Java servlet sendRequest - getParameter encoding Problem - java

I'm building a web app for my lesson using java servlets. At some point i want to redirect to a jsp page, sending also some info that want to use there (using the GET method).
In my servlet i have the following code:
String link = new String("index.jsp?name="+metadata.getName()+"&title="+metadata.getTitle());
response.sendRedirect(response.encodeRedirectURL(link));
In the jsp, I get these parameters using
<%
request.getParameter("name");
request.getParameter("title");
%>
Everything works fine, except when the parameters do not contain only latin characters (in my case they can contain greek characters).
For example if name=ΕΡΕΥΝΑΣ i get name=¡¥.
How can i fix this encoding problem (setting it to UTF-8)?
Isn't encodeRedirectURL() doing this job? Should I also use encodeURL() at some point? I tried the last one but problem still existed.
Thanks in advance :)

The HttpServletResponse#encodeRedirectURL() does not URL-encode the URL. It only appends the jsessionid attribute to the URL whenever there's a session and the client has cookies disabled. Admittedly, it's a confusing method name.
You need to encode the request parameters with help of URLEncoder#encode() yourself during composing the URL.
String charset = "UTF-8";
String link = String.format("index.jsp?name=%s&title=%s",
URLEncoder.encode(metadata.getName(), charset),
URLEncoder.encode(metadata.getTitle(), charset));
response.sendRedirect(response.encodeRedirectURL(link));
And create a filter which is mapped on /* and does basically the following in doFilter() method:
request.setCharacterEncoding("UTF-8");
chain.doFilter(request, response);
And add the following to top of your JSP:
<%# page pageEncoding="UTF-8" %>
Finally you'll be able to display them as follows:
<p>Name: ${param.name}</p>
<p>Title: ${param.title}</p>
See also:
Unicode - How to get characters right?

Use the java.net.URLEncoder to encode each parameter before adding them to the url. Think about it this way: if your name contained a "&", how would you know that this was not a parameter delimiter?

You should encode every request parameter with URLEncoder.encode() before putting it into the query string .
The encodeRedirectURL method is only used to include the session ID into the URL if necessary (URL rewriting if no cookie support by the browser)

How about the following instead?
Set the name and title as attributes on the request object;
Get a request dispatcher for the JSP from the request object or via the servlet context;
Use the request dispatcher to forward the request to the JSP;
Access these attributes in the request from the JSP.
This saves redirecting the browser from the first servlet to the JSP derived servlet and avoids the whole parameter encoding issue entirely.
Also ensure the JSP page directive sets the content encoding to UTF-8.

Related

Several JSP pages and requestURI

I use Apache Tiles to unite multiple jsp pages.What I want is to get the URI of the request that came from web client (from browser). However, when in my jsp page I use
${pageContext.request.requestURI}
I get not web client uri but the local path of the jsp file. For example when web user enters http://company.com/something/ (I want to get /something/) I get /jsp/articles/index.jsp.
I tried requestScope.request.requestURI but it returns empty string. How can I get web client request URI
As per your question,you said when you enter "http://company.com/something/" in the browser,you get /jsp/articles/index.jsp in JSP,it seems your original request has been forwarded to new one. You can try below to get the orginal URI in JSP page.
<% String originalUri = (String) request.getAttribute("javax.servlet.forward.request_uri"); %>

How to create a parameter in JSP? [duplicate]

What is the difference between getAttribute() and getParameter() methods within HttpServletRequest class?
getParameter() returns http request parameters. Those passed from the client to the server. For example http://example.com/servlet?parameter=1. Can only return String
getAttribute() is for server-side usage only - you fill the request with attributes that you can use within the same request. For example - you set an attribute in a servlet, and read it from a JSP. Can be used for any object, not just string.
Generally, a parameter is a string value that is most commonly known for being sent from the client to the server (e.g. a form post) and retrieved from the servlet request. The frustrating exception to this is ServletContext initial parameters which are string parameters that are configured in web.xml and exist on the server.
An attribute is a server variable that exists within a specified scope i.e.:
application, available for the life of the entire application
session, available for the life of the session
request, only available for the life of the request
page (JSP only), available for the current JSP page only
request.getParameter()
We use request.getParameter() to extract request parameters (i.e. data sent by posting a html form ). The request.getParameter() always returns String value and the data come from client.
request.getAttribute()
We use request.getAttribute() to get an object added to the request scope on the server side i.e. using request.setAttribute(). You can add any type of object you like here, Strings, Custom objects, in fact any object. You add the attribute to the request and forward the request to another resource, the client does not know about this. So all the code handling this would typically be in JSP/servlets. You can use request.setAttribute() to add extra-information and forward/redirect the current request to another resource.
For example,consider about first.jsp,
//First Page : first.jsp
<%# page import="java.util.*" import="java.io.*"%>
<% request.setAttribute("PAGE", "first.jsp");%>
<jsp:forward page="/second.jsp"/>
and second.jsp:
<%# page import="java.util.*" import="java.io.*"%>
From Which Page : <%=request.getAttribute("PAGE")%><br>
Data From Client : <%=request.getParameter("CLIENT")%>
From your browser, run first.jsp?CLIENT=you and the output on your browser is
From Which Page : *first.jsp*
Data From Client : you
The basic difference between getAttribute() and getParameter() is that the first method extracts a (serialized) Java object and the other provides a String value. For both cases a name is given so that its value (be it string or a java bean) can be looked up and extracted.
It is crucial to know that attributes are not parameters.
The return type for attributes is an Object, whereas the return type for a parameter is a String. When calling the getAttribute(String name) method, bear in mind that the attributes must be cast.
Additionally, there is no servlet specific attributes, and there are no session parameters.
This post is written with the purpose to connect on #Bozho's response, as additional information that can be useful for other people.
The difference between getAttribute and getParameter is that getParameter will return the value of a parameter that was submitted by an HTML form or that was included in a query string. getAttribute returns an object that you have set in the request, the only way you can use this is in conjunction with a RequestDispatcher. You use a RequestDispatcher to forward a request to another resource (JSP / Servlet). So before you forward the request you can set an attribute which will be available to the next resource.
-getParameter() :
<html>
<body>
<form name="testForm" method="post" action="testJSP.jsp">
<input type="text" name="testParam" value="ClientParam">
<input type="submit">
</form>
</body>
</html>
<html>
<body>
<%
String sValue = request.getParameter("testParam");
%>
<%= sValue %>
</body>
</html>
request.getParameter("testParam") will get the value from the posted form of the input box named "testParam" which is "Client param". It will then print it out, so you should see "Client Param" on the screen. So request.getParameter() will retrieve a value that the client has submitted. You will get the value on the server side.
-getAttribute() :
request.getAttribute(), this is all done server side. YOU add the attribute to the request and YOU submit the request to another resource, the client does not know about this. So all the code handling this would typically be in servlets.getAttribute always return object.
getParameter - Is used for getting the information you need from the Client's HTML page
getAttribute - This is used for getting the parameters set previously in another or the same JSP or Servlet page.
Basically, if you are forwarding or just going from one jsp/servlet to another one, there is no way to have the information you want unless you choose to put them in an Object and use the set-attribute to store in a Session variable.
Using getAttribute, you can retrieve the Session variable.
from http://www.coderanch.com/t/361868/Servlets/java/request-getParameter-request-getAttribute
A "parameter" is a name/value pair sent from the client to the server
- typically, from an HTML form. Parameters can only have String values. Sometimes (e.g. using a GET request) you will see these
encoded directly into the URL (after the ?, each in the form
name=value, and each pair separated by an &). Other times, they are
included in the body of the request, when using methods such as POST.
An "attribute" is a server-local storage mechanism - nothing stored in
scoped attribues is ever transmitted outside the server unless you
explicitly make that happen. Attributes have String names, but store
Object values. Note that attributes are specific to Java (they store
Java Objects), while parameters are platform-independent (they are
only formatted strings composed of generic bytes).
There are four scopes of attributes in total: "page" (for JSPs and tag
files only), "request" (limited to the current client's request,
destroyed after request is completed), "session" (stored in the
client's session, invalidated after the session is terminated),
"application" (exist for all components to access during the entire
deployed lifetime of your application).
The bottom line is: use parameters when obtaining data from the
client, use scoped attributes when storing objects on the server for
use internally by your application only.
Another case when you should use .getParameter() is when forwarding with parameters in jsp:
<jsp:forward page="destination.jsp">
<jsp:param name="userName" value="hamid"/>
</jsp:forward>
In destination.jsp, you can access userName like this:
request.getParameter("userName")
Basic difference between getAttribute() and getParameter() is the return type.
java.lang.Object getAttribute(java.lang.String name)
java.lang.String getParameter(java.lang.String name)

How to set an attribute in a jsp page with hyperlink (request scope)

I think the title above is a bit confusing.
What I'm trying to achieve:
I have a jps page(located in WEB-INF) with a hyperlink in it that will call another jsp (in WEB-INF) via servlet.
I understand that this can be achieved using the following:
Go to this page
But because there will be lots of hyperlinks, my idea was to have a general servlet(OpenPagesServlet) to handle all those pages.
Something like this:
JSP page:
<% request.setAttribute("page", "page1.jsp");%>
Page 1
OpenPagesServlet in doGet method:
String page = (String) request.getAttribute("page");
request.getRequestDispatcher("/WEB-INF/" + page).forward(request, response);
I tried the code above and I get:
HTTP Status 404 - Not Found
type Status report
messageNot Found
descriptionThe requested resource is not available.
But if I try with session.setAttribute / sesion.getAttribute the code works fine, but I don't want to have sessions on each time I click on hyperlinks.
The other approach I found was to use:
Page 1
and inside the servlet:
String page = (String)request.getParameter("value");
request.getRequestDispatcher("/WEB-INF/" + page).forward(request, response);
It worked, but this approach is not good because the page can then be accessed directly using the url:
http://localhost:8080/WebApp/OpenPagesServlet?value=page1
So...my question is why request.setAttribute/request.getAttribute is returning 404?
Is there a different approach to achieve what I'm trying to do?
An HttpServletRequest and its attributes only live for the duration of one HTTP request/response cycle. After yo've set the attribute in the JSP, the JSP is rendered and sent as part of the HTTP response body. The Servlet container considers the request handled and clears its attributes. The attribute is now gone.
It is therefore no longer available in the next request that arrives after the user clicks the link.
The session attribute or request parameter is fine. Consider looking into the Front Controller pattern.
Also, consider using the core tag library (in particular the url tag) instead of scriptlets for constructing your links.

how to check getParameter is set in the project

I am analayising the existing project, in one of the JSP page I saw that
String server=request.getParameter("server");
But I am trying to check How I can find where is this server parameter is set
I searched for setParameter("server"), no luck
can any one suggest on this
Main idea, I need to change the values for the values which is set in "server" parameter.
You can look in any of HTML elements, where they may have tag like <input type='text' id='server' name='server' /> like that. I have given example of text box, it can be anything.
And no, there is no such method called request.setParameter()
You can get this attribute from the html/jsp page from where the form is being submitted.
It is set by the HTTP request that was generated by the client side (such as a browser). For example, an HTML form, upon submission, would result in an HTTP request with parameters for each field. A standalone client (non-browser) can set request parameters by merely adding those parameters to the URL itself.
Therefore, first you have to determine what is generating the HTTP request that results in your JSP page being called. Once you find who's generating the request, it will be very easy for you to find how the parameter itself is set.
In your web.xml first check, from which form present in JSP/HTML the request is coming.
In the corresponding action, you will get all the input fields in the form, which will be fetched in the servelet through request.getParameter('')
This parameter is set when any form is submitted. Check the page which calls this servlet. That page will contain a form having field like <input type='text' name='server' />. If not found then check URL query parameter.
EDIT
In web.xml check which URL is being mapped to your servlet.

How to pass variable from a servlet to a jsp page?

I have a servlet (front-controller), which analyse the request, prepare some necessary data (model) and then should pass it to the jsp to be rendered.
How should I pass the data from servlet to jsp? (I hoped that it was possible to add new parameters to parameters map in the request object, but that map is unmodifiable).
I can add attributes to the request but I don't know how to retrieve them from the jsp.
All the data should be in the request scope. What's the correct way?
I can add attributes to the request but I don't know how to retrieve them from the jsp.
You don't need to specifically 'retrieve' them, just referring them works
request.setAttribute("titleAttribute", "kittens are fuzzy");
and then
Title here: ${titleAttribute}
You can use the request or the session scope for this. Apart from the answer by Nikita Rybak, you can use
request.getSession().setAttribute("key","value");
And then use it in JSP using scriplet.
<%=session.getAttribute("key")%>
Note that in the example given by Nikita, Expression Language(EL) has been used(I am not sure if it's JSTL tags). You need to explicitly state that EL is not to be ignored by using the isELIgnored property.
<%# page isELIgnored="false" %>

Categories

Resources