Jakarta Struts:

DispatchAction and Other

Advanced Action Classes
Struts 1.2 Version
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 Agenda
• Performing different logic based on a radio
button, hidden field, or push button value
– But not repeatedly checking parameter names in the
execute method
– Using DispatchAction
• Using Struts form-bean capabilities in non-
Struts applications
– Without redoing code in Struts
– Using ForwardAction
• Other advanced Action subclasses

5 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

DispatchAction
Grouping Related Operations

Slides © Marty Hall, http://www.coreservlets.com, books © Sun Microsystems Press

 DispatchAction
• Scenario
– The same form should result in substantially different
logic depending on whether certain radio buttons were
chosen, or depending on which submit button was
pressed
• But, in HTML, one form has one ACTION
– Several actions share similar or identical helper methods
• Problems
– Tedious and repetitive checking of parameters just to
know what real method to invoke
• Form bean must have getter/setters for the radio button
• Goal
– Automate the dispatch logic (decision re which method
applies), based on struts-config.xml
7 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

Example
(Radio button named "operation")
public ActionForward execute (ActionMapping mapping,
ActionForm form,
HttpServletRequest request,
HttpServletResponse response)
throws Exception {
UserFormBean formBean = (UserFormBean)form;
if (radioButtonMatches(formBean, "createAccount")) {
return(createAccount(mapping, formBean, request, response));
} else if (radioButtonMatches(formBean, "changePassword")) {
return(changePassword(mapping, formBean, request,
response));
} else if (radioButtonMatches(formBean, "deleteAccount")) {
return(deleteAccount(mapping, formBean, request, response));
} else {
return(makeErrorMessage());
}
}

private boolean radioButtonMatches(UserFormBean formBean,

String value) {
String operation = formBean.getOperation();
return((operation != null) && operation.equals(value));
8
} Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com
 Using DispatchAction
• Use struts-config.xml to list the parameter
used to determine which method will be called
– Use the parameter attribute of action
<action path="..." type="..." parameter="operation">
• Extend DispatchAction instead of Action
– Directly implement desired methods
• Omit the execute method entirely
• Custom methods have same signature as execute
– Note package is ...struts.actions, not ...struts.action
• In form, supply parameter with given name
– Value should be the name of the method that applies
<INPUT TYPE="RADIO" NAME="operation"
VALUE="createAccount">
9
• Form bean needs no setters for button
Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

Example: Outline
• Perform different operations depending on
which radio button is selected
• Use same basic Action class in all cases

10 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

 Struts Flow of Control
Populate bean based
on request parameters. struts-config.xml
JSP Supply as second
p
.js argument to methods.
F orm
o me
./S
st ..
ue
req
invoke
Choose
submit form Determine method Action return condition
Form JSP
request .../blah.do Action designated
by special Page
parameter

return fi
na l result forward to

JSP

Use bean:write
to output bean
properties.

11 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

Struts Flow of Control

• The user requests a form
– The form has radio button, push button, or hidden field with a special
name, and whose values correspond to method names
• The form is submitted to a URL of the form blah.do.
– That address is mapped by struts-config.xml to an Action class
• The designated method of the Action object is invoked
– The method is selected based on the special form parameter
– One of the arguments to execute is a form bean that is automatically
created and whose properties are automatically populated based on
incoming request parameters of the same name
– The Action object then invokes business logic and data-access logic,
placing the results in normal beans stored in request, session, or application
scope.
– The Action uses mapping.findForward to return a condition, and the
conditions are mapped by struts-config.xml to various JSP pages.
• Struts forwards request to the appropriate JSP page
– The page can use bean:write or the JSP 2.0 EL to output bean properties
– The page can use bean:message to output fixed strings
12 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com
 New Capabilities
• The form has a special parameter
– The possible values correspond to method names
• The parameter is declared in struts-config.xml
– With a parameter entry in the action element
• The form bean needs no setter method for the
special parameter
– For html:radio and most other html: tags, getter is needed
– Otherwise, form bean defined and declared normally
• Extend DispatchAction instead of Action
– No execute method
– One method for each possible value of the special
parameter
• These methods have same signature as execute
13 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

The Six Basic Steps in Using

Struts: Updates for Bean Use
1. Modify struts-config.xml.
Use WEB-INF/struts-config.xml to:
– Map incoming .do addresses to Action classes
– Map return conditions to JSP pages
– Declare any form beans that are being used
– List special param via parameter entry in action
– Restart server after modifying struts-config.xml
2. Define a form bean.
– This bean extends ActionForm and represents the data
submitted by the user. It is automatically populated
when the input form is submitted.
• The getter needed for this special parameter determines which
radio button is initially selected
• No setter needed for this special parameter
14 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com
 The Six Basic Steps in Using
Struts: Updates for Bean Use
3. Create results beans.
– These are normal beans of the sort used in MVC when
implemented directly with RequestDispatcher. That is,
they represent the results of the business logic and data
access code. These beans are stored in request, session,
or application scope.
4. Define a DispatchAction class to handle
requests.
– Omit the execute method
– Define a method named for each possible method of the
special parameter
• Same signature as the execute method
– The system will call that method automatically

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The Six Basic Steps in Using

Struts: Updates for Bean Use
5. Create form that invokes blah.do.
– Use html:form to associate bean properties with input
elements
• Keeps textfield names in synch with bean property names
• Allows form prepopulation
• Allows form redisplay
– Optionally use bean:message to output standard
prompts
6. Display results in JSP.
– The JSP page uses the bean:write tag to output
properties of the form and result beans.
– The page may also use bean:message.

16 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

 Step 1
(Modify struts-config.xml)
<struts-config>
<action-mappings>
<form-beans>
<form-bean name="userFormBean"
type="coreservlets.UserFormBean"/>
</form-beans>
<action path="/accountMod"
type="coreservlets.ModifyAccountAction"
parameter="operation">
<forward name="create-failed"
path="/WEB-INF/results/create-failed.jsp"/>
<forward name="create-success"
path="/WEB-INF/results/create-confirm.jsp"/>
<forward name="change-failed"
path="/WEB-INF/results/change-failed.jsp"/>
<forward name="change-success"
path="/WEB-INF/results/change-confirm.jsp"/>
<forward name="delete-failed"
path="/WEB-INF/results/delete-failed.jsp"/>
<forward name="delete-success"
path="/WEB-INF/results/delete-confirm.jsp"/>
</action>
</action-mappings>
</struts-config> www.coreservlets.com
17 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions

Step 2 (Define a Form Bean)

package coreservlets;
import org.apache.struts.action.*;

public class UserFormBean extends ActionForm {

private String email = "";
private String password = "";
private String operation="createAccount";

public String getEmail() { return(email); }

public void setEmail(String email) {

this.email = email;
}
...
public String getOperation() {
return(operation);
}
}
18 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com
 Step 3 (Define Results Beans)
• Omitted in this simple example

19 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

Step 4 (Define a DispatchAction

Class to Handle Requests)
package coreservlets;

import javax.servlet.http.*;
import org.apache.struts.action.*;
import org.apache.struts.actions.*;

public class ModifyAccountAction

extends DispatchAction {

20 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

 Example: DispatchAction Code
(Continued)
public ActionForward createAccount
(ActionMapping mapping,
ActionForm form,
HttpServletRequest request,
HttpServletResponse response)
throws Exception {
if (isComplexBusinessLogicSuccessful("create")) {
return(mapping.findForward("create-success"));
} else {
return(mapping.findForward("create-failed"));
}
}
public ActionForward changePassword(...) {...}
public ActionForward deleteAccount(...) {...}

private boolean isComplexBusinessLogicSuccessful

(String type) {
return(Math.random() > 0.5);
}
}
21 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

Step 5 (Create Form that Invokes

blah.do)
<%@ taglib uri="http://struts.apache.org/tags-html"
prefix="html" %>
<html:form action="/accountMod">
Email address: <html:text property="email"/><BR>
Password: <html:password property="password"/><BR>
<TABLE CELLSPACING="10">
<TR>
<TD><html:radio property="operation"
value="createAccount"/>
Create Account</TD>
<TD><html:radio property="operation"
value="changePassword"/>
Change Password</TD>
<TD><html:radio property="operation"
value="deleteAccount"/>
Delete Account</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<html:submit value="Perform Selected Operation"/>
</html:form>
22 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com
 Step 6 (Display Results in JSP)
• WEB-INF/results/create-confirm.jsp
<%@ taglib uri="http://struts.apache.org/tags-bean"
prefix="bean" %>
<!DOCTYPE ...>
<HTML>
<HEAD><TITLE>Account Created</TITLE></HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#FDF5E6">
<CENTER>
<H1>Account successfully created for
<bean:write name="userFormBean" property="email"/>.</H1>
Congratulations.
</CENTER>
</BODY></HTML>

23 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

Results (Initial Form)

24 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

 Results (Account Creation)

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Results (Password Change)

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 Results (Account Deletion)

27 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

More Details on DispatchAction

• Using DispatchAction for different forms
– Motivation: different forms with similar actions
• Have the different forms use hidden fields whose name matches
the specified parameter and whose value designates the method
• Using push buttons instead of radio buttons
– Conceptually, it seems the same. Problem: push button
values are displayed to the user as the button labels
• You don't want the labels to have to match the method names
– Solution: override getMethodName.
• This method maps parameter values to method names
• But fails in I18N apps where button labels come from properties
file, so LookupDispatchAction needed in this complex case
• Handling unmatched values
– E.g., users might submit without selecting a radio button
• This automatically invokes a method named unspecified
www.coreservlets.com
28 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions
 ForwardAction
Using Form Beans with
Non-Struts MVC Apps

Slides © Marty Hall, http://www.coreservlets.com, books © Sun Microsystems Press

ForwardAction
• Scenario
– You already have MVC-based servlet/JSP combo that
uses beans
• Repeated calls to request.getParameter in servlet
– You already have standalone JSP page that uses beans
• Scripting elements or jsp:setProperty
• Problems
– Tedious and repetitive reading of request parameters and
setting of bean properties
– Not yet ready to redo code in Struts
• Goal
– Use Struts form beans facility, but keep basic servlet/JSP
structure in place
30 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com
 Steps in Using ForwardAction
• Change bean
– Need to extend ActionForm
– Do not need to implement Serializable
– Do not need to check for null and empty strings
• Change servlet
– Do not need to create bean or check
Request/Session/Application for null
– Do not need to call request.getParameter
• Change form
– ACTION should refer to blah.do

31 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

Steps in Using ForwardAction

(Continued)
• Declare bean in struts-config.xml
– Same as with a normal form bean
• Declare action in struts-config.xml
<action path="/blah"
type="org.apache.struts.actions.ForwardAction"
name="bean-name"
scope="request-session-or-application"
parameter="/path-to-servlet"/>

32 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

 Example: Preferred Colors
(Session Scoped)
• User can specify preferred foreground and
background colors
– If no color specified, previous choice used
– If no colors given previously, defaults are used
• Uses MVC
– Servlet uses RequestDispatcher
– Result page uses JSP 2.0 expression language

33 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

Non-Struts Version: Bean

package coreservlets;
import java.io.Serializable;
public class ColorBean1 implements Serializable {
private String foregroundColor = "BLACK";
private String backgroundColor = "WHITE";
public String getForegroundColor() {
return(foregroundColor);
}
public void setForegroundColor(String fgColor) {
if (!isEmpty(fgColor)) {
foregroundColor = fgColor;
}
}
...
private boolean isEmpty(String value) {
return((value == null) || (value.trim().equals("")));
}
} www.coreservlets.com
34 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions
 Non-Struts Version: Servlet
public class ShowColors1 extends HttpServlet {
public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request,
HttpServletResponse response)
throws ServletException, IOException {
HttpSession session = request.getSession();
ColorBean1 colorBean =
(ColorBean1)session.getAttribute("colorBean1");
if (colorBean == null) {
colorBean = new ColorBean1();
session.setAttribute("colorBean1", colorBean);
}
colorBean.setForegroundColor
(request.getParameter("foregroundColor"));
colorBean.setBackgroundColor
(request.getParameter("backgroundColor"));
if (colorBean.getForegroundColor().equals
(colorBean.getBackgroundColor())) {
colorBean = new ColorBean1();
session.setAttribute("colorBean1", colorBean);
}
String address = "/WEB-INF/results/show-colors1.jsp";
RequestDispatcher dispatcher =
request.getRequestDispatcher(address);
dispatcher.forward(request, response); www.coreservlets.com
35 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions
}}

Non-Struts Version: Form

<!DOCTYPE ...>
<HTML>
<HEAD><TITLE>Choose Preferred Colors</TITLE></HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#FDF5E6">
<CENTER>
<H1>Choose Preferred Colors</H1>
<FORM ACTION="ShowColors1">
Foreground: <INPUT TYPE="TEXT" NAME="foregroundColor"><BR>
Background: <INPUT TYPE="TEXT" NAME="backgroundColor"><BR>
<INPUT TYPE="SUBMIT" VALUE="Set Colors">
</FORM>
</CENTER>
</BODY></HTML>

36 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

 Non-Struts Version: Form

37 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

Non-Struts Version: Results Page

<!DOCTYPE ...>
<HTML>
<HEAD><TITLE>Show Colors</TITLE></HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="${colorBean1.backgroundColor}"
TEXT="${colorBean1.foregroundColor}">
<H1>Show Colors</H1>
Blah, blah, blah, blah.
</BODY></HTML>

38 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

 Non-Struts Version: Results

39 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

ForwardAction Version: Bean

package coreservlets;

import org.apache.struts.action.*;

public class ColorBean2 extends ActionForm {

private String foregroundColor = "BLACK";
private String backgroundColor = "WHITE";

public String getForegroundColor() {

return(foregroundColor);
}

public void setForegroundColor(String fgColor) {

foregroundColor = fgColor;
}

...

}
40 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com
 ForwardAction Version: Servlet
public class ShowColors2 extends HttpServlet {
public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request,
HttpServletResponse response)
throws ServletException, IOException {
HttpSession session = request.getSession();
ColorBean2 colorBean =
(ColorBean2)session.getAttribute("colorBean2");
if (colorBean.getForegroundColor().equals
(colorBean.getBackgroundColor())) {
colorBean = new ColorBean2();
session.setAttribute("colorBean2", colorBean);
}
String address = "/WEB-INF/results/show-colors2.jsp";
RequestDispatcher dispatcher =
request.getRequestDispatcher(address);
dispatcher.forward(request, response);
}
}

41 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

ForwardAction Version:
struts-config.xml
<struts-config>
<form-beans>
...
<form-bean name="colorBean2"
type="coreservlets.ColorBean2"/>
</form-beans>
<action-mappings>
...
<action path="/showColors2"
type="org.apache.struts.actions.ForwardAction"
name="colorBean2"
scope="session"
parameter="/ShowColors2"/>
</action-mappings>
</struts-config>

42 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

 ForwardAction Version: Form
<!DOCTYPE ...>
<HTML>
<HEAD><TITLE>Choose Preferred Colors</TITLE></HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#FDF5E6">
<CENTER>
<H1>Choose Preferred Colors</H1>
<FORM ACTION="showColors2.do">
Foreground: <INPUT TYPE="TEXT" NAME="foregroundColor"><BR>
Background: <INPUT TYPE="TEXT" NAME="backgroundColor"><BR>
<INPUT TYPE="SUBMIT" VALUE="Set Colors">
</FORM>
</CENTER>
</BODY></HTML>

43 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

ForwardAction: Form

44 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

 ForwardAction Version:
Results Page
<!DOCTYPE ...>
<HTML>
<HEAD><TITLE>Show Colors</TITLE></HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="${colorBean2.backgroundColor}"
TEXT="${colorBean2.foregroundColor}">
<H1>Show Colors</H1>
Blah, blah, blah, blah.
</BODY></HTML>

45 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

ForwardAction: Results

46 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

 Other Specialized
Action Subclasses
• DefinitionDispatchAction
– Associates a URL with a Tiles definition name
• DownloadAction
– Used for actions that handle forms with file uploads
• IncludeAction
– Similar to ForwardAction, but includes instead of forwards
• Populates form beans first
• Useful for normal MVC-style servlet that wants to use the Struts form-
bean capability
• LocaleAction
– Uses request params to decide which Locale to use
• SwitchAction
– Invokes resource from a specific Struts Module
• TilesAction
– Accepts one extra parameter: the tiles context
47 Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com

Summary
• DispatchAction
– Use struts-config.xml to list the parameter used to
determine which method will be called
• <action path="..." type="..." parameter="operation">
– Extend DispatchAction instead of Action
• Directly implement desired methods
– In form, supply parameter with given name
– Form bean needs no accessors for special parameter
• ForwardAction
– Use struts-config.xml to declare the bean and give
address of servlet that will use it
• <action path="/blah"
type="org.apache.struts.actions.ForwardAction"
name="bean-name"
scope="request-session-or-application"
48 parameter="/path-to-servlet"/>
Apache Struts: Advanced Actions www.coreservlets.com
 Questions?

Core Servlets & JSP book: www.coreservlets.com

More Servlets & JSP book: www.moreservlets.com
Servlet, JSP, Struts, JSF, and Java Training Courses:
courses.coreservlets.com
Slides © Marty Hall, http://www.coreservlets.com, books © Sun Microsystems Press