Re: [cinjug-users] help: How to create virtual current system date for J2EE applications hosted under the same WAS?

["Jonathan A. Chase" <chaseja@xxxxxxxxxx>]

We had a similar problem.  It sounds like we did the same thing you're 
thinking about:

1) we defined an interface, say, DateProvider, with one method, getDate()
2) our default implementation of the interface, DefaultDateProvider, 
looked like:
/** return the real date, according to the OS */
public Date getDate() {
 return new java.util.Date();
}
3) the implementation we used for (junit) testing, AssignableDateProvider, 
looked like:
/** saves a date passed in by the user */
public AssignableDateProvider(Date d) {
 this.date = d;
}
/** return whatever date you set in the constructor */
public Date getDate() {
 return this.date;
}

In our test code we used the AssignableDateProvider implementation, in 
production we used the DefaultDateProvider implementation.

So you could either use a sigleton like you suggested with the above 
strategy, or better yet, make the DateProvider an attribute of whatever 
class it is that's using it, and make sure the class uses a 
DefaultDateProvider by default (say, set in the constructor).  Then, for 
testing, call yourObject.setDateProvider(new AssignableDateProvider(your 
date)) and you should be good to go.  With the latter approach, you don't 
run into any of the nastiness of singletons:D.

HTH,
Jon

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 16:02:51 -0600, Keshav Kode <keshav.kode@xxxxxxxxx> 
wrote:

> Hello Cinjuggers,
>
> We are working with a client who has multiple J2EE projects under WAS.
> They want to be able to do functional testing of those applications
> with different "Current SYSTEM_DATE" then the actual SYSTEM_DATE for
> some functionality. To explain this lets say today (i.e. on
> 03/21/2005) Tester A wants to test Application APP_A with current
> system date as "01/01/2005" a the same time Tester B wants to test
> APP_B with system date as "02/24/2003" in same WAS test environment.
>
> To accomplish it right now they are modifying the SYSTEM_DATE at OS
> level and testing their applications. But it is causing lot of problem
> to the other application on that server. Also this does not allow them
> to test multiple applications at same time with different system
> dates.
>
> To resolve the problem we are suggesting them to add abstraction
> layer, which based on Production or test environment will return
> actual system date or configured test SYSTEM_DATE. All the application
> will have to use this layer (may be Singleton object) to get current
> system time. This singleton object will also save different current
> time for different applications so that they can be tested separately.
>
> Is this the right way to solve this problem? Is there are other option
> available with minimal performance impact? Has anyone faced similar
> problem earlier? Any pointer will be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks a lot in advance,
> Keshav.
>
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--
Jonathan A. Chase
Miami University DARS Project
http://www.dars.muohio.edu
chaseja@xxxxxxxxxx
(513) 529-1401