request.getParameterValues() alternative for multipart data form.

[WeiJie Lim]

request.getParameter() and request.getParameterValues() do not work when the enctype for the form is multipart.

The alternative for getparameter() is getString() .

What is the alternative for getParamaterValues() ? I am trying to get the values of a checkbox.

[Bear Bibeault]

What are you using to parse the multipart form?

[WeiJie Lim]

Bear Bibeault wrote:What are you using to parse the multipart form?

I am using the Apache Commons FileUpload.

[Bear Bibeault]

Have you looked through its javadoc and tutorial for how to use it? Your answer will be found there if such a method exists.

[WeiJie Lim]

Bear Bibeault wrote:Have you looked through its javadoc and tutorial for how to use it? Your answer will be found there if such a method exists.

I looked through the official user guide already, it doesn't state anything with relation to retrieving a set of array values..

Thanks for the tip, didn't thought of checking the Apache javadoc. It also seems like the apache javadoc for FileUpload doesn't have such a method.

I guess I have to send the checkbox data in a separate form then.

[Bear Bibeault]

You've given up too easily.

While there isn't an API that returns the array of values that have the same request parameter name, they are still available. (As I recall, it's been years since I've used it), each request param will appear as a FileItem, and there will multiple file items with the same name for request parameters that appear more than once on the request.

[WeiJie Lim]

Bear Bibeault wrote:You've given up too easily.

While there isn't an API that returns the array of values that have the same request parameter name, they are still available. (As I recall, it's been years since I've used it), each request param will appear as a FileItem, and there will multiple file items with the same name for request parameters that appear more than once on the request.

I thought of something like the code below. I did a check if it is a form field, and then as long as the form field name matches the name of the checkbox 'genreList' , it will keep extracting the checkbox parameters out due to the while loop.

The checkbox params are inserted into a ArrayList, and then later converted to an Array for easier processing for insertion to Database.

FileItem fi = (FileItem) i.next();

if (fi.isFormField()) {
		
		// get params form normal form fields			
		fi.getFieldName().equals("title");
			mt = fi.getString();
		
		fi.getFieldName().equals("weeks");
			act = fi.getString();

		// get params from checkbox named 'genreList'	
		while(fi.getFieldName().equals("genreList")){
			String getGenre = fi.getString("genreList");
			// adds each checkbox param to ArrayList 'genreTick'
			genreTick.add(getGenre);
		}
}