sendRedirect - to what Path? example code enclosed!

[Madhav Lakkapragada]

This is a continuation of the discussion from the other threads (started by faiza) re the path issues. Stating them in seperate threads so that we can discuss them without crossing lines with other methods.....
The sendRedirect method of HttpResponse object takes a string argument which represents a URLpath. This URLpath can be:

relative to the current ServletContext starting with a "/".

relative to the current ServletRequest starting with a name of the servlet/jsp, not starting with a "/".

an absolute path starting with http://....

can point to an absolute URL outside the scope of the current ServletContext or the current Server. See example code.

Any output (response) added to the response
object before the redirect is cleared and the
content of the redirected page is returned to
the client. If the buffer is committed to the
client before the redirect, the container should
throw a IllegalStateException.
Any content added to the response after the
redirect is ignored by the container.
The foll. code made me come to these conclusions...

import javax.servlet.http.*;
import javax.servlet.*;
import java.io.*;
public class Testredirect extends HttpServlet
{
public void doGet(HttpServletRequest request,HttpServletResponse response)
throws ServletException, IOException
   {
response.setContentType("text/html");
PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
out.println("its not good to forget b-days");
      // out.flush(); should throw IllegalStateException if uncommented
      // foll. is relative to the servlet context - Works    :)   
      // response.sendRedirect("/servlet/TestpostInclude"); 
      // foll. is relative to the current servlet request - Works    :)   
      // response.sendRedirect("HelloWorld"); 
      // foll. is absolute and referes to something external 
      // to this ServletContext - Works    :)   
      response.sendRedirect("http://www.javaranch.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=18&t=000800");
out.println("this is a very good day"); // acc to the spec should be ignored
//PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();
   }
public void doPost(HttpServletRequest request,HttpServletResponse response)
throws ServletException, IOException
   {
      doGet(request, response);
   }
}  

- satya
[ February 03, 2002: Message edited by: Madhav Lakkapragada ]

[faiza haris]

Yup everything works!!!