Can Tag Handler class have complicated data type ?

It seems the default attribute type for Tag Handler class is always "String". What if I need to pass a user-defined data type or just an arraylist ? For example, I want to do ---

In .jsp:

*********************************
<jsp:useBean id="My_Object" class="mypackage.data.MyObject" scope="request" />

<% Arryalist arraylist_1 = new ArrayList(); ...... %> //create an arraylist_1

<myprefix:mytag name="john" param1="arraylist_1" param2="My_Object" />
**********************************

In MyTag.java:

*****************
private String name;
private Arraylist param1;
private MyObject param2;

************
In other words, "param1" and "param2" are not String type. Is that OK ? From what I have tested it doesn't work at all. It seems it requires the type to be "String". That's not good. We often need to pass complicated things to a JSP. If a Tag Handler class only accepts String, can can I handle the situation that I need Arraylist or other user-defined data structure ?

Any thought ?

Any thought ?

Yes. Take a look at what you wrote:

What is the value of param1? The string arraylist_1.

But that's not waht you want. You want the value of the scripting variable arraylist_1 to be passed.

So how would you differentiate the two?

Hint:

Let's say that you wanted to emit the value of arraylist_1 in a paragraph. Would you write is as:

?

No. How would you write it?

Originally posted by Bear Bibeault:
<myprefix:mytag name="john" param1="arraylist_1" param2="My_Object" />

What is the value of param1? The string arraylist_1.

But that's not waht you want. You want the value of the scripting variable arraylist_1 to be passed.

So how would you differentiate the two?

Hint:

Let's say that you wanted to emit the value of arraylist_1 in a paragraph. Would you write is as:

<p>The value is arraylist_1</p>

?

No. How would you write it?

If I am not mistakening you want Frank to "loop" through the ArrayList to retrieve the String values (correct me if I get you wrong). It sounds like it works, but I don't think it is a general way to do what he wants. What if the data type he wants to pass is more complex than an Array that you can loop through ?

I think the "general" way is to let the action class use "request.setAttribute" to pass that specific data type instance. And in the Tag Handler class it can use .getRequest to retrieve that instance.

(correct me if I get you wrong).

You get me wrong.

He has a simple syntax error and I am trying to get him to see it.

I don't think it is a general way to do what he wants.

Yes, he can do exactly what he wants. He just needs to get the syntax right.
[ April 10, 2005: Message edited by: Bear Bibeault ]

Use this:

<myprefix:mytag name="john" param1="<%=arraylist_1%>"

and describe a setter in your tag so:

public void setParam1(Object o)
{
...
}

it works