Generic Servlet & ServletContext

[Khadija Lokhandwala]

I had a doubt.
Generic Servlet & ServletContext both contain a log() method.
I read in the Servlet docs that

GenericServlet also implements the log method, declared in the ServletContext interface.

But Generic Servlet implements Servlet & ServletConfig interfaces.. so how can it implement a ServletContext's interface method. or is Generic Servlet defined a new method of its own..

If yes, what is the purpose of defining it in both GenericServlet & ServletContext, since you can obtain a servletcontext object from your generic servlet.

I know I am missing something here , please clarify.
Thanks in advance

[Ulf Dittmer]

I'd say the wording in the javadocs is a bit misleading. It should probably read something like "GenericServlet also implements the log method, which has the same semantics as the log method declared in the ServletContext interface."

Strictly speaking, you're right that the method is different from the one in ServletContext.

[Christophe Verré]

Note that the description has been replaced in Servlets 2.5 :

Before:
GenericServlet makes writing servlets easier. It provides simple versions of the lifecycle methods init and destroy and of the methods in the ServletConfig interface. GenericServlet also implements the log method, declared in the ServletContext interface.

After:
GenericServlet makes writing servlets easier. It provides simple versions of the lifecycle methods init and destroy and of the methods in the ServletConfig interface. GenericServlet also implements the log method, declared in the ServletContext interface.

The javadoc does not seem to be updated though...
[ March 18, 2008: Message edited by: Christophe Verre ]

[Ashok Kumar Babu]

Hi,

1. GenericServlet does not implements ServletContext.

2. The log() method in Generic Servlet implements ServletContext log() method just by calling getServletContext().log()

If yes, what is the purpose of defining it in both GenericServlet & ServletContext, since you can obtain a servletcontext object from your generic servlet.

You may want to override it. This is what my understanding. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[Khadija Lokhandwala]

Hi Christophe,

The javadoc is unchanged. But I can not figure out the methods repeated in GenericServlet & ServletContext.

Ashok had quoted

The log() method in Generic Servlet implements ServletContext log() method just by calling getServletContext().log()

that's what i think too..
Any inputs???