String concatenation in EL?

[Oliver Rensen]

Hello ranchers,

David Bridgewater writes in his book on page 492:

The following calculation won't work:
${"Not a number" + 3.0}
You will get a javax.servlet.jsp.el.ELException, complaining that "Not a number" cannot be converted to a java.lang.Double value. This example also goes to show that the addition operator in EL - unlike Java - is not overloaded to handle string concatenation. There is no operator overloading or string concatenation in EL.

But the Head First-book writes on page 428, Question 6:

${list['listIdx' + 1]} is incorrect because ('listIdx' + 1) becomes a String.

This sentence sounds like a string concatenation in EL, and I am not sure, which statement is true.

Is string concatenation allowed in EL or not?

Regards
Oliver

[Promod kumar]

I think HFSJ is in error here, I remember trying it and the HFSJ's option actually gives an exception.

EL operator conversion has a lot of rules, here is a link that might help

http://commons.apache.org/el/apidocs/org/apache/commons/el/Coercions.html
[ August 22, 2007: Message edited by: Promod Mahajan ]

[Michael Ku]

Was this listed anywhere in the errata for the book?

[Promod kumar]

It is not listed in the errata. It may be because this option was not the right answer for this question. There is a correction for this question but it is on option F

[khushhal yadav]

Hi Oliver

Answer to your question in a single..

+ operator is not overloaded for String in EL

Now, I think you would be able to make out what is correct or what is wrong..

Regards,
Khushhal

[Oliver Rensen]

Promod and Khushhal, thanks a lot for your help.