GWT JSR303 Validation, validate method OR use custom annotations - validation

Question

I'm trying to use GWT's 2.5 in-build validation feature. I have a few complex validations.
Cross field validation with Hibernate Validator (JSR 303) suggests that I could either include methods which do the validation OR write my own annotations. However, both don't work.
public class PageData extends Serializable
#NotNull(message="Cannot be null!")
Boolean value
#AssertTrue(message="isValid() is false!")
private boolean isValid() {
return false;
}
//Getters and Setters
}
Boolean value is validated. However, isValid() is never called/validated. But why?
Is this a GWt specific problem?
Then I tried to write my own annotation, The #FieldMatch example in Cross field validation with Hibernate Validator (JSR 303) uses Beans.getProperty() from Apache Commons BeanUtils, which I cannot use in GWT. Is there any way to make these kind of complex annotations work in GWT?

Answer 1

Here is how I created a custom validation that works across multiple fields of one bean. It checks that when the field ContactProfile for a Contact bean is set to COMPANY, then company name must be filled out, otherwise when set to PERSON, the first name or last name must be filled out :
Annotation definition :
#Target({ ElementType.TYPE })
#Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
#Constraint(validatedBy = ValidCompanyOrPersonValidator.class)
public #interface ValidCompanyOrPerson {
String message() default "{contact.validcompanyorperson}";
Class<?>[] groups() default {};
Class<? extends Contact>[] payload() default {};
}
Implementation :
public class ValidCompanyOrPersonValidator implements ConstraintValidator<ValidCompanyOrPerson, Contact> {
ValidCompanyOrPerson annotation;
public void initialize(ValidCompanyOrPerson annotation) {
this.annotation = annotation;
}
#SuppressWarnings("nls")
public boolean isValid(Contact contact, ConstraintValidatorContext context) {
boolean ret = false;
if (contact.getContactProfile() == null) {
} else if (contact.getContactProfile().equals(ContactProfile.COMPANY)) {
ret = (contact.getCompanyName() != null);
} else if (contact.getContactProfile().equals(ContactProfile.PERSON)) {
ret = (contact.getGivenName() != null || contact.getFamilyName() != null);
}
return ret;
}
}
Now I can set
#ValidCompanyOrPerson
public class Contact {
...
}
I can use this validation both client (GWT) and server side.
Hope that helps ....