JSP Compilation Problem - Cannot Resolve Symbol

[JiaPei Jen]

I cannot see the problem. Maybe I am not sober at 2:30 am.

<%
Collection postBeans = ( Collection )request.getAttribute( "PostBeans" );
Iterator iterator = postBeans.iterator();
int i = 0;
while( iterator.hasNext() ) 
   {
      PostBean postBean = (PostBean)iterator.next();
   }
   i++;
   String background;
   if ( postBean.getParentPostID() == 0 ) 
   {
      background = "#FFCE9C";
   }
   else 
   {
      if ( ( i%2 ) != 0 ) 
      {
         background = "#EEEEEE";
      } 
      else 
      {
         background = "#FFFFFF";
      }
   }
%>
<table width="95%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" bgcolor="#999999">
  <tr bgColor=<%=background%>>
  .....
  </tr>
</table>

I got compilation error: cannot resolve symbol
symbol: background

[Pankaj Narang]

Hi

Your background variabel is define in while loop and you are using that variable outside that while loop.

Define that variable outside the while loop

Best Regards
Pankaj Narang

[JiaPei Jen]

I have tried your advice. I put the variable 'background' outside the while loop. Now, I got another compilation error:

unexpected type
required: variable
found : value
out.write("\r\n }\r\n i++;\r\n if ( postBean.getParentPostID() == 0 ) \r\n {\r\n background = \"#FFCE9C\";\r\n }\r\n else \r\n {\r\n if ((i%2) != 0) \r\n {\r\n background = \"#EEEEEE\";\r\n } \r\n else \r\n {\r\n background = \"#FFFFFF\";\r\n }\r\n }\r\n%>\r\n");

The code looks like:

<%
String background;
Collection postBeans = ( Collection )request.getAttribute( "PostBeans" );
Iterator iterator = postBeans.iterator();
int i = 0;
while( iterator.hasNext() ) 
   {
      PostBean postBean = (PostBean)iterator.next();
   }
   i++;
   if ( postBean.getParentPostID() == 0 ) 
   {
      background = "#FFCE9C";
   }
   else 
   {
      if ( ( i%2 ) != 0 ) 
      {
         background = "#EEEEEE";
      } 
      else 
      {
         background = "#FFFFFF";
      }
   }
%>
<table width="95%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" bgcolor="#999999">
  <tr bgColor=<%=background%>>
  .....
  </tr>
</table>

[Bear Bibeault]

Since this has nothing to do with the fact that code is within a JSP, I'm moving this off to the Java in General(beginner) forum.

[Axel Janssen]

this might work. Haven't tried:

<%
Collection postBeans = ( Collection )request.getAttribute( "PostBeans" );
Iterator iterator = postBeans.iterator();
int i = 0;
 
while( iterator.hasNext() ) 
   {
     String background = ""; // would do like this
      PostBean postBean = (PostBean)iterator.next();
   //} no good idea
   i++;
   
   if ( postBean.getParentPostID() == 0 ) 
   {
      background = "#FFCE9C";
   }
   else 
   {
      if ( ( i%2 ) != 0 ) 
      {
         background = "#EEEEEE";
      } 
      else 
      {
         background = "#FFFFFF";
      }
   }
%>
<table width="95%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" align="center" bgcolor="#999999">
  <tr bgColor=<%=background%>>
  .....
  </tr>
</table>
<%}%> // new one. 

And aren't we told to use ScriptLibs instead of coding lengthier sections of scriptlet, which are difficult to maintain.
This thread is a good example for that.

There must be some jstl tag which with accomplish the task in a better way.

Axel