initial typeDescriptor awareness in the EL. some basic testing of using GenericConversionService

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/PropertyAccessor.java

@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 package org.springframework.expression;
 
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
+
 /**
  * A property accessor is able to read (and possibly write) to object properties. The interface places no restrictions
  * and so implementors are free to access properties directly as fields or through getters or in any other way they see
@@ -42,6 +44,15 @@ public interface PropertyAccessor {
 	 */
 	Class[] getSpecificTargetClasses();
 	
+	/**
+	 * Called to retrieve a type descriptor that describes the type of the property.
+	 * @param context the evaluation context in which the access is being attempted
+	 * @param target the target object upon which the property is being accessed
+	 * @param name the name of the property being accessed
+	 * @return a type descriptor that describes the type of this property.
+	 */
+	TypeDescriptor getTypeDescriptor(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name);
+
 	/**
 	 * Called to determine if a resolver instance is able to access a specified property on a specified target object.
 	 * @param context the evaluation context in which the access is being attempted

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/TypeConverter.java

@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 package org.springframework.expression;
 
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
+
 /**
  * A type converter can convert values between different types encountered
  * during expression evaluation.
@@ -26,6 +28,7 @@ package org.springframework.expression;
 public interface TypeConverter {
 	// TODO replace this stuff with Keiths spring-binding conversion code
 	// TODO should ExpressionException be thrown for lost precision in the case of coercion?
+	// TODO could remove the methods where the target is Class and just keep the TypeDescriptor variants
 
 	/**
 	 * Convert (may coerce) a value from one type to another, for example from a boolean to a string.
@@ -36,6 +39,17 @@ public interface TypeConverter {
 	 */
 	<T> T convertValue(Object value, Class<T> targetType) throws EvaluationException;
 
+	/**
+	 * Convert (may coerce) a value from one type to another, for example from a boolean to a string.
+	 * The typeDescriptor parameter enables support for typed collections - if the caller really wishes they
+	 * can have a List<Integer> for example, rather than simply a List.
+	 * @param value the value to be converted
+	 * @param typeDescriptor a type descriptor that supplies extra information about the requested result type
+	 * @return the converted value
+	 * @throws EvaluationException if conversion is not possible
+	 */
+	<T> T convertValue(Object value, TypeDescriptor typeDescriptor) throws EvaluationException;
+
 	/**
 	 * Return true if the type converter can convert the specified type to the desired target type.
 	 * @param sourceType the type to be converted from
@@ -44,4 +58,12 @@ public interface TypeConverter {
 	 */
 	boolean canConvert(Class<?> sourceType, Class<?> targetType);
 
+	/**
+	 * Return true if the type converter can convert the specified type to the desired target type.
+	 * @param sourceType the type to be converted from
+	 * @param typeDescriptor a type descriptor that supplies extra information about the requested result type
+	 * @return true if that conversion can be performed
+	 */
+	boolean canConvert(Class<?> sourceType, TypeDescriptor typeDescriptor);
+
 }

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionState.java

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Stack;
 
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationContext;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
 import org.springframework.expression.Operation;
@@ -99,6 +100,10 @@ public class ExpressionState {
 		return this.relatedContext.getTypeLocator().findType(type);
 	}
 
+	public <T> T convertValue(Object value, TypeDescriptor targetTypeDescriptor) throws EvaluationException {
+		return this.relatedContext.getTypeConverter().convertValue(value, targetTypeDescriptor);
+	}
+
 	public <T> T convertValue(Object value, Class<T> targetType) throws EvaluationException {
 		return this.relatedContext.getTypeConverter().convertValue(value, targetType);
 	}

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/Indexer.java

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.antlr.runtime.Token;
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.ExpressionState;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelException;
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ public class Indexer extends SpelNodeImpl {
 			return ((Map<?, ?>) ctx).get(index);
 		}
 
-		int idx = state.convertValue(index, Integer.class);
+		int idx = state.convertValue(index, INTEGER_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR);
 
 		if (ctx.getClass().isArray()) {
 			return accessArrayElement(ctx, idx);
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ public class Indexer extends SpelNodeImpl {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		int idx = state.convertValue(index, Integer.class);
+		int idx = state.convertValue(index, INTEGER_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR);
 
 		if (ctx.getClass().isArray()) {
 			setArrayElement(state, ctx, idx, newValue);

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/OperatorAnd.java

@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ package org.springframework.expression.spel.ast;
 
 import org.antlr.runtime.Token;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
-import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelException;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.ExpressionState;
+import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelException;
 
 /**
  * Represents the boolean AND operation.
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public class OperatorAnd extends Operator {
 		boolean rightValue;
 
 		try {
-			leftValue = state.convertValue(getLeftOperand().getValueInternal(state), Boolean.class);
+			leftValue = state.convertValue(getLeftOperand().getValueInternal(state), BOOLEAN_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR);
 		}
 		catch (SpelException ee) {
 			ee.setPosition(getLeftOperand().getCharPositionInLine());
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public class OperatorAnd extends Operator {
 		}
 
 		try {
-			rightValue = state.convertValue(getRightOperand().getValueInternal(state), Boolean.class);
+			rightValue = state.convertValue(getRightOperand().getValueInternal(state), BOOLEAN_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR);
 		}
 		catch (SpelException ee) {
 			ee.setPosition(getRightOperand().getCharPositionInLine());

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/OperatorNot.java

@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ package org.springframework.expression.spel.ast;
 
 import org.antlr.runtime.Token;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
-import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelException;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.ExpressionState;
+import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelException;
 
 /**
  * Represents a NOT operation.
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public class OperatorNot extends SpelNodeImpl { // Not is a unary operator so do
 	@Override
 	public Object getValueInternal(ExpressionState state) throws EvaluationException {
 		try {
-			boolean value = state.convertValue(getChild(0).getValueInternal(state), Boolean.class);
+			boolean value = state.convertValue(getChild(0).getValueInternal(state), BOOLEAN_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR);
 			return !value;
 		}
 		catch (SpelException see) {

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/OperatorOr.java

@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ package org.springframework.expression.spel.ast;
 
 import org.antlr.runtime.Token;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
-import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelException;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.ExpressionState;
+import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelException;
 
 /**
  * Represents the boolean OR operation.
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public class OperatorOr extends Operator {
 		boolean leftValue;
 		boolean rightValue;
 		try {
-			leftValue = state.convertValue(getLeftOperand().getValueInternal(state), Boolean.class);
+			leftValue = state.convertValue(getLeftOperand().getValueInternal(state), BOOLEAN_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR);
 		}
 		catch (SpelException see) {
 			see.setPosition(getLeftOperand().getCharPositionInLine());
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public class OperatorOr extends Operator {
 		}
 
 		try {
-			rightValue = state.convertValue(getRightOperand().getValueInternal(state), Boolean.class);
+			rightValue = state.convertValue(getRightOperand().getValueInternal(state), BOOLEAN_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR);
 		}
 		catch (SpelException see) {
 			see.setPosition(getRightOperand().getCharPositionInLine());

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/PropertyOrFieldReference.java

@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.antlr.runtime.Token;
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.expression.AccessException;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationContext;
+import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
 import org.springframework.expression.PropertyAccessor;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.ExpressionState;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelException;
@@ -42,6 +44,8 @@ public class PropertyOrFieldReference extends SpelNodeImpl {
 
 	private volatile PropertyAccessor cachedWriteAccessor;
 	
+	private volatile TypeDescriptor cachedTypeDescriptor;
+
 
 	public PropertyOrFieldReference(Token payload) {
 		super(payload);
@@ -122,7 +126,19 @@ public class PropertyOrFieldReference extends SpelNodeImpl {
 		PropertyAccessor accessorToUse = this.cachedWriteAccessor;
 		if (accessorToUse != null) {
 			try {				
-				accessorToUse.write(state.getEvaluationContext(), contextObject, name, newValue);
+				Object possiblyConvertedValue = newValue;
+				if (cachedTypeDescriptor == null) {
+					cachedTypeDescriptor=accessorToUse.getTypeDescriptor(eContext, contextObject, name);
+				}
+				if (cachedTypeDescriptor != null) {
+					try {
+						possiblyConvertedValue = state.convertValue(newValue, cachedTypeDescriptor.getType());
+					} catch (EvaluationException evaluationException) {
+						throw new SpelException(getCharPositionInLine(), evaluationException, SpelMessages.TYPE_CONVERSION_ERROR,
+								newValue.getClass(), cachedTypeDescriptor.getType());
+					}
+				}
+				accessorToUse.write(state.getEvaluationContext(), contextObject, name, possiblyConvertedValue);
 				return;
 			}
 			catch (AccessException ae) {
@@ -140,7 +156,19 @@ public class PropertyOrFieldReference extends SpelNodeImpl {
 				for (PropertyAccessor accessor : accessorsToTry) {
 					if (accessor.canWrite(eContext, contextObject, name)) {
 						this.cachedWriteAccessor = accessor;
-						accessor.write(eContext, contextObject, name, newValue); // TODO missing conversion of newValue to the type of the property
+						Object possiblyConvertedValue = newValue;		
+						if (cachedTypeDescriptor == null) {
+							cachedTypeDescriptor=accessor.getTypeDescriptor(eContext, contextObject, name);
+						}
+						if (cachedTypeDescriptor != null) {
+							try {
+								possiblyConvertedValue = state.convertValue(newValue, cachedTypeDescriptor);
+							} catch (EvaluationException evaluationException) {
+								throw new SpelException(getCharPositionInLine(), evaluationException, SpelMessages.TYPE_CONVERSION_ERROR,
+										newValue.getClass(), cachedTypeDescriptor.getType());
+							}
+						}
+						accessor.write(eContext, contextObject, name, possiblyConvertedValue);
 						return;
 					}
 				}

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ast/SpelNodeImpl.java

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import java.io.Serializable;
 
 import org.antlr.runtime.Token;
 import org.antlr.runtime.tree.CommonTree;
-
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
 import org.springframework.expression.common.ExpressionUtils;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.ExpressionState;
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ import org.springframework.expression.spel.support.StandardEvaluationContext;
  */
 public abstract class SpelNodeImpl extends CommonTree implements SpelNode, Serializable {
 
+	protected static TypeDescriptor BOOLEAN_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR = TypeDescriptor.valueOf(Boolean.class);
+	protected static TypeDescriptor INTEGER_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR = TypeDescriptor.valueOf(Integer.class);
+	
 	/**
 	 * The Antlr parser uses this constructor to build SpelNodes.
 	 * @param payload the token for the node that has been parsed

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/support/ReflectivePropertyResolver.java

@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ import java.lang.reflect.Modifier;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 
+import org.springframework.core.MethodParameter;
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.expression.AccessException;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationContext;
 import org.springframework.expression.PropertyAccessor;
@@ -32,9 +34,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
  * Simple PropertyResolver that uses reflection to access properties for reading and writing. A property can be accessed
- * if it is accessible as a field on the object or through a getter (if being read) or a setter (if being written). This
+ * if it is accessible as a field on the object or through a getter (if being read) or a setter (if being written). 
- * implementation currently follows the Resolver/Executor model (it extends CacheablePropertyAccessor) - the code that
- * would be used if it were a simple property accessor is shown at the end.
  * 
  * @author Andy Clement
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
@@ -42,10 +42,11 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  */
 public class ReflectivePropertyResolver implements PropertyAccessor {
 
-	private final Map<CacheKey, Member> readerCache = new ConcurrentHashMap<CacheKey, Member>();
+	protected final Map<CacheKey, Member> readerCache = new ConcurrentHashMap<CacheKey, Member>();
 
-	private final Map<CacheKey, Member> writerCache = new ConcurrentHashMap<CacheKey, Member>();
+	protected final Map<CacheKey, Member> writerCache = new ConcurrentHashMap<CacheKey, Member>();
 	
+	protected final Map<CacheKey, TypeDescriptor> typeDescriptorCache = new ConcurrentHashMap<CacheKey,TypeDescriptor>();
 
 	/**
 	 * @return null which means this is a general purpose accessor
@@ -69,12 +70,14 @@ public class ReflectivePropertyResolver implements PropertyAccessor {
 		Method method = findGetterForProperty(name, type, target instanceof Class);
 		if (method != null) {
 			this.readerCache.put(cacheKey, method);
+			this.typeDescriptorCache.put(cacheKey, new TypeDescriptor(new MethodParameter(method,0)));
 			return true;
 		}
 		else {
 			Field field = findField(name, type, target instanceof Class);
 			if (field != null) {
 				this.readerCache.put(cacheKey, field);	
+				this.typeDescriptorCache.put(cacheKey, new TypeDescriptor(field));
 				return true;
 			}
 		}
@@ -152,12 +155,14 @@ public class ReflectivePropertyResolver implements PropertyAccessor {
 		Method method = findSetterForProperty(name, type, target instanceof Class);
 		if (method != null) {
 			this.writerCache.put(cacheKey, method);
+			this.typeDescriptorCache.put(cacheKey, new TypeDescriptor(new MethodParameter(method,0)));
 			return true;
 		}
 		else {
 			Field field = findField(name, type, target instanceof Class);
 			if (field != null) {
 				this.writerCache.put(cacheKey, field);
+				this.typeDescriptorCache.put(cacheKey, new TypeDescriptor(field));
 				return true;
 			}
 		}
@@ -218,6 +223,31 @@ public class ReflectivePropertyResolver implements PropertyAccessor {
 		throw new AccessException("Neither setter nor field found for property '" + name + "'");
 	}
 	
+	public TypeDescriptor getTypeDescriptor(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name) {
+		if (target == null) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		Class<?> type = (target instanceof Class ? (Class<?>) target : target.getClass());
+
+		if (type.isArray() && name.equals("length")) {
+			return TypeDescriptor.valueOf(Integer.TYPE);
+		}
+		CacheKey cacheKey = new CacheKey(type, name);
+		TypeDescriptor typeDescriptor =  this.typeDescriptorCache.get(cacheKey);
+		if (typeDescriptor == null) {
+			// attempt to populate the cache entry
+			try {
+				if (canRead(context, target, name)) {
+					typeDescriptor =  this.typeDescriptorCache.get(cacheKey);
+				} else if (canWrite(context, target, name)) {
+					typeDescriptor =  this.typeDescriptorCache.get(cacheKey);
+				}
+			} catch (AccessException e) {
+				// continue with null typeDescriptor
+			}
+		}
+		return typeDescriptor;
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Find a getter method for the specified property. A getter is defined as a method whose name start with the prefix

org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/support/StandardTypeConverter.java

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.springframework.expression.spel.support;
 
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
 import org.springframework.expression.TypeConverter;
 import org.springframework.expression.spel.SpelException;
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.NumberUtils;
 
 /**
  * @author Juergen Hoeller
+ * @author Andy Clement
  * @since 3.0
  */
 public class StandardTypeConverter implements TypeConverter {
@@ -74,6 +76,11 @@ public class StandardTypeConverter implements TypeConverter {
 		throw new SpelException(SpelMessages.TYPE_CONVERSION_ERROR, value.getClass(), targetType);
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+	public <T> T convertValue(Object value, TypeDescriptor typeDescriptor) throws EvaluationException {
+		return (T)convertValue(value,typeDescriptor.getType());
+	}
+
 	public boolean canConvert(Class<?> sourceType, Class<?> targetType) {
 		if (ClassUtils.isAssignable(targetType, sourceType) || String.class.equals(targetType)) {
 			return true;
@@ -84,4 +91,8 @@ public class StandardTypeConverter implements TypeConverter {
 				(Boolean.class.equals(actualTargetType) && String.class.equals(sourceType)));
 	}
 
+	public boolean canConvert(Class<?> sourceType, TypeDescriptor typeDescriptor) {
+		return canConvert(sourceType,typeDescriptor.getType());
+	}
+
 }

org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionLanguageScenarioTests.java

@@ -16,13 +16,14 @@
 
 package org.springframework.expression.spel;
 
-import java.awt.*;
+import java.awt.Color;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.expression.AccessException;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationContext;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
@@ -264,6 +265,10 @@ public class ExpressionLanguageScenarioTests extends ExpressionTestCase {
 		public void write(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name, Object newValue)
 				throws AccessException {
 		}
+
+		public TypeDescriptor getTypeDescriptor(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name) {
+			return null;
+		}
 	}
 
 
@@ -301,6 +306,9 @@ public class ExpressionLanguageScenarioTests extends ExpressionTestCase {
 
 		public void write(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name, Object newValue) throws AccessException {
 		}
-	}
 		
+		public TypeDescriptor getTypeDescriptor(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name) {
+			return null;
+		}
+	}
 }

org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ExpressionTestsUsingCoreConversionService.java

@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2002-2009 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.expression.spel;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import org.springframework.core.convert.ConversionExecutor;
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
+import org.springframework.core.convert.service.DefaultConversionService;
+import org.springframework.core.convert.service.GenericConversionService;
+import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
+import org.springframework.expression.Expression;
+import org.springframework.expression.TypeConverter;
+import org.springframework.expression.spel.support.StandardEvaluationContext;
+
+/**
+ * Expression evaluation where the TypeConverter plugged in is the {@link GenericConversionService}
+ * 
+ * @author Andy Clement
+ */
+public class ExpressionTestsUsingCoreConversionService extends ExpressionTestCase {
+
+	private static List<String> listOfString = new ArrayList<String>();
+	private static TypeDescriptor typeDescriptorForListOfString = null;
+	private static List<Integer> listOfInteger = new ArrayList<Integer>();
+	private static TypeDescriptor typeDescriptorForListOfInteger = null;
+	
+	static {
+		listOfString.add("1");
+		listOfString.add("2");
+		listOfString.add("3");
+		listOfInteger.add(4);
+		listOfInteger.add(5);
+		listOfInteger.add(6);
+	}
+	
+	public void setUp() throws Exception {
+		super.setUp();
+		typeDescriptorForListOfString = new TypeDescriptor(ExpressionTestsUsingCoreConversionService.class.getDeclaredField("listOfString"));
+		typeDescriptorForListOfInteger = new TypeDescriptor(ExpressionTestsUsingCoreConversionService.class.getDeclaredField("listOfInteger"));
+	}
+		
+	
+	/**
+	 * Test the service can convert what we are about to use in the expression evaluation tests.
+	 */
+	public void testConversionsAvailable() throws Exception {
+		TypeConvertorUsingConversionService tcs = new TypeConvertorUsingConversionService();
+		
+		// ArrayList containing List<Integer> to List<String>
+		Class<?> clazz = typeDescriptorForListOfString.getElementType();
+		assertEquals(String.class,clazz);
+		ConversionExecutor executor = tcs.getConversionExecutor(ArrayList.class, typeDescriptorForListOfString);
+		assertNotNull(executor);
+		List l = (List)executor.execute(listOfInteger);
+		assertNotNull(l); 
+
+		// ArrayList containing List<String> to List<Integer>
+		clazz = typeDescriptorForListOfInteger.getElementType();
+		assertEquals(Integer.class,clazz);
+		executor = tcs.getConversionExecutor(ArrayList.class, typeDescriptorForListOfInteger);
+		assertNotNull(executor);
+		l = (List)executor.execute(listOfString);
+		assertNotNull(l);
+	}
+	
+	public void testSetParameterizedList() throws Exception {
+		StandardEvaluationContext context = TestScenarioCreator.getTestEvaluationContext();
+		Expression e = parser.parseExpression("listOfInteger.size()");
+		assertEquals(0,e.getValue(context,Integer.class).intValue());
+		context.setTypeConverter(new TypeConvertorUsingConversionService());
+		// Assign a List<String> to the List<Integer> field - the component elements should be converted
+		parser.parseExpression("listOfInteger").setValue(context,listOfString);
+		assertEquals(3,e.getValue(context,Integer.class).intValue()); // size now 3
+		Class clazz = parser.parseExpression("listOfInteger[1].getClass()").getValue(context,Class.class); // element type correctly Integer
+		assertEquals(Integer.class,clazz);
+	}
+	
+
+	/**
+	 * Type convertor that uses the core conversion service.
+	 */
+	private static class TypeConvertorUsingConversionService extends DefaultConversionService implements TypeConverter {
+
+		public boolean canConvert(Class<?> sourceType, Class<?> targetType) {
+			return super.canConvert(sourceType, TypeDescriptor.valueOf(targetType));
+		}
+
+		public boolean canConvert(Class<?> sourceType, TypeDescriptor typeDescriptor) {
+			return super.canConvert(sourceType, typeDescriptor);
+		}
+
+		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+		public <T> T convertValue(Object value, Class<T> targetType) throws EvaluationException {
+			return (T)super.executeConversion(value,TypeDescriptor.valueOf(targetType));
+		}
+
+		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+		public <T> T convertValue(Object value, TypeDescriptor typeDescriptor)
+				throws EvaluationException {
+			return (T)super.executeConversion(value, typeDescriptor);
+		}
+		
+	}
+
+}

org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/MapAccessTests.java

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package org.springframework.expression.spel;
 
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.expression.AccessException;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationContext;
 import org.springframework.expression.Expression;
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ public class MapAccessTests extends ExpressionTestCase {
 	}
 
 
-	private static class MapAccessor implements PropertyAccessor {
+	public static class MapAccessor implements PropertyAccessor {
 
 		public boolean canRead(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name) throws AccessException {
 			return (((Map) target).containsKey(name));
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ public class MapAccessTests extends ExpressionTestCase {
 			return true;
 		}
 
+		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 		public void write(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name, Object newValue)
 				throws AccessException {
 			((Map) target).put(name, newValue);
@@ -83,6 +85,10 @@ public class MapAccessTests extends ExpressionTestCase {
 		public Class<?>[] getSpecificTargetClasses() {
 			return new Class[] { Map.class };
 		}
+		
+		public TypeDescriptor getTypeDescriptor(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name) {
+			return TypeDescriptor.valueOf(Map.class);
+		}
 	}
 
 }

org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/PropertyAccessTests.java

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.springframework.expression.spel;
 
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.expression.AccessException;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationContext;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
@@ -87,6 +88,10 @@ public class PropertyAccessTests extends ExpressionTestCase {
 
 		int flibbles = 7;
 
+		public TypeDescriptor getTypeDescriptor(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
 		public Class<?>[] getSpecificTargetClasses() {
 			return new Class[] { String.class };
 		}

org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/ScenariosForSpringSecurity.java

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package org.springframework.expression.spel;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
+import org.springframework.core.convert.TypeDescriptor;
 import org.springframework.expression.AccessException;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationContext;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
@@ -224,6 +225,11 @@ public class ScenariosForSpringSecurity extends ExpressionTestCase {
 		public Class<?>[] getSpecificTargetClasses() {
 			return null;
 		}
+		
+		public TypeDescriptor getTypeDescriptor(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
 	}
 
 
@@ -252,6 +258,10 @@ public class ScenariosForSpringSecurity extends ExpressionTestCase {
 		public Class<?>[] getSpecificTargetClasses() {
 			return null;
 		}
+
+		public TypeDescriptor getTypeDescriptor(EvaluationContext context, Object target, String name) {
+			return null;
+		}
 	}
 
 

org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/SetValueTests.java

@@ -98,10 +98,13 @@ public class SetValueTests extends ExpressionTestCase {
 		setValueExpectError("'hello'[3]", 'p');
 	}
 	
-//	public void testSetPropertyTypeCoersion() {
+	public void testSetPropertyTypeCoersion() {
-//		setValue("publicBoolean", "true");
+		setValue("publicBoolean", "true", Boolean.TRUE);
-//	}
+	}
 
+	public void testSetPropertyTypeCoersionThroughSetter() {
+		setValue("SomeProperty", "true", Boolean.TRUE);
+	}
 	
 	/**
 	 * Call setValue() but expect it to fail.
@@ -116,7 +119,6 @@ public class SetValueTests extends ExpressionTestCase {
 				SpelUtilities.printAbstractSyntaxTree(System.out, e);
 			}
 			StandardEvaluationContext lContext = TestScenarioCreator.getTestEvaluationContext();
-//			assertTrue("Expression is not writeable but should be", e.isWritable(lContext));
 			e.setValue(lContext, value);
 			fail("expected an error");
 		} catch (ParseException pe) {
@@ -148,4 +150,30 @@ public class SetValueTests extends ExpressionTestCase {
 			fail("Unexpected Exception: " + pe.getMessage());
 		}
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * For use when coercion is happening during a setValue().  The expectedValue should be
+	 * the coerced form of the value.
+	 */
+	protected void setValue(String expression, Object value, Object expectedValue) {
+		try {
+			Expression e = parser.parseExpression(expression);
+			if (e == null) {
+				fail("Parser returned null for expression");
+			}
+			if (DEBUG) {
+				SpelUtilities.printAbstractSyntaxTree(System.out, e);
+			}
+			StandardEvaluationContext lContext = TestScenarioCreator.getTestEvaluationContext();
+			assertTrue("Expression is not writeable but should be", e.isWritable(lContext));
+			e.setValue(lContext, value);
+			assertEquals("Retrieved value was not equal to set value", expectedValue, e.getValue(lContext));
+		} catch (EvaluationException ee) {
+			ee.printStackTrace();
+			fail("Unexpected Exception: " + ee.getMessage());
+		} catch (ParseException pe) {
+			pe.printStackTrace();
+			fail("Unexpected Exception: " + pe.getMessage());
+		}
+	}
 }

org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/testresources/Inventor.java

@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ public class Inventor {
 	private List<PlaceOfBirth> placesLivedList = new ArrayList<PlaceOfBirth>();
 	public ArrayContainer arrayContainer;
 	public boolean publicBoolean;
+	private boolean accessedThroughGetSet;
+	public List<Integer> listOfInteger = new ArrayList<Integer>();
 	
 	public Inventor(String name, Date birthdate, String nationality) {
 		this.name = name;
@@ -110,4 +112,12 @@ public class Inventor {
 	public Inventor(String... strings) {
 
 	}
+	
+	public boolean getSomeProperty() {
+		return accessedThroughGetSet;
+	}
+
+	public void setSomeProperty(boolean b) {
+		this.accessedThroughGetSet = b;
+	}
 }