Required attribute does not work with any data type other than String

Question

sir,
I am a new to JSF. My problem is that I have used an integer type data in my page which is taking its value from a bean.But in jsf code I have used the required attribute for the <h:inputText> but if I leave the text box empty it is not showing the validation error which it show show. Another problem is that the page is also not navigating to the next page.
The code is
<h:inputText value="#{UserBean.age}" required="true"/>
where age is of integer type

Answer 1

Well. The fact that it is not jumping to the next view is "works as required". The assumption is, that once you say a field is required, it could be that the application CANNOT function without that value. Therefor the initial view is redisplayed until all required values are entered.
IF you need a different behaviour, then the OptionalValidator-package which is currently in development state, is the way to go. It allows to specify different validating strategies for different links on a view (no validation, soft validation (== allow to go on, but produce warning messages), hard validation (== the way JSF works right now)). The problem is that with JSF 1.1 it is quite difficult to implement this behaviour. For simple validators (no parameters) it is working, but for complex validators (requiring parameters) not yet. For more info: http://wiki.apache.org/myfaces/OptionalValidationFramework
No comment on the String-only behaviour, as I have not yet tested/observed that problem...
hth
Alexander