Validator not being called

[stajo917]

Hi,

I'm having some difficulties with Spring MVC 3 annotated @Controller.

My controller looks like:

    @Controller
    @RequestMapping("/da/search")
    public class SearchController {

    @Autowired
    @Qualifier("searchFormValidator")
    private Validator searchFormValidator;


    @InitBinder("searchForm")
    public void initBinder(WebDataBinder binder) {
    	// allowed fields (to prevent malicious users posting additional 
    	binder.setAllowedFields(SearchForm.getAllowedFields());
    	
    	// set required fields
    	binder.setRequiredFields(SearchForm.getRequiredFields());
    	
    	// set date format binding
    	DateFormat df = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
    	binder.registerCustomEditor(Date.class, new CustomDateEditor(df, false));
    	
    	// set timeperiod binding
    	binder.registerCustomEditor(TimePeriod.class, new TimePeriodEditor());

    	// set validator to use for logical errors
    	binder.setValidator(searchFormValidator);
    }


    @RequestMapping(method=RequestMethod.GET)
    public String initSearch(Model model) {
    	SearchForm searchForm = new SearchForm();
    	searchForm.setPeriod(TimePeriod.LATEST);
    	model.addAttribute("searchForm", searchForm);
    	return "search";
    }


    @RequestMapping(method=RequestMethod.POST)
    public String performSearch(@ModelAttribute("searchForm") SearchForm searchForm, BindingResult result) {
		
		if (result.hasErrors()) {
                        .
                        .

		}
		return "search";
    }

The validator is autowired and defined in my application-context.xml.

When I debug I can see that initBinder is called for when I call /da/search.do with HTTP GET. Also, the supports-method of my Validator is called.

When I submit the form (HTTP POST) initBinder is called and also supports but not validate on my validator... shouldn't it be called as well? Or do I have to invoke myself? If so, why would I bother to use the "setValidator" in initBinder-method?