Can you change an annotation message at run time?

Question

I'm trying to include a dynamic message in my annotation that changes the main body of the text based on the values that are found in the other variables that are passed to it. I set a default message, but when a certain indicator is set, I want to display a different message. Is this possible?

Here's my annotation -

@Target({TYPE, ANNOTATION_TYPE})
@Retention(RUNTIME)
@Constraint(validatedBy = FieldMatchValidator.class)
@Documented
public @interface FieldMatch
{
    Class<?>[] groups() default {};
    Class<? extends Payload>[] payload() default {};
    String first();
    String second();
    String third() default "";
    String match() default "true";
    String message() default "{error.theseValuesDontMatch}";

    /**
     * Defines several <code>@FieldMatch</code> annotations on the same element
     *
     * @see FieldMatch
     */
    @Target({TYPE, ANNOTATION_TYPE})
    @Retention(RUNTIME)
    @Documented @interface List
    {
        FieldMatch[] value();
    }
}

Here's the validator class used by the annotation -

public class FieldMatchValidator implements ConstraintValidator<FieldMatch, Object>
{
    private String firstFieldName;
    private String secondFieldName;
    private String thirdFieldName;
    private String match;
    private String message;

    @Override
    public void initialize(FieldMatch constraintAnnotation)
    {
        firstFieldName = constraintAnnotation.first();
        secondFieldName = constraintAnnotation.second();
        thirdFieldName = constraintAnnotation.third();
        match = constraintAnnotation.match();
        if(match != null && !Boolean.getBoolean(match)){
            message = "error.theseValuesMustNotMatch";
        }
    }

    @Override
    public boolean isValid(final Object value, final ConstraintValidatorContext context)
    {
        try
        {
            final Object firstObj = BeanUtils.getProperty(value, firstFieldName);
            final Object secondObj = BeanUtils.getProperty(value, secondFieldName);
            final Object thirdObj = BeanUtils.getProperty(value, thirdFieldName);
            final String same = BeanUtils.getProperty(value, match);

            boolean valid = false;
            if(same != null && Boolean.getBoolean(same)){
                if("".equals(thirdObj)){
                    valid = firstObj == null && secondObj == null || firstObj != null && firstObj.equals(secondObj) ;
                }
                else{
                    valid = firstObj != null && firstObj.equals(secondObj) && firstObj.equals(thirdObj) ;   
                }
            }
            else{
                if("".equals(thirdObj)){
                    valid = firstObj == null && secondObj == null || firstObj != null && !firstObj.equals(secondObj) ;
                }
                else{
                    valid = firstObj != null && !(firstObj.equals(secondObj) && firstObj.equals(thirdObj)) ;   
                }
            }
            return valid ;
        }
        catch (final Exception ignore)
        {
            // ignore
        }
        return true;
    }
}

The piece I'm most interested in is the code that reads -

    if(match != null && !Boolean.getBoolean(match)){
        message = "password.error.theseValuesMustNotMatch";
    }

Why are you trying to do this? It would help to understand what you are trying to achieve... — DNA, May 18 '11 at 18:26
I want to avoid creating two annotations for something which could easily be accomplished with one, aside from the differing message. The difference between an annotation to check to ensure matching fields and to check to ensure non-matching fields is very small. — coder, May 18 '11 at 18:38

score 59 · Accepted Answer · answered May 19 '11 at 16:02

Here's how I was able to do this -

@Override
public void initialize(FieldMatch constraintAnnotation)
{
    firstFieldName = constraintAnnotation.first();
    secondFieldName = constraintAnnotation.second();
    thirdFieldName = constraintAnnotation.third();
    match = constraintAnnotation.match();

    //set a message variable on initialization    
    if("true".equals(match)){
        message = constraintAnnotation.message();
    }
    else{
        message = "{password.error.threeQuestionsSameAnswer}";}
}

@Override
public boolean isValid(final Object value, final ConstraintValidatorContext context)
{
    Object firstObj = null;
    Object secondObj = null;
    Object thirdObj = null;

    //disable existing violation message
    context.disableDefaultConstraintViolation();
    //build new violation message and add it
    context.buildConstraintViolationWithTemplate(message).addConstraintViolation();

etc.........
}

Can you customize the "message" only in initialize method, or you can do the same in isValid too? — Vishal Biyani, Dec 31 '12 at 02:56
@Vishal Biyani of course you can! `context.buildConstraintViolationWithTemplate("whatever").addConstraintViolation();` I just tested it, it works. — GuiRitter, Apr 16 '18 at 19:03

Can you change an annotation message at run time?

1 Answers1

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