[bv-dev] ConstraintValidatorContext removes iterable nesting, bug?

[John Hendrikx]

Hi list,

I'm currently trying to use JSR-303 validation inside a project with a 
complicated hierarchical structure that needs validation.  What I find 
is that even in custom validators, the ConstraintValidatorContext is 
limiting me in what paths I can construct to indicate the proper error 
location.

For example, when my custom rule is called as part of an iteration, and 
I want to add another level of iteration in the path like so:

    .addPropertyNode("y").inIterable().atKey("z")

...it will overwrite the current iterable part of the path (allowing me 
to modify the "parent" context it looks like).  So instead of getting:

    root["x"]["z"].y

It removes the ["x"] and results in: root["z"].y which is clearly wrong.

If I add a dummy property node first, I can atleast see the root iterable:

    .addPropertyNode("$DUMMY$")
    .addPropertyNode("y").inIterable().atKey("z")

Results in: root["x"].$DUMMY$["z"].y

I also think it is a shame that nested Iterables are not supported. 
Hierarchical structures can have constructs like Map<String, List<X>> 
and currently annotating X has no effect at all.

--John