users@jersey.java.net

Re: [Jersey] RE: delimiter for QueryParam using List<T>

From: Tatu Saloranta <tsaloranta_at_gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:44:25 -0700

On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 8:01 AM, Paul Sandoz<Paul.Sandoz_at_sun.com> wrote:
>
> On Jun 17, 2009, at 3:21 PM, Turner, George wrote:
>
...
>> I was expecting a pipe "|" or
>> something but not this answer. Is there a W3C reference to this style?
>
> No, AFAIK there is no standard for the syntax of a query parameter value
> that represents a list of stuff. It is really up to the *application* to
> define the syntax of those parameter valuess, and what if any the
> relationship is to multiple parameters with the name parameter name.

Agreed, although I think it is also something that libraries and
frameworks often define as a convention, and developers may think that
convention is based on a standard.
Another example seems to be "matrix path parameters", quite exotic
construct which I assume it is also some kind of de facto convention?
(or does JAX-RS define such mangling?)

So to me handling to allow lists of values seems sensible and
intuitive approach, when expecting multiple values.
Behavior when binding to a single String is something that could be up
to discussion tho; for that it would seem best to just use one of
values.

-+ Tatu +-