Hibernate Primefaces AutoComplete text

Question

good morning.

I am trying to create a simple page that lists in a dropdown all countries and then, after I choose a country the autocomplete for State shows up and after 3 chars typed it performs the autocomplete. It seems to be a simple issue.

So, this is my State model

package br.com.danielfc.model;

// Generated 27/08/2015 23:59:43 by Hibernate Tools 4.3.1

import static javax.persistence.GenerationType.IDENTITY;

import java.util.HashSet;
import java.util.Set;

import javax.persistence.Column;
import javax.persistence.Entity;
import javax.persistence.FetchType;
import javax.persistence.GeneratedValue;
import javax.persistence.Id;
import javax.persistence.JoinColumn;
import javax.persistence.ManyToOne;
import javax.persistence.NamedQuery;
import javax.persistence.OneToMany;
import javax.persistence.Table;

/**
 * State generated by hbm2java
 */
@Entity
@Table(name = "State", catalog = "daniel")
@NamedQuery(name = "State.findStateByName", query = "select s from State s where s.country.iso = :iso and s.name like :name ")
public class State implements java.io.Serializable {

    /**
     * 
     */
    private static final long serialVersionUID = 4498876370214791673L;
    private Integer id;
    private Country country;
    private String name;
    /*Stands for Federative Unit*/
    private String fu;
    private Set<City> cities = new HashSet<City>(0);

    public State() {
    }

    public State(Country country, String name, String fu) {
        this.country = country;
        this.name = name;
        this.fu = fu;
    }

    public State(Country country, String name, String fu, Set<City> cities) {
        this.country = country;
        this.name = name;
        this.fu = fu;
        this.cities = cities;
    }

    @Id
    @GeneratedValue(strategy = IDENTITY)
    @Column(name = "id", unique = true, nullable = false)
    public Integer getId() {
        return this.id;
    }

    public void setId(Integer id) {
        this.id = id;
    }

    @ManyToOne(fetch = FetchType.LAZY)
    @JoinColumn(name = "countryIso", nullable = false, referencedColumnName = "iso")
    public Country getCountry() {
        return this.country;
    }

    public void setCountry(Country country) {
        this.country = country;
    }

    @Column(name = "name", nullable = false, length = 45)
    public String getName() {
        return this.name;
    }

    public void setName(String name) {
        this.name = name;
    }

    @Column(name = "fu", nullable = false, length = 2)
    public String getFu() {
        return this.fu;
    }

    public void setFu(String fu) {
        this.fu = fu;
    }

    @OneToMany(fetch = FetchType.LAZY, mappedBy = "state")
    public Set<City> getCities() {
        return this.cities;
    }

    public void setCities(Set<City> cities) {
        this.cities = cities;
    }
}

This is my StateBean

package br.com.danielfc.view;

import java.io.Serializable;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import javax.annotation.Resource;
import javax.ejb.SessionContext;
import javax.ejb.Stateful;
import javax.enterprise.context.Conversation;
import javax.enterprise.context.ConversationScoped;
import javax.faces.application.FacesMessage;
import javax.faces.component.UIComponent;
import javax.faces.context.FacesContext;
import javax.faces.convert.Converter;
import javax.inject.Inject;
import javax.inject.Named;
import javax.persistence.EntityManager;
import javax.persistence.PersistenceContext;
import javax.persistence.PersistenceContextType;
import javax.persistence.TypedQuery;
import javax.persistence.criteria.CriteriaBuilder;
import javax.persistence.criteria.CriteriaQuery;
import javax.persistence.criteria.Predicate;
import javax.persistence.criteria.Root;

import br.com.danielfc.model.State;
import br.com.danielfc.model.City;
import br.com.danielfc.model.Country;

import java.util.Iterator;

/**
 * Backing bean for State entities.
 * <p/>
 * This class provides CRUD functionality for all State entities. It focuses
 * purely on Java EE 6 standards (e.g. <tt>&#64;ConversationScoped</tt> for
 * state management, <tt>PersistenceContext</tt> for persistence,
 * <tt>CriteriaBuilder</tt> for searches) rather than introducing a CRUD
 * framework or custom base class.
 */

@Named
@Stateful
@ConversationScoped
public class StateBean implements Serializable {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

    /*
     * Support creating and retrieving State entities
     */

    private Integer id;

    private State state;

    @Inject
    private Conversation conversation;

    @PersistenceContext(unitName = "RentACar-persistence-unit", type = PersistenceContextType.EXTENDED)
    private EntityManager entityManager;

    private int page;

    private long count;

    private List<State> pageItems;

    private State example = new State();

    @Resource
    private SessionContext sessionContext;

    private State add = new State();

    public String create() {

        this.conversation.begin();
        this.conversation.setTimeout(1800000L);
        return "create?faces-redirect=true";
    }

    /*
     * Support updating and deleting State entities
     */

    public String delete() {
        this.conversation.end();

        try {
            State deletableEntity = findById(getId());
            Country country = deletableEntity.getCountry();
            country.getStates().remove(deletableEntity);
            deletableEntity.setCountry(null);
            this.entityManager.merge(country);
            Iterator<City> iterCities = deletableEntity.getCities().iterator();
            for (; iterCities.hasNext();) {
                City nextInCities = iterCities.next();
                nextInCities.setState(null);
                iterCities.remove();
                this.entityManager.merge(nextInCities);
            }
            this.entityManager.remove(deletableEntity);
            this.entityManager.flush();
            return "search?faces-redirect=true";
        } catch (Exception e) {
            FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().addMessage(null,
                    new FacesMessage(e.getMessage()));
            return null;
        }
    }

    public State findById(Integer id) {

        return this.entityManager.find(State.class, id);
    }

    /*
     * Support searching State entities with pagination
     */

    public State getAdd() {
        return this.add;
    }
    public State getAdded() {
        State added = this.add;
        this.add = new State();
        return added;
    }
    public List<State> getAll() {

        CriteriaQuery<State> criteria = this.entityManager.getCriteriaBuilder()
                .createQuery(State.class);
        return this.entityManager.createQuery(
                criteria.select(criteria.from(State.class))).getResultList();
    }

    /*
     * AutoComplete input box for state
     */
    public List<State> getAllByCountry(Country country, String name) {
        CriteriaQuery<State> criteria = this.entityManager.getCriteriaBuilder()
                .createQuery(State.class);
        TypedQuery<State> query = entityManager.createQuery(criteria.select(criteria.from(State.class)));
        query.setParameter("iso", country.getIso());
        query.setParameter("name", "%"+name);
        List<State> retorno = query.getResultList();
        return retorno;
    }

    public Converter getConverter() {

        final StateBean ejbProxy = this.sessionContext
                .getBusinessObject(StateBean.class);

        return new Converter() {

            @Override
            public Object getAsObject(FacesContext context,
                    UIComponent component, String value) {

                return ejbProxy.findById(Integer.valueOf(value));
            }

            @Override
            public String getAsString(FacesContext context,
                    UIComponent component, Object value) {

                if (value == null) {
                    return "";
                }

                return String.valueOf(((State) value).getId());
            }
        };
    }

    public long getCount() {
        return this.count;
    }

    public State getExample() {
        return this.example;
    }

    public Integer getId() {
        return this.id;
    }

    public int getPage() {
        return this.page;
    }

    public List<State> getPageItems() {
        return this.pageItems;
    }

    public int getPageSize() {
        return 10;
    }

    private Predicate[] getSearchPredicates(Root<State> root) {

        CriteriaBuilder builder = this.entityManager.getCriteriaBuilder();
        List<Predicate> predicatesList = new ArrayList<Predicate>();

        Country country = this.example.getCountry();
        if (country != null) {
            predicatesList.add(builder.equal(root.get("country"), country));
        }
        String name = this.example.getName();
        if (name != null && !"".equals(name)) {
            predicatesList.add(builder.like(
                    builder.lower(root.<String> get("name")),
                    '%' + name.toLowerCase() + '%'));
        }
        String fu = this.example.getFu();
        if (fu != null && !"".equals(fu)) {
            predicatesList.add(builder.like(
                    builder.lower(root.<String> get("fu")),
                    '%' + fu.toLowerCase() + '%'));
        }

        return predicatesList.toArray(new Predicate[predicatesList.size()]);
    }

    public State getState() {
        return this.state;
    }

    public void paginate() {

        CriteriaBuilder builder = this.entityManager.getCriteriaBuilder();

        // Populate this.count

        CriteriaQuery<Long> countCriteria = builder.createQuery(Long.class);
        Root<State> root = countCriteria.from(State.class);
        countCriteria = countCriteria.select(builder.count(root)).where(
                getSearchPredicates(root));
        this.count = this.entityManager.createQuery(countCriteria)
                .getSingleResult();

        // Populate this.pageItems

        CriteriaQuery<State> criteria = builder.createQuery(State.class);
        root = criteria.from(State.class);
        TypedQuery<State> query = this.entityManager.createQuery(criteria
                .select(root).where(getSearchPredicates(root)));
        query.setFirstResult(this.page * getPageSize()).setMaxResults(
                getPageSize());
        this.pageItems = query.getResultList();
    }

    /*
     * Support listing and POSTing back State entities (e.g. from inside an
     * HtmlSelectOneMenu)
     */

    public void retrieve() {

        if (FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().isPostback()) {
            return;
        }

        if (this.conversation.isTransient()) {
            this.conversation.begin();
            this.conversation.setTimeout(1800000L);
        }

        if (this.id == null) {
            this.state = this.example;
        } else {
            this.state = findById(getId());
        }
    }

    public String search() {
        this.page = 0;
        return null;
    }

    public void setExample(State example) {
        this.example = example;
    }

    public void setId(Integer id) {
        this.id = id;
    }

    /*
     * Support adding children to bidirectional, one-to-many tables
     */

    public void setPage(int page) {
        this.page = page;
    }

    public void setState(State state) {
        this.state = state;
    }

    public String update() {
        this.conversation.end();

        try {
            if (this.id == null) {
                this.entityManager.persist(this.state);
                return "search?faces-redirect=true";
            } else {
                this.entityManager.merge(this.state);
                return "view?faces-redirect=true&id=" + this.state.getId();
            }
        } catch (Exception e) {
            FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().addMessage(null,
                    new FacesMessage(e.getMessage()));
            return null;
        }
    }
}

And this is my Address model

package br.com.danielfc.model;

// Generated 27/08/2015 23:59:43 by Hibernate Tools 4.3.1

import javax.persistence.Column;
import javax.persistence.Entity;
import javax.persistence.FetchType;
import javax.persistence.GeneratedValue;
import static javax.persistence.GenerationType.IDENTITY;
import javax.persistence.Id;
import javax.persistence.JoinColumn;
import javax.persistence.ManyToOne;
import javax.persistence.Table;

/**
 * Address generated by hbm2java
 */
@Entity
@Table(name = "Address", catalog = "daniel")
public class Address implements java.io.Serializable {

    /**
     * 
     */
    private static final long serialVersionUID = -7374915404433933232L;
    private Integer id;
    private AddressType addressType;
    private int typeSite;
    private String streetName;
    private String city;
    private String country;
    private String zipcode;

    public Address() {
    }

    public Address(int typeSite) {
        this.typeSite = typeSite;
    }

    public Address(AddressType addressType, int typeSite, String streetName,
            String city, String country, String zipcode) {
        this.addressType = addressType;
        this.typeSite = typeSite;
        this.streetName = streetName;
        this.city = city;
        this.country = country;
        this.zipcode = zipcode;
    }

    @Id
    @GeneratedValue(strategy = IDENTITY)
    @Column(name = "id", unique = true, nullable = false)
    public Integer getId() {
        return this.id;
    }

    public void setId(Integer id) {
        this.id = id;
    }

    @ManyToOne(fetch = FetchType.LAZY)
    @JoinColumn(name = "addressType")
    public AddressType getAddressType() {
        return this.addressType;
    }

    public void setAddressType(AddressType addressType) {
        this.addressType = addressType;
    }

    @Column(name = "typeSite", nullable = false)
    public int getTypeSite() {
        return this.typeSite;
    }

    public void setTypeSite(int typeSite) {
        this.typeSite = typeSite;
    }

    @Column(name = "streetName", length = 45)
    public String getStreetName() {
        return this.streetName;
    }

    public void setStreetName(String streetName) {
        this.streetName = streetName;
    }

    @Column(name = "city", length = 45)
    public String getCity() {
        return this.city;
    }

    public void setCity(String city) {
        this.city = city;
    }

    @Column(name = "country", length = 45)
    public String getCountry() {
        return this.country;
    }

    public void setCountry(String country) {
        this.country = country;
    }

    @Column(name = "zipcode", length = 45)
    public String getZipcode() {
        return this.zipcode;
    }

    public void setZipcode(String zipcode) {
        this.zipcode = zipcode;
    }

}

And this is a part of my jsf page that I would like to have the behaviour explained before.

                    <h:outputLabel for="addressBeanExampleCountry" value="Country:" />
                    <h:panelGroup>
                        <!-- <h:inputText id="addressBeanExampleCountry" maxLength="45" value="#{addressBean.example.country}"/> -->
                        <h:selectOneMenu id="addressBeanExampleCountry" value="#{addressBean.example.country}">
                            <f:selectItem />
                            <f:selectItems itemLabel="#{forgeview:display(_item.name)}" itemValue="#{_item}" value="#{countryBean.all}" var="_item" />
                        </h:selectOneMenu>
                        <h:message for="addressBeanExampleCountry" styleClass="error" />
                    </h:panelGroup>
                    <h:outputText />

                    <h:outputLabel for="addressBeanExampleState" value="State:" rendered="#{not empty addressBean.example.country}"/>
                    <h:panelGroup rendered="#{not empty addressBean.example.country}">
                        <p:autoComplete id="state" value="#{stateBean.state}" completeMethod="#{stateBean.getAllByCountry()}" minQueryLength="3"/>
                        <h:message for="addressBeanExampleState" styleClass="error" />
                    </h:panelGroup>

The problem is that the method is not evoked and the autocomplete does not shows after I choose the country.

What seems to be wrong? What is the best/correct way to implement this logic for autocomplete?