How to inject parameters into a class/trait method in Scala - scala

Question

I have a code in my Play Scala (2.5x, 2.11.11) app which has been running just fine so far (it is based on the following link: https://fizzylogic.nl/2016/11/27/authorize-access-to-your-play-application-using-action-builders-and-action-functions/). But now I need to pass another class instance to ApplicationAuthorizationHandler class (NOTE: throughout my code I am using Guice DI for injecting parameters into class constructors).
Current code:
class ApplicationAuthorizationHandler
extends AuthorizationHandler {
...
}
trait AuthorizationHandler {
...
}
trait AuthorizationCheck {
def authorizationHandler: AuthorizationHandler = new ApplicationAuthorizationHandler
object AuthenticatedAction extends ActionBuilder[RequestWithPrincipal] {
override def invokeBlock[A](request: Request[A], block: (RequestWithPrincipal[A]) => Future[Result]): Future[Result] = {
def unauthorizedAction = authorizationHandler.unauthorized(RequestWithOptionalPrincipal(None, request))
def authorizedAction(principal: Principal) = block(RequestWithPrincipal(principal, request))
authorizationHandler.principal(request).fold(unauthorizedAction)(authorizedAction)
}
}
}
//Example controller using this trait AuthorizationCheck
class MyController #Inject() extends Controller with AuthorizationCheck {
def myAction = AuthenticatedAction { implicit request =>
...
}
Desired code:
class ApplicationAuthorizationHandler #Inject() (userService: UserService)
extends AuthorizationHandler {
...
// userService is used here
}
But since the instance of ApplicationAuthorizationHandler is instantiated inside trait AuthorizationCheck I can't inject UserService instance into it. I am Mixin this trait with all controllers so would like to keep the same way unless there is a better way (and there must be).
First, is there a way to inject directly into class/trait method ?
Alternatively, is there a way where I don't instantiate ApplicationAuthorizationHandler in trait AuthorizationCheck and pass it during run-time inside the controller ?
Or any other way ?

Answer 1

A trait does not need to provide an implementation, so you can have something like:
trait AuthorizationHandler {
...
}
class ApplicationAuthorizationHandler extends AuthorizationHandler {
...
}
trait AuthorizationCheck {
// just declaring that implementations needs to provide a
def authorizationHandler: AuthorizationHandler
object AuthenticatedAction extends ActionBuilder[RequestWithPrincipal] {
override def invokeBlock[A](request: Request[A], block: (RequestWithPrincipal[A]) => Future[Result]): Future[Result] = {
def unauthorizedAction = authorizationHandler.unauthorized(RequestWithOptionalPrincipal(None, request))
def authorizedAction(principal: Principal) = block(RequestWithPrincipal(principal, request))
authorizationHandler.principal(request).fold(unauthorizedAction)(authorizedAction)
}
}
}
// So, now this controller needs to provide a concrete implementation
// of "authorizationHandler" as declared by "AuthorizationCheck".
// You can do it by injecting a "AuthorizationHandler" as a val with
// name authorizationHandler.
class MyController #Inject()(val authorizationHandler: AuthorizationHandler) extends Controller with AuthorizationCheck {
def myAction = AuthenticatedAction { implicit request =>
...
}
}
And of course, you need to provide a module to bind AuthorizationHandler to ApplicationAuthorizationHandler:
import play.api.inject._
class AuthorizationHandlerModule extends SimpleModule(
bind[AuthorizationHandler].to[ApplicationAuthorizationHandler]
)
Of course, ApplicationAuthorizationHandler can have its own dependencies injected. You can see more details at our docs.

Answer 2

There are many cases when you cannot use the #Inject approach of guice. This is true when dependencies are needed inside of trait and also actors.
The approach I use in these cases is that I put my injector in a object
object Injector {
val injector = Guice.createInjector(new ProjectModule())
}
since the above is inside of an object, you can access it from anywhere. (its like a singleton).
Now inside your trait or an actor when you need the user service do
trait Foo {
lazy val userService = Injector.injector.getInstance(classOf[UserService])
}
Don't forget to make the variable lazy, because you want the instance to be created as late as possible when the injector has already been created.