[java] Using request.setAttribute in a JSP page

Is it possible to use request.setAttribute on a JSP page and then on HTML Submit get the same request attribute in the Servlet?

Correct me if wrong...I think request does persist between consecutive pages..

Think you traverse from page 1--> page 2-->page 3.

You have some value set in the request object using setAttribute from page 1, which you retrieve in page 2 using getAttribute,then if you try setting something again in same request object to retrieve it in page 3 then it fails giving you null value as "the request that created the JSP, and the request that gets generated when the JSP is submitted are completely different requests and any attributes placed on the first one will not be available on the second".

I mean something like this in page 2 fails:

Where as the same thing has worked in case of page 1 like:

So I think I would need to proceed with either of the two options suggested by Phill.

If you want your requests to persists try this:

example: on your JSP or servlet page

request.getSession().setAttribute("SUBFAMILY", subFam);

and on any receiving page use the below lines to retrieve your session and data:

SubFamily subFam = (SubFamily)request.getSession().getAttribute("SUBFAMILY");

The reply by Phil Sacre was correct however the session shouldn't be used just for the hell of it. You should only use this for values which really need to live for the lifetime of the session, such as a user login. It's common to see people overuse the session and run into more issues, especially when dealing with a collection or when users return to a page they previously visited only to find they have values still remaining from a previous visit. A smart program minimizes the scope of variables as much as possible, a bad one uses session too much.

You can do it using pageContext attributes, though:

In the JSP:

<form action="Enter.do">
    <button type="SUBMIT" id="btnSubmit" name="btnSubmit">SUBMIT</button>
</form>
<% String s="opportunity";
pageContext.setAttribute("opp", s, PageContext.APPLICATION_SCOPE); %>

In the Servlet (linked to the "Enter.do" url-pattern):

String s=(String) request.getServletContext().getAttribute("opp");

There are other scopes besides APPLICATION_SCOPE like SESSION_SCOPE. APPLICATION_SCOPE is used for ServletContext attributes.

Correct me if wrong...I think request does persist between consecutive pages..

Think you traverse from page 1--> page 2-->page 3.

You have some value set in the request object using setAttribute from page 1, which you retrieve in page 2 using getAttribute,then if you try setting something again in same request object to retrieve it in page 3 then it fails giving you null value as "the request that created the JSP, and the request that gets generated when the JSP is submitted are completely different requests and any attributes placed on the first one will not be available on the second".

I mean something like this in page 2 fails:

Where as the same thing has worked in case of page 1 like:

So I think I would need to proceed with either of the two options suggested by Phill.

The reply by Phil Sacre was correct however the session shouldn't be used just for the hell of it. You should only use this for values which really need to live for the lifetime of the session, such as a user login. It's common to see people overuse the session and run into more issues, especially when dealing with a collection or when users return to a page they previously visited only to find they have values still remaining from a previous visit. A smart program minimizes the scope of variables as much as possible, a bad one uses session too much.

Correct me if wrong...I think request does persist between consecutive pages..

Think you traverse from page 1--> page 2-->page 3.

You have some value set in the request object using setAttribute from page 1, which you retrieve in page 2 using getAttribute,then if you try setting something again in same request object to retrieve it in page 3 then it fails giving you null value as "the request that created the JSP, and the request that gets generated when the JSP is submitted are completely different requests and any attributes placed on the first one will not be available on the second".

I mean something like this in page 2 fails:

Where as the same thing has worked in case of page 1 like:

So I think I would need to proceed with either of the two options suggested by Phill.

The reply by Phil Sacre was correct however the session shouldn't be used just for the hell of it. You should only use this for values which really need to live for the lifetime of the session, such as a user login. It's common to see people overuse the session and run into more issues, especially when dealing with a collection or when users return to a page they previously visited only to find they have values still remaining from a previous visit. A smart program minimizes the scope of variables as much as possible, a bad one uses session too much.

Try

request.getSession().setAttribute("SUBFAMILY", subFam);
request.getSession().getAttribute("SUBFAMILY");

Try

request.getSession().setAttribute("SUBFAMILY", subFam);
request.getSession().getAttribute("SUBFAMILY");

i think phil is right request option is available till the page load. so if we want to sent value to another page we want to set the in the hidden tag or in side the session if you just need the value only on another page and not more than that then hidden tags are best option if you need that value on more than one page at that time session is the better option than hidden tags.

Correct me if wrong...I think request does persist between consecutive pages..

Think you traverse from page 1--> page 2-->page 3.

You have some value set in the request object using setAttribute from page 1, which you retrieve in page 2 using getAttribute,then if you try setting something again in same request object to retrieve it in page 3 then it fails giving you null value as "the request that created the JSP, and the request that gets generated when the JSP is submitted are completely different requests and any attributes placed on the first one will not be available on the second".

I mean something like this in page 2 fails:

Where as the same thing has worked in case of page 1 like:

So I think I would need to proceed with either of the two options suggested by Phill.

i think phil is right request option is available till the page load. so if we want to sent value to another page we want to set the in the hidden tag or in side the session if you just need the value only on another page and not more than that then hidden tags are best option if you need that value on more than one page at that time session is the better option than hidden tags.

You can do it using pageContext attributes, though:

In the JSP:

<form action="Enter.do">
    <button type="SUBMIT" id="btnSubmit" name="btnSubmit">SUBMIT</button>
</form>
<% String s="opportunity";
pageContext.setAttribute("opp", s, PageContext.APPLICATION_SCOPE); %>

In the Servlet (linked to the "Enter.do" url-pattern):

String s=(String) request.getServletContext().getAttribute("opp");

There are other scopes besides APPLICATION_SCOPE like SESSION_SCOPE. APPLICATION_SCOPE is used for ServletContext attributes.

If you want your requests to persists try this:

example: on your JSP or servlet page

request.getSession().setAttribute("SUBFAMILY", subFam);

and on any receiving page use the below lines to retrieve your session and data:

SubFamily subFam = (SubFamily)request.getSession().getAttribute("SUBFAMILY");