request.getHeader() return value ?

[Amit Hetawal]

Hello,
I was confused seeing the below question. (Enthuware mock test)

   
Assume that the following header is present in a request sent to a servlet: 
Accept: image/gif, image/jpeg, image/bmp 
What will be returned when the servlet code calls request.getHeader("Accept")? 

Select 1 correct option. 
a  A Header object containing, name as "Accept" and value as "image/gif".   
        
b  A Header object containing, name as "Accept" and value as "image/gif, image/jpeg, image/bmp".   
        
c  A String containing "image/gif"".   
        
d  A String containing "image/gif, image/jpeg, image/bmp".   
        
e  A String array containing "image/gif", "image/jpeg", image/bmp". 

Answer:  D
 

According to my understanding request.getHeader() returns the first value of header if it contains multiple values.
So why not the answer be Option C,

Can someone help me what does the request.getHeader() will actually returns.


Thanks,

[Ulf Dittmer]

The first sentence of the javadocs of HttpServletRequest.getHeader(String) explains what this method returns. This is easy to test in a real servlet container, by the way.

[Naveen Segu]

Hi Amit Hetawal,

Yes. It should return the first header value. what you said is correct. you can try testing it.

[Ulf Dittmer]

Naveen Segu wrote:Yes. It should return the first header value. what you said is correct.

No; see my reply.

[Amit Hetawal]

I tried testing it, but all the headers had single values.
According to my understanding, i think the getHeader() will return the full string of header values i.e
if header :
"Test" = "value1,value2"

getHeader("Test") will give "value1,value2"


But if we have header as
"Test" = "value1"
"Test" = "value2"

getHeader("Test" will give "value1" ie the first value of the header.


Please correct me if i am wrong.

Thanks,

[Balu Sadhasivam]

Amit,
You can try with "Accept" header and see it !!

[Amit Hetawal]

In my JSP i tried :

<%

System.out.println(request.getHeader("Accept"));

%>

Output : */*

Dont know what it means ?

[Balu Sadhasivam]

*/* means accept all application types and its sub types.