newbie: <lists> versus <util:list>

I want to initialize a list property in proper Spring 2 fashion. Should I be using <util:list>? What's the syntax?

Here's the way I used to do it:

Code:

<bean id="snowWhite" class="Person">  <property name="friends">    <list>      <value>Sleepy</value>      <value>Grumpy</value>      <value>Bashful</value>    </list>  </property><bean>

The following works, but I'd rather not have to separate the list -- can't I embed the list right in the using bean, as in the example above?

Code:

<bean id="snowWhite" class="Person">  <property name="friends" ref="dwarfFriends"/><bean><util:list id="dwarfFriends">    <value>Sleepy</value>    <value>Grumpy</value>    <value>Bashful</value></util:list>

Thanks!

Hi Debe

You can (and should) keep on doing it the 'old' way.

The <util:list/> element is for defining a top level, shared List that you want to inject into numerous objects.

Cheers
Rick