[richfaces-issues] [JBoss JIRA] Created: (RF-5773) Forms not working within DataTable

[Hugh Nguyen (JIRA)]

Forms not working within DataTable
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                 Key: RF-5773
                 URL: https://jira.jboss.org/jira/browse/RF-5773
             Project: RichFaces
          Issue Type: Bug
    Affects Versions: 3.3.0, 3.2.2, 3.2.1, 3.2.0.SR1, 3.2.0, 3.1.6, 3.1.5, 3.1.4, 3.1.3, 3.1.2, 3.1.1, 3.1.0, 3.0.2, 3.0.1, 3.0.0
            Reporter: Hugh Nguyen


There is a problem with form handling for forms (either a4j:form or h:form) nested within a dataTable (either rich:dataTable or h:dataTable). I've already filed a bug report with JSF for h:form case, but I realised that fixing it in the JSF implementation doesn't fix a4j case, because a4j has its own version of UIForm (UIAjaxForm).

The situation is like this:
When a form is nested within a dataTable, although there is one form component in the component tree, it's rendered into multiple instances for each of the table row. A form instance is processed by each of JSF processing phases only if it's marked as having been submitted in the Decodes phase. However, when a form instance other than the one in the last row is submitted, it's submitted flag is cleared in the iterations for later rows in the Decodes phase. Thus when JSF enter subsequent phases, the form processing is skipped, and the form data would not be available in Applications phase.

I would like to propose a solution: recheck and set the submitted flag at beginning of the later phases. Here is the one line that should go at the beginning of UIAjaxForm.mustProcessed() method:
setSubmitted(context.getExternalContext().getRequestParameterMap().containsKey(getClientId(context)));

Note that problem only surface when there is data to be updated to backing bean. Purely action forms (i.e. from that handle commandLink, commandButton, dropSupport, etc.) seem not affected, because they don't seem to need Validators and Updates phases.

Also, there is a very baffling situation: if just one field is submitted with <a4j:support ajaxSingle=true/>, then the Validators and Updates phases are processed correctly for just that field, with either <h:form> or <a4j:form>.

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