CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javajsp
Reddy
Reddy

Reputation: 1628

Populate JSP Form

How to populate a form when JSP is called first time ? I need to process an XML file when a page is refreshed & populate the form in the JSP page?(not using frameworks)

Upvotes: 0

Views: 3945

Answers (2)

BalusC
BalusC

Reputation: 1108537

You have 2 options:

  1. Use <jsp:usebean>, let the bean fill itself in the constructor.

    <jsp:useBean id="bean" class="com.example.Bean" />
...
<input name="foo" value="${fn:escapeXml(bean.foo)}">
<input name="bar" value="${fn:escapeXml(bean.bar)}">

    The fn:escapeXml() is not mandatory for the functioning, but it's mandatory to prevent XSS attacks if you're redisplaying user-controlled input in a HTML page.

  2. Use the doGet() method of a Servlet.

    Bean bean = new Bean();
request.setAttribute("bean", bean);
request.getRequestDispatcher("page.jsp").forward(request, response);

    and use the URL to servlet in browser address bar instead of the JSP's one. You can use the same code in JSP page as above, expect of the jsp:useBean line.

Way 1 is more the oldschool and student's way. Way 2 is more MVC oriented and preferred in this particular case since you seem to be doing more than just populating a bean.

See also:

Upvotes: 4

brabster
brabster

Reputation: 43560

Sure - just set initial values in the bean properties that you are exposing in your form. Then use expression language to populate the fields, such as

<input type="text" value="${bean.myProperty}"/>

Upvotes: 0

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