Develop Reference

Is there a way to wire Date.getTime()'s value in Spring Context?

I was wondering is there a way to wire Date.getTime() value in a spring context.
This is my bean below.
<bean id="date" class="java.util.Date/>
Can I wire the value of date.getTime() by any way?

Try this SpEL expressions in XML configuration
A property or constructor-arg value can be set using expressions as shown below.
<bean id="numberGuess" class="org.spring.samples.NumberGuess">
<property name="randomNumber" value="#{ T(java.lang.Math).random() * 100.0 }"/>
<!-- other properties -->
</bean>
The variable systemProperties is predefined, so you can use it in your expressions as shown below. Note that you do not have to prefix the predefined variable with the # symbol in this context.
<bean id="taxCalculator" class="org.spring.samples.TaxCalculator">
<property name="defaultLocale" value="#{ systemProperties['user.region'] }"/>
<!-- other properties -->
</bean>
You can also refer to other bean properties by name, for example.
<bean id="numberGuess" class="org.spring.samples.NumberGuess">
<property name="randomNumber" value="{ T(java.lang.Math).random() * 100.0 }"/>
<!-- other properties -->
</bean>
<bean id="shapeGuess" class="org.spring.samples.ShapeGuess">
<property name="initialShapeSeed" value="{ numberGuess.randomNumber }"/>
<!-- other properties -->
</bean>

How to reference bean property values?

Here's what I am trying to do. I have a spring batch job which triggers a bean with multiple properties. I want these properties to be divided into separate beans for organizational purposes.
So I currently have this:
<bean id="runSQL" class="Tasklet"
scope="step">
<property name="sourceSQL"
value="SQL STATEMENT HERE" />
<property name="targetSQL"
value="SQL STATEMENT HERE"></property>
<property name="filePath" value="#{jobParameters['OUTPUT.FILE.PATH']}"> </property>
</bean>
but I basically want this (not working due to lack of class definition and I don't know if #{souce.sourceSQL} is a valid way of grabbing bean properties):
<bean id="runSQL" class="Tasklet"
scope="step">
<property name="sourceSQL"
value="#{source.sourceSQL}" />
<property name="targetSQL"
value="#{target.targetSQL}"></property>
<property name="filePath" value="#{jobParameters['OUTPUT.FILE.PATH']}"> </property>
</bean>
<bean id="sourceSQL" class="Class not needed"
scope="step">
<property name="sourceSQL"
value="SQL STATEMENT HERE" />
</property>
</bean>
<bean id="targetSQL" class="Class not needed"
scope="step">
<property name="sourceSQL"
value="SQL STATEMENT HERE" />
</property>
</bean>
I have tried to reference the beans traditionally with
<ref bean="someBean"/>
but my Tasklet isn't designed to receive a bean, just the property values and I would prefer to leave the Tasklet as is. How do I get around this or alternative ways of storing this data for the beans?

You're on the right track with #{...}. If you want to reference a bean, stick a # in front of the Spring bean ID, for example #{#sourceSQL.sourceSQL} and #{#targetSQL.sourceSQL}.
See the documentation for the Spring Expression language.

Common value configuration in Spring XML

I have several Spring beans in which one of the property value for all of them are same String value. Is there a way where I can define this String in XML at one place and refer it in all beans at property value settings?
<bean id="somebean" class="test.SomeBean">
<property name="property1" ref="someValue"></property>
<property name="commonProperty" value="commonValue"></property>
<bean id="nextBean" class="test.NextBean">
<property name="property2" ref="someValue"></property>
<property name="commonProperty" value="commonValue"></property>
How to set commonValue in a seperate place and refer it in both places?

Try like this.
<bean id="commonConfig" abstract="true">
<property name="commonField" value="CommonValue"></property>
</bean>
<bean id="class1" class="com.dataclass.Class1" parent="commonConfig">
<property name="field1" value="value1"></property>
</bean>
<bean id="class2" class="com.dataclass.Class2" parent="commonConfig">
<property name="field2" value="value2"></property>
</bean>
Class1 & Class2 having one common field name "commonField", parent attribute is use for this common purpose only.
In Spring this is called bean definition inheritance(this is not java class inheritance, above example Class1 & n Class not inheriting in their respective java file.)
For more detail, look at Spring doc's link.

I've never tried it before, but this should work
<bean id="commonProp" class="java.lang.String">
<constructor-arg name="original" value="yourString"></constructor-arg>
</bean>
Then, in every bean you need to reference it:
<bean id="somebean" class="test.SomeBean">
<property name="property1" ref="someValue"></property>
<property name="commonProperty" ref="commonProp"></property>
</bean>

You can define your string properties in some "init_constants.properties" file. Then you should load properties file in spring xml:
<bean id="properties"
class="org.springframework.context.support.PropertySourcesPlaceholderConfigurer">
<property name="locations">
<list>
<value>classpath:db.properties</value>
<value>classpath:mail.properties</value>
<value>classpath:init_constants.properties</value>
</list>
</property>
</bean>
And after that you can inject this properties using xml:
<bean id="somebean" class="test.SomeBean">
<property name="property1" ref="{$prop1}"></property>
<property name="commonProperty" value="commonValue"></property>
</bean>
or in code using #Value annotation:
#Value(value="${prop1}")
private String property1;

Well If commonValue is string then you can put it in properties file and read it using #Value annotation.

Is there a shorthand for creating a String constant in Spring context XML file?

I need to define a string value in Spring context XML file that is shared by multiple beans.
This is how I do it:
<bean id="aSharedProperty" class="java.lang.String">
<constructor-arg type="java.lang.String" value="All beans need me :)"/>
</bean>
Creating a java.lang.String bean by passing a constructor argument of java.lang.String seems kludgy.
Is there a shortcut?
I know this property can be passed using PropertyOverrideConfigurer, but I want to keep this property within the XML file.

You can use PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer and keep values in xml:
<context:property-placeholder properties-ref="myProperties"/>
<bean id="myProperties"
class="org.springframework.beans.factory.config.PropertiesFactoryBean">
<property name="properties">
<props>
<prop key="aSharedProperty">All beans need me :)</prop>
</props>
</property>
</bean>
Then you reference it with:
<bean id="myBean" class="my.package.MyClass">
<property name="someField" value="${aSharedProperty}"/>
</bean>

A shorthand to the solution proposed by mrembisz goes like this:
<context:property-placeholder properties-ref="myProperties"/>
<util:properties id="myProperties">
<prop key="aSharedProperty">All beans need me :)</prop>
</util:properties>

You may be able to use the following:
<bean id="abstractParent" abstract="true">
<property name="sharedProperty" value="All child beans need me" />
</bean>
<bean id="bean1" class="MyClass1" parent="abstractParent">
...non-shared properties...
</bean>
<bean id="bean2" class="MyClass2" parent="abstractParent">
...non-shared properties...
</bean>
However, that relies on the property having the same name, so may not be applicable for you.

Something I've used in the past is SpEL to make sure that a bean has the same value as another:
<bean id="myBean" class="xxx.yyy.Foo" >
<property name="myProperty" value="1729" />
</bean>
<bean id="copyCat" class="xxx.yyy.Bar" >
<property name="anotherProperty" value="#{myBean.myProperty}" />
</bean>
I have found this to be particularly useful when setting the value did something other than a simple assignment.

Declaring Integers, Doubles, Floats, Strings etc. in Spring XML

Occasionally, Spring can't figure out what type a "value" should be. This happens when the property or constructor is of type "java.lang.Object". In these cases, Spring defaults to "java.lang.String". Sometimes this isn't the right choice, for example when using:
<jee:jndi-lookup id="test" jndi-name="java:comp/env/test"
default-value="10" expected-type="java.lang.Integer"/>
If the lookup fails and it has to fall back to the default-value, there's a type mismatch. So, instead, this needs to be done:
<bean id="test" class="org.springframework.jndi.JndiObjectFactoryBean">
<property name="jndiName" value="java:comp/env/test" />
<property name="defaultObject">
<bean class="java.lang.Integer">
<constructor-arg value="10" />
</bean>
</property>
</bean>
which is somewhat verbose, especially if there are lots of them. Is there some handy way to declare an Integer / Long / Double / Float / String literal without having to use this format:
<bean class="java.lang.Integer">
<constructor-arg value="10" />
</bean>

Since Spring 3.0, you can use Spring Expression Language: #{new Integer(10)}
<jee:jndi-lookup id="test" jndi-name="java:comp/env/test"
default-value="#{new Integer(10)}" expected-type="java.lang.Integer"/>

You should be able to do:
<constructor-arg value="10" type="int"/>
See section 3.3.1.1.1.1 of the Spring Reference