How to set maxlength property dynamically in Struts html:text tag?

[Kate Xu]

Hello all,

I have a problem using Struts <html:text> tag.

How do I set maxlength property dynamically?

For example:

<html:text name="myForm" property="firstName" size="25" maxlength="30" />

I tried the following three ways:
(1) use <%= %>, it won't work.

import MyClass;
....
<html:text name="myForm" property="firstName" size="25" maxlength="<%=MyClass.FIRSTNAME_MAX_LENGTH%>" />

(2) Use <bean:message> tags, it won't work.
<html:text name="myForm" property="firstName" size="25" maxlength="<bean:message key="myPage.maxlength.firstnameMaxlength"/>" />

(3) Use <bean:write> tag, it also won't work.
<html:text name="myForm" property="firstName" size="25" maxlength="<bean:write name=\"myForm\" property="firstnameMaxLength"/>"/>

Any ideas?

Thank you!

Kate

[Junilu Lacar]

The Struts documentation shows that the maxlength attribute can be a runtime expression so the first method should work. Try using the fully qualified name of MyClass:

maxlength=<%=com.foo.MyClass.MAXLENGTH %>

[Marc Peabody]

Yup. First method should work. I use it all the time.

I can't think of what might have gone wrong (other than the already stated). Maybe the constant is an int and it doesn't like it? If so, change it to a String or do the following:

<html:text name="myForm" property="firstName" size="25"
maxlength='<%= MyClass.FIRSTNAME_MAX_LENGTH + "" %>' />