Using MVC type conversion for path variable and returning 404 on null parameter - spring

Question

My controller. Note the custom #Exists annotation:
#RestController
public class ClientApiController {
#RequestMapping(path = "/{client}/someaction", method = RequestMethod.GET)
String handleRequest(#Exists Client client) {
// ...
}
}
The Exists annotation:
/**
* Indicates that a controller request mapping method parametet should not be
* null. This is meant to be used on model types to indicate a required entity.
*/
#Target(ElementType.PARAMETER)
#Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
#Documented
public #interface Exists {}
The converter which converts the String from the path variable into a Client instance:
#Component
public class StringToClient implements Converter<String, Client> {
#Autowired
private ClientDAO clientDAO;
#Override
public Client convert(String source) {
return clientDAO.getClientById(source);
}
}
The ResourceNotFoundException exception used to trigger a 404
#ResponseStatus(value = HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND)
public class ResourceNotFoundException extends RuntimeException {
}
My controller method receives the converted Client as desired. If the client id used in the URL matches a client, everything works fine. If the id doesn't match, the client parameter is null empty (uses default constructor) in the handle() controller method.
What I can't get to work now is declarative checking that the Client is not null (i.e. that the id refers to an existing client). If it's null, a ResourceNotFoundException should be thrown. Checking whether the argument is null in the method body and throwing my custom ResourceNotFoundException is easy to do, but repetitive (like this one does). Also, this declarative approach should work for all model classes implementing the interface ModelWithId so it can be used for multiple model types.
I've searched the Spring documentation and I haven't found how to achieve this. I need to insert some processing somewhere after type conversion and before the controller's handleRequest method.
I'm using Spring Boot 1.3.3

Answer 1

After type conversion and before the controller's method there is a validation. You can implement custom validator and raise exception in it. Add new validator to DataBinder, and mark method's parameter as #Validated:
#RestController
public class ClientApiController {
#InitBinder
public void initBinder(DataBinder binder){
binder.addValidators(new Validator() {
#Override
public boolean supports(Class<?> aClass) {
return aClass==Client.class;
}
#Override
public void validate(Object o, Errors errors) {
Client client = (Client)o;
if(client.getId()==null) throw new ResourceNotFoundException();
}
});
}
#RequestMapping(path = "/{client}/someaction", method = RequestMethod.GET)
String handleRequest(#Validated #Exists Client client) {
// ...
}
#RequestMapping(path = "/{client}/anotheraction", method = RequestMethod.GET)
String handleAnotherRequest(#Validated #Exists Client client) {
// ...
}
}
Of course, you can declare validator as separate class, and use it repeatedly in other controllers. Actually, you can raise exception right in your converter, but there is possibility, that you'll need the conversion without exception in other places of your application.