&#41;;
                       ...........
                &#125;		
	&#125;

maybe someone can show me the proper way to do this in xml.

thanks a lot guys.

[cyber]

or guys can how can i instantiate a class whose constructor is ArrayList

example:

public class MyObjects{
    public MyObjects(ArrayList lists){
    }
}


how will i be able this to define in my xml file:

<bean id="myBean1" type="MyBean">
         .....
<bean>

<bean id="myBean2" type="MyBean">
         .....
<bean>

<bean id="myArrayList" type="java.util.ArrayList">
    <list>????
         <ref bean="myBean1"/>????
         .....
         <ref bean="myBean2"/>????
    </list>????
</bean>

<bean id="myObjects" class="MyObjects">
     <constructor-arg type="java.util.ArrayList" ref ="myArrayList"/>
</bean>

my problem is how to fill-up the myArrayList object which is of type Java.util.ArrayList

guys, please help me out. thx...

[jbetancourt]

You can make the list of objects just be a property of the object..

<bean id="myObjects"  ....... >
<property name="listOfBeans">
     <list>
         <ref bean="beanOne"/>
         <ref bean="beanTwo"/>
     </list>
</property>
</bean>

[cyber]

so you would suggest giving my class an empty constructor and put all i need as a setter or property of the class?

well , i can do that, but is there really no other way to put ArrayList as your constructor-arg or instantiate an ArrayList as one of your beans?

anyway, guys i think i should just make a setter for now, just to continue my testing and development.

thanks a lot.

any more suggestion and/or solutions is welcome.

thanks again and more power...

[jbetancourt]

You can use the same format of xml for constructor-arg too.
Though I have not done so or recall an example.

[cyber]

guys, this works.

<bean id="testList" class="java.util.ArrayList">
	<constructor-arg>
	<list>
		<ref bean="testViewBean"/>
		<ref bean="testViewBean2"/>
	</list>
	</constructor-arg>
</bean>

"keep the faith."

[incubator]

since this topic is already dealing with it, i might add to the question:

what if you do not know how many elements the arraylist will have?
example:

public class MyBean {
      private ArrayList logs;

       // getter and setter...
}
}

beans.xml:
<bean id="log" class="my.package.Log"/>
<bean id="myBean" class="my.package.MyBean">
      <property name="logs">
             <list><ref bean="log"/></list>
      </property>
</bean>

how will spring react to this? What I want it to do really is on creation of myBean during the initialisation, not to fill the array because the logs are fetched from a database with hibernate.

I'm a little confused about this

[rstearns01]

One way to load objects from a database would be to use MethodInvokingFactoryBean to call the method on your DAO.

For example:

<bean id="target" class="a.b.c.TargetBean">
    <property name="logs">
        <ref bean="logFactory"/>
    </property>
</bean>

<bean id="logFactory" class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.MethodInvokingFactoryBean">
    <property name="targetObject"/>
        <ref bean="logDao"/>
    </property>
    <property name="targetMethod" value="getLogs"/>
</bean>

where your dao (not defined) returns a list of logs.
Disclaimer: Code just typed in, not tested :shock:

HTH