datatable commandlink action method called for each row

[Jeremy Wilson]

I must give credit to another question on the Sun JSF Forums to punishervanka. But I have the same question and it is not being answered there and want to try here. Any information would be wonderful. And an outputLink will not work here, I don't want a cheesy work around for this.

http://forum.java.sun.com/profile.jspa?userID=450032

 
 I have the following code
<h:dataTable headerClass="tableleft" columnClasses="tableleft" id="results" value="#{ExperimentBean.dataTable}" var="items">
<h:column>
<h:panelGrid columns="2" columnClasses="tableleft" headerClass="tableleft">
<f:facet name="header">
<h:panelGroup>
<h:commandLink id="details" action="#{ExperimentDetails.showDetails}">
<h:outputText value="#{items.name}"/>
<h:inputHidden value="#{items.expid}"/>
</h:commandLink>
</h:panelGroup>
</f:facet>
<h:outputText value="Owner"/>
<h:outputText value=":#{items.userId}"/></td>
<h:outputText value="Organism"/>
<h:outputText value=":#{items.organism}"/>
<h:outputText value="Publication"/>
<h:outputText value=":#{items.title}:#{items.year}"/>
<h:outputText value="Date Created"/>
<h:outputText value=":#{items.date}"/>
</h:panelGrid>
</h:column>
......
</h:datatable>

public String showDetails()
{
Map m = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getExternalContext().getRequestMap();
ExperimentResult rm = (ExperimentResult) m.get("items");
clientId = rm.getExpid();
......
}

<managed-bean>
<description>
The backing bean is for expsearch page
</description>
<managed-bean-name>ExperimentBean</managed-bean-name>
<managed-bean-class>backing.ExperimentBean</managed-bean-class>
<managed-bean-scope>session</managed-bean-scope>
</managed-bean>
<managed-bean>
<description>
The backing bean for expresults page
</description>
<managed-bean-name>ExperimentDetails</managed-bean-name>
<managed-bean-class>backing.ExperimentDetails</managed-bean-class>
<managed-bean-scope>session</managed-bean-scope>
</managed-bean>

When I click on the link in the datatable the action method is called for all the rows in the table.
By reading the forums on this topic I thought this was the method to find out the row index in the table.
I also tried value binding datatable to UIData in the backing bean and using getRowData in the action method. then also the action method was called once for each row.

what am I doing wrong.

please help me

thanx
phani

[Edited for code tags a to lose smilies. Gregg Bolinger]
[ May 12, 2005: Message edited by: Gregg Bolinger ]

[Gregg Bolinger]

I edited your thread to get rid of the smilies. When you post code be sure and check the checkbox to disable smilies. Espeicially with JSF tags. Also, please put Code Tags around your code so it keeps formatting and is easier to read.