JSF PrettyFaces causing a Filter Chain-'break'

Question

First, I will introduce you to my testcase before handling my question. There are a few components in my basic Maven Webapplication:

page.xhtml: Used to generate my request/reply (to initiate filtering)
Pretty Faces: Used to redefine URLs, based on needs of my client
FirstFilter: To be executed before Pretty Faces (in this stadium for testing purposes)
ThirdFilter: To be executed after Pretty Faces (in this stadium for testing purposes)
web.xml: To define the behaviour of my complete Filter Chain

I will share the code of important components.

pretty-config.xml

<url-mapping id="page">
    <pattern value="/page" />
    <view-id value="/page.xhtml" />
</url-mapping>

FirstFilter.java

@WebFilter
public class FirstFilter implements Filter {
    @Override
    public void doFilter(ServletRequest request, ServletResponse response, FilterChain chain) throws IOException, ServletException {
        System.out.println("FirstFilter, request: " + 
                ((HttpServletRequest)request).getRequestURL().toString());
        chain.doFilter(request, response);
        System.out.println("FirstFilter, response");
    }

    // override init and destroy
}

ThirdFilter.java

@WebFilter
public class ThirdFilter implements Filter {
    @Override
    public void doFilter(ServletRequest request, ServletResponse response, FilterChain chain) throws IOException, ServletException {
        System.out.println("ThirdFilter, request: " + 
                ((HttpServletRequest)request).getRequestURL().toString());
        chain.doFilter(request, response);
        System.out.println("ThirdFilter, response");
    }

    // override init and destroy
}

web.xml

<filter>
    <filter-name>FirstFilter</filter-name>
    <filter-class>nl.mhoogeveen.nl.rootapplication.FirstFilter</filter-class>
</filter>
<filter-mapping>
    <filter-name>FirstFilter</filter-name>
    <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
</filter-mapping>
<filter>
    <filter-name>Pretty Filter</filter-name>
    <filter-class>testingapplications.filterchaining.PrettyFilter</filter-class>
    <async-supported>true</async-supported>
</filter>
<filter-mapping>
    <filter-name>Pretty Filter</filter-name>
    <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
    <dispatcher>FORWARD</dispatcher>
    <dispatcher>REQUEST</dispatcher>
    <dispatcher>ERROR</dispatcher>
    <dispatcher>ASYNC</dispatcher>
</filter-mapping>
<filter>
    <filter-name>ThirdFilter</filter-name>
    <filter-class>testingapplications.filterchaining.ThirdFilter</filter-class>
</filter>
<filter-mapping>
    <filter-name>ThirdFilter</filter-name>
    <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
</filter-mapping>

Situation

Calling localhost:8080/page.xhtml (and thus not activating Pretty Faces redirection)

INFO: FirstFilter, request: http://localhost:8080/page.xhtml
INFO: ThirdFilter, request: http://localhost:8080/page.xhtml
INFO: ThirdFilter, response
INFO: FirstFilter, response

Calling localhost:8080/page (and thus activating Pretty Faces redirection)

INFO: FirstFilter, request: http://localhost:8080/page
INFO: FirstFilter, response

Question

What is causing this situation in which my chain will be incomplete? It will not be cut off as I still get my response on the FirstFilter. It just seems like it does not ever reach ThirdFilter.

Is there anything wrong with my web.xml, am I missing a dispatcher?

Thanks in advance.

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 25 '12 at 11:59

You dispatcher settings are not correct. Let me explain what happens:

The request for /page comes in and is first processed by FirstFilter. After that PrettyFaces intercepts the request and forwards it to /page.xhtml. This forwarded request is handled as a new request and therefore travels thought the filter chain again. But your filters don't have any dispatcher settings which is the same as setting <dispatcher>REQUEST</dispatcher>. In this config the filters are only applied to regular request but NOT to forwarded ones.

If you want to apply a filter also to forwarded requests, you have to add <dispatcher>FORWARD</dispatcher> to the filter configuration.

That's also the reason why you typically have to adjust the dispatcher settings for 3rd party filters like MyFaces Tomahawk / PrimeFaces, etc. See question 2 in the FAQ:

http://ocpsoft.org/prettyfaces/#section-16

Superb answer. I already thought my dispatchers were wrong, but I do know have much knowledge about the way the request ACTUALLY got handled. I was reading up on these dispatchers, but your explanation is much clearer. Thanks Chkal! — Menno, Oct 25 '12 at 12:15

JSF PrettyFaces causing a Filter Chain-'break'

1 Answers1