Bean collection propertie from properties file

[TobyMC]

Hello,

I'm currently converting over our spring config file to use the context property placeholder to populate the bean properties from a properties file. eg :

<contextroperty-placeholder location="classpath:spring.properties" />

<bean id="dataSource" class="com.mchange.v2.c3p0.ComboPooledDataSource" destroy-method="close">
<property name="driverClass" value="${db.class}"/>
....


A few of the beans have properties that are collections, (mostly List<String>). These were previously configured via the xml collection markup <value>blah1</value><value>blah2</value><value>blah3</value>.

I've tried putting the xml into the properties file using the normal method, but I believe this means that it skips the phase during startup where the xml is converted to a list.

Does anyone know a way to set collection properties on beans via a properties file?

Many thanks in advance!

p.s sorry for the typo in the subject!

[TobyMC]

So I guess no-one knows a way to do this? I've been looking everywhere to no avail.. maybe I need to add a JIRA request or something?

[Andreas Senft]

Afaik there is no out-of-the-box utility for collection handling.
I think you have to create your own BeanPostProcessor that allows this.
You need to define a format however, that can provide a value collection out of properties.

Possible examples:

collection.1=val1
collection.2=val2
collection.3=val3

or

collection=val1;val2;val3

[gymper11]

What I always do is have the property be a comma separated string. Then my bean setter method takes a string, but the getter returns a List<String>

A-like so:

public List<String> getSeedEmails() {
return seedEmails;
}


public void setSeedEmails(String seedEmails) {
String[] emails = seedEmails.split(",");
this.seedEmails = Arrays.asList(emails);
}