Mixing JSP and Scriptlets throws compilation errors

[Uma Bandaru]

Hi,

I have been mixing scriptlets and html in my code as follows:

<% if (%> <jsp:getProperty name="job" property="status"/> <% == "hot"){%>
<option value="hot" selected="true">Hot </option>
<% } else { %>
<option value="hot" selected="true">Hot </option>
<% } %>

Which I assumed is perfectly doable.
But when I try to run the application, it is throwing compilation errors.

Error(20,26): Syntax error, insert ") Statement" to complete IfStatement
Error(20,78): Syntax error on token "==", invalid (
Error(20,78): The left-hand side of an assignment must be a variable
Error(20,86): Syntax error, insert "AssignmentOperator Expression" to complete Assignment
Error(20,86): Syntax error, insert ";" to complete Statement
Error(22,26): Syntax error on token "else", delete this token

Any suggesstions?

Thanks, Uma

[Bear Bibeault]

Uma Bandaru wrote:Which I assumed is perfectly doable.

If you mean scriptlets and HTML, then sure -- if this were 2001. But it's 2011 and scriptlets have been discredited for almost 10 years now. You should be using the JSTL and EL instead.

But irrespective of the year, it's not scriptlets and HTML you are mixing but scriptlets and JSP actions, which is not doable in any decade.

Any suggesstions?

As stated above. It's time to update your JSP knowledge. JSP 2 was introduced in 2002 -- it's time to catch up.

In JSTL and EL, the following:

<% if (%> <jsp:getProperty name="job" property="status"/> <% == "hot"){%> 

becomes

<c:if test="${job.status == 'hot'}">

[Uma Bandaru]

Thanks for the response. I am new to jsp el. Can you please elaborate on this?
After <c:if test="${job.status == 'hot'}"> , can I use "test" as a boolean variable?
Like,

<select name="degree">                    
                    <option value = "hot" selected = <c:out value="${test}"></c:out>
</select>

[Bear Bibeault]

Yes, if you check the docs for <c:if> you will see that you can assign it's result to a scoped variable.

[Uma Bandaru]

Now, I changed my code to:

<select name="degree">
<c:choose>
    <c:when test="${currentJob.status == 'hot'}">
        <option value = "hot" selected = "true">
        </option>
    </c:when>
    <c:otherwise>
        <option value = "hot">
        </option> 
    </c:otherwise>
    </c:choose>
    <c:choose>
        <c:when test="${currentJob.status == 'medium'}">
            <option value = "medium" selected = "true">
            </option>
        </c:when>
       <c:otherwise>
           <option value = "medium">
           </option> 
       </c:otherwise>
       </c:choose>
       <c:choose>
       <c:when test="${currentJob.status == 'cold'}">
           <option value = "cold" selected = "true">
           </option>
      </c:when>
      <c:otherwise>
      <option value = "cold">
      </option> 
      </c:otherwise>
      </c:choose>
 </select>

But I am not able to view anything inside the <select> tag in the page

[Bear Bibeault]

Is the generated HTML valid?

[Uma Bandaru]

This was the HTML that was generated:

<tr>
<td width="15%">Degree</td>
<td width="25%">

<select name="degree">



<option value = "hot">
</option>






<option value = "medium">
</option>





<option value = "cold">
</option>


</select>

[Bear Bibeault]

And does that not explain why the options are empty?

[Uma Bandaru]

Right, that was silly.. Thanks a lot, it works now.

[Bear Bibeault]

[Stefan Evans]

Just as an addition to this, rather than writing out such code, I prefer to use a tag which handles it for me like the ones provided by struts/stripes.
ie give it a list of options, and tell it the option that is selected, then let the component render the HTML for it.

[Bear Bibeault]

Indeed, I've written many such tags. One for example, is given a Map instance that uses the Map keys as the option value attributes, and the Map values as the option text. Another takes an enum class and constructs a set of option elements from the enum definition.