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Lecture 35

The document discusses JavaServer Pages (JSP) directives and implicit objects. It begins by reviewing JSP elements such as directives, scripting elements, and action elements. It then defines and provides examples of three important implicit objects in JSP: request, response, and out. The document focuses on implicit objects and explains how they simplify code. It describes several other implicit objects and provides an example using implicit objects to transfer data between JSP pages based on user input. Finally, the document discusses JSP directives, their purpose and format, and provides an example using the include directive.

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78 views

Lecture 35

The document discusses JavaServer Pages (JSP) directives and implicit objects. It begins by reviewing JSP elements such as directives, scripting elements, and action elements. It then defines and provides examples of three important implicit objects in JSP: request, response, and out. The document focuses on implicit objects and explains how they simplify code. It describes several other implicit objects and provides an example using implicit objects to transfer data between JSP pages based on user input. Finally, the document discusses JSP directives, their purpose and format, and provides an example using the include directive.

Uploaded by

api-3729920
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Handout 35

Web Design & Development CS-506

Lecture 35
JavaServer Pages

We have started JSP journey in the last handout and thoroughly discussed the JSP
scripting elements. JSP directive elements and implicit objects will be discussed in this
handout. Let’s review JSP journey again to find out what part we have already covered.

ƒ Directive Elements
– Provides global control of JSP ……..…………….. <%@ %>

ƒ Scripting Elements
– JSP comments ……………………………………... <%-- --%>

– declarations ……………………………………... <%! %>


• Used to declare instance variables & methods
– expressions ……………………………………... <%= %>

implicit • A java code fragment which returns String


objects
– scriptlets ……………………………………... <% %>
• Blocks of java code
ƒ Action Elements
– Special JSP tags ……..…………………………….. <jsp: .…. />

We start our discussion from implicit objects. Let’s find out what these are?

Implicit Objects
To simplify code in JSP expressions and scriptlets, you are supplied with eight
automatically defined variables, sometimes called implicit objects. The three most
important variables are request, response & out. Details of these are given
below:

– request
This variable is of type HttpServletRequest, associated with the request. It
gives you access to the request parameters, the request type (e.g. GET or POST),
and the incoming HTTP request headers (e.g. cookies etc).

– response
This variable is of type HttpServletResponse, associated with the response
to client. By using it, you can set HTTP status codes, content type and response
headers etc.

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Web Design & Development CS-506

– out
This is the object of JspWriter used to send output to the client.

Code Example: Use of Implicit Objects

The following example constitutes of 4 JSP pages. These are index.jsp,


controller.jsp, web.jsp and java.jsp. The user will select either the option
of “java” or “web” from index.jsp, displayed in the form of radio buttons and
submits the request to controller.jsp. Based on the selection made by the user,
controller.jsp will redirect the user to respective pages (web.jsp or
java.jsp).

The flow of the example is shown below in the pictorial form.

web.jsp
if page == web

index.jsp controller.
jsp
if page == java

java.jsp

The code of these entire pages is given below.

index.jsp

<html>
<body>
<h2>Select the page you want to visit</h2>

<form name="myForm" action="controller.jsp" >


<h3>
<input type="radio" name = "page" value="web"/>
Web Design & Develoment
</h3>
<br>

<h3>
<input type="radio" name = "page" value="java"/>
Java
</h3>

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Web Design & Development CS-506

<br>
<input type="submit" value="Submit" />

</form>
</body>
</html>

controller.jsp

<html>
<body>

<!-- scriptlet -->


<%

// reading parameter “page”, name of radio button using


// implicit object request
String pageName = request.getParameter("page");

// deciding which page to move on based on “page” value


// redirecting user by using response implicit object
if (pageName.equals("web")) {
response.sendRedirect("web.jsp");
} else if (pageName.equals("java") ) {
response.sendRedirect("java.jsp");
}
%>

</body>
</html>

web.jsp

<html>
<body>

// use of out implicit object, to generate HTML


<%
out.println( "<h2>" +
"Welcome to Web Design & Development Page" +
"</h2>"
);
%>
</body>
</html>

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Handout 35
Web Design & Development CS-506

java.jsp

<html>
<body>

// use of out implicit object, to generate HTML


<%
out.println( "<h2>" +
"Welcome to Java Page" +
"</h2>"
);
%>
</body>
</html>

------------------------

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Handout 35
Web Design & Development CS-506

The details of remaining 5 implicit objects are given below:

– session
This variable is of type HttpSession, used to work with session object.

– application
This variable is of type ServletContext. Allows to store values in key-value
pair form that are shared by all servlets in same web application/

– config
This variable is of type ServletConfig. Represents the JSP configuration
options e.g. init-parameters etc.

– pageContext
This variable is of type javax.servlet.jsp.PageContext, to give a
single point of access to many of the page attributes. This object is used to stores
the object values associated with this object.

– exception
This variable is of type java.lang.Throwable. Represents the exception
that is passed to JSP error page.

– page
This variable is of type java.lang.Object. It is synonym for this.

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Web Design & Development CS-506

JSP Directives
JSP directives are used to convey special processing information about the page to JSP
container. It affects the overall structure of the servlet that results from the JSP page. It
enables programmer to:

– Specify page settings


– To Include content from other resources
– To specify custom-tag libraries

Format
<%@ directive {attribute=”val”}* %>

In JSP, there are three types of directives: page, include & taglib. The formats
of using these are:

– page: <%@ page {attribute=”val”}* %>


– include: <%@ include {attribute=”val”}* %>
– taglib: <%@ taglib {attribute=”val”}* %>

JSP page Directive


Give high level information about servlet that will result from JSP page. It can be used
anywhere in the document. It can control
– Which classes are imported
– What class the servlet extends
– What MIME type is generated
– How multithreading is handled
– If the participates in session
– Which page handles unexpected errors etc.
The lists of attributes that can be used with page directive are:
• language = “java”
• extends = “package.class”
• import = “package.*,package.class,…”
• session = “true | false”
• Info = “text”
• contentType = “mimeType”
• isThreadSafe = “true | false”
• errorPage = “relativeURL”
• isErrorPage = “true | false”

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Some example uses are:

– To import package like java.util


<%@page import=“java.util.*” info=“using util package” %>

– To declare this page as an error page


<%@ page isErrorPage = “true” %>

– To generate the excel spread sheet


<%@ page contentType = “application/vnd.ms-excel” %>

JSP include Directive


Lets you include (reuse) navigation bars, tables and other elements in JSP page. You can
include files at
– Translation Time (by using include directive)
– Request Time (by using Action elements, discussed in next handouts)

Format
<%@include file=“relativeURL”%>

Purpose
To include a file in a JSP document at the time document is translated into a servlet. It
may contain JSP code that affects the main page such as response page header settings
etc.

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Web Design & Development CS-506

Example Code: using include directive

This example contains three JSP pages. These are index.jsp, header.jsp &
footer.jsp. The header.jsp will display the text of “web design and
development” along with current date. The footer.jsp will display only “virtual
university”. The outputs of both these pages will be included in index.jsp by using
JSP include directive.

header.jsp

<%@page import="java.util.*"%>

<html>
<body>

<marquee>
<h3> Web Desing & Development </h3>

<h3><%=new Date()%></h3>
</marquee>

</body>
</html>

footer.jsp

<html>
<body>

<marquee>
<h3> Virtual University </h3>
</marquee>

</body>
</html>

index.jsp

<html>
<body>

// includes the output of header.jsp


<%@include file="header.jsp" %>

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<TABLE BORDER=1>
<TR><TH></TH><TH>Apples<TH>Oranges
<TR><TH>First Quarter<TD>2307<TD>4706
<TR><TH>Second Quarter<TD>2982<TD>5104
<TR><TH>Third Quarter<TD>3011<TD>5220
<TR><TH>Fourth Quarter<TD>3055<TD>5287
</TABLE>

// includes the output of footer.jsp


<%@include file="footer.jsp" %>

</body>
</html>

Example Code: setting content type to generate excel spread


sheet
In this example, index.jsp is modified to generate excel spread sheet of the last
example. The change is shown in bold face.

index.jsp

// setting content type to generate excel sheet using page directive


<%@page contentType="application/vnd.ms-excel" %>

<html>
<body>

// includes the output of header.jsp


<%@include file="header.jsp" %>

<TABLE BORDER=1>
<TR><TH></TH><TH>Apples<TH>Oranges
<TR><TH>First Quarter<TD>2307<TD>4706
<TR><TH>Second Quarter<TD>2982<TD>5104
<TR><TH>Third Quarter<TD>3011<TD>5220
<TR><TH>Fourth Quarter<TD>3055<TD>5287
</TABLE>

// includes the output of footer.jsp


<%@include file="footer.jsp" %>

</body>
</html>

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JSP Life Cycle Methods

The life cycle methods of JSP are jspInit(), _jspService() and


jspDesroy(). On receiving each request, _jspService() method is invoked that
generates the response as well.

jspInit()

Request _jspService()
Response

jspDestroy()

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References:

ƒ Java A Lab Course by Umair Javed

ƒ Core Servlets and JSP by Marty Hall

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