How to pass object from JSF to backing bean

Question

Hi,
I have a JSF page using repeater and RichFace Toolbar:
        <h:form id="professional-profile">
            <a4j:repeat value="#{profilesBean.profiles}" var="lang" binding="#{profilesRepeaterBean.repeater}">
                <rich:togglePanel styleClass="data-input-panel" switchType="client" stateOrder="closed, opened">
                    <f:facet name="closed">
                        <rich:toolBar>
                            <rich:toggleControl switchToState="opened">
                                <h:graphicImage style="border-width:0" value="../Images/open_btn.gif" />
                                <rich:toolTip value="#{pp_msg.tooltipOpensPanel}" direction="top-right" showDelay="${config.toolTipDelay}" styleClass="tool-tip"/>
                            </rich:toggleControl>
                            <h:outputText value="#{lang.language}"/>
                        </rich:toolBar>
                    </f:facet>
                    <f:facet name="opened">
                        <h:panelGrid style="width: 100%" columns="1">
                            <rich:toolBar>
                                <rich:toolBarGroup location="left">
                                    <rich:toggleControl switchToState="closed"
                                                        onclick="if(!ConfirmUnsavedForAction('#{common_msg.unsavedDataWarning}')){return false;}">
                                        <h:graphicImage style="border-width:0" value="../Images/close_btn.gif" />
                                        <rich:toolTip value="#{pp_msg.tooltipClosesPanel}" direction="top-right" showDelay="${config.toolTipDelay}" styleClass="tool-tip"/>
                                    </rich:toggleControl>
                                    <h:outputText value="#{lang.language}"/>
                                    <font class="counterColor">
                                    (#{pp_msg.remainingChars}:</font><h:outputText class="counterColor" id="charsCounter" value="${config.profestionalProfileMaxLength-fn:length(lang.profile)}"/>
                                    <font class="counterColor">)</font>
                                </rich:toolBarGroup>
                                <rich:toolBarGroup location="right">
                                    <a4j:commandLink id="submit"
                                                     action="#{cvData.editUsr}"                           <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< THIS LINE
                                                     value="#{common_msg.buttonSave}"
                                                     messagePlace="textarea"
                                                     onclick="CommandOnClick(#{rich:element('textarea')},'#{common_msg.dataSaving}','#{common_msg.dataSaved}');"
                                                     data="#{facesContext.maximumSeverity.ordinal ge 2}"
                                                     oncomplete="CommandOnComplete(#{rich:element('textarea')},data,1500); DataSaved();">
                                    </a4j:commandLink>
                                </rich:toolBarGroup>
                            </rich:toolBar>
                            <h:inputTextarea
                                id="textarea"
                                rows="10"
                                styleClass="professional-profile-input-area"
                                binding="#{profilesRepeaterBean.profileInput}"
                                value="#{lang.profile}"
                                label="#{pp_msg.header}"
                            </h:inputTextarea>
                        </h:panelGrid>
                    </f:facet>
                </rich:togglePanel>
                <br/>
            </a4j:repeat>
        </h:form>Currently all data are stored for all panels at "Save" button click. I want to change it to save only changed panel. For each toolbar an instance of "lang" object is created which i want to send to backing bean where I planned to merge with JPA.
    public void SaveCVProfile(ICvProfileLang profile) {
        cvData.editChangedProfile(profile);
    }All combinations I try gave me just String as parameter value, not an Object reference.
Any ideas?

Answer 1

Thanks BalusC,
I must have messed up my previous tries.
I used you hint with "f:setPropertyActionListener ".
<a4j:commandLink id="submit"
                 value="#{common_msg.buttonSave}"   <<<<<< "action"  - REMOVED
                 messagePlace="textarea"
                 onclick="CommandOnClick(#{rich:element('textarea')},'#{common_msg.dataSaving}','#{common_msg.dataSaved}');"
                 data="#{facesContext.maximumSeverity.ordinal ge 2}"
                 oncomplete="CommandOnComplete(#{rich:element('textarea')},data,1500); DataSaved();">
    <rich:toolTip value="#{pp_msg.tooltipButtonSave}" direction="top-left" showDelay="${config.toolTipDelay}" styleClass="tool-tip"/>
    <f:setPropertyActionListener target="#{profilesBean.saveCVProfile}" value="#{lang}" />
</a4j:commandLink>I removed "action" from commandLink and passed the object to action listener.
It works as intended now, even without using UIData#getRowData().