PrimeFaces DataTable Sorting & Filtering don't work with JSF DataModel

Question

I have 3 test web applications, using the same model and controllers, the difference is in JSF session managed beans.

• The applications A and C use JSF DataModel to retrieve items : A JPA Query result set returns a java LIST which is then wrapped in a ListDataModel. The value of this latter is being the items displayed by PrimeFaces dataTable.

• The application B uses Java LIST to retrieve items: A JPA Query result set returns a java List which is being the value of items displayed by PrimeFaces 2.2.1 dataTable.

Sorting and filtering in application B are fully functional and fast, while in application A and C, they are deadly not.

I just want to mention that Filtering in Sorting of other Libraries like Richfaces, OpenFaces, works out of the box using this same code.

The problem also remains in PrimeFaces 3.0.0. Is this a bug?

• In App B :

Code:

private List<Customer> items = null;
// remainder of code here
 public List<Customer> getCustomerItems() {
        if (customerItems == null) {
            getPagingInfo();
            customerItems = jpaController.findCustomerEntities(pagingInfo.getBatchSize(), pagingInfo.getFirstItem());
        }
        return customerItems;
    }

In App A:

Code:

private DataModel items = null;


public PaginationHelper getPagination() {
        if (pagination == null) {
            pagination = new PaginationHelper(999999) {

                @Override
                public int getItemsCount() {
                    return getJpaController().getChimioCount();
                }

                @Override   // The list of Customers is wrapped in a JSF ListDataModel
                public DataModel createPageDataModel() {
                    return new ListDataModel(getJpaController().findCustomerEntities(getPageSize(), getPageFirstItem()));
                }
            };
        }
        return pagination;
    }

/**
* this goes for the value attribute in a datatable to list all the Customer items
*/
 public DataModel getItems() {
        if (items == null) {
            items = getPagination().createPageDataModel();
        }
        return items;
    }

In App C:

Code:

private DataModel<Project> items;
// remainder of code here

/**  
*The ListDataModel is initialized here 
*/
public void init() {
        try {
            setProjectList(doInTransaction(new PersistenceAction<List<Project>>() {

                public List<Project> execute(EntityManager em) {
                    Query query = em.createNamedQuery("project.getAll");
                    return (List<Project>) query.getResultList();
                }
            }));
        } catch (ManagerException ex) {
            Logger.getLogger(ProjectManager.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
        projectItems = new LinkedList<SelectItem>();
        projectItems.add(new SelectItem(new Project(), "-- Select one project --"));
        if (getProjectList() != null) {
            projects = new ListDataModel<Project>(getProjectList());
            for (Project p : getProjectList()) {
                projectItems.add(new SelectItem(p, p.getName()));
            }
        }
    }

Thank you in advance for your help.

Answer 1

This might be a PrimeFaces bug. I have seen some discussion about issues with DataTable sorting when a data model is used. Here is a link to one of the PrimeFaces defects in their tracker.