Checking for a submit control in the request is very clever. Another
approach would be to setup an alternate ActionMapping with
validate=false. This could either lead to a separate Action that
prepopulated the form, or a task in the same Action, queued by a hidden
property or the parameter property from the mappig. (I tend to do the
latter.)
Even when a form does not need to be prepopulated, I would queuing it
through a mapping, even it just forwards to a JSP.
<action
path="/Input"
forward="/pages/Input.jsp">
</action>
This gives you the opportunity to interpose an action later, should one
be needed, and keeps the entry points documented in the struts-config.
-- Ted Husted, Husted dot Com, Fairport NY USA.
-- Custom Software ~ Technical Services.
-- Tel +1 716 737-3463
-- http://www.husted.com/struts/
Dave Remy wrote:
>
> I am doing this (doing the GET to the action class to prepopulate the form)
> and it works well but there was one interesting thing that happened
> (assuming I have everything set up right). The validate() method in the
> related form bean was called as well. Consequently, I am having to start
> all of my validate() methods with:
> if (request.getParamater("submit") == null)
> so that I don't do edit checking on a GET ... No big deal, but am I missing
> something?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ted Husted [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2001 9:01 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: PrePopulating a form
>
> The trick is to route control through an Action before display any JSP.
> The Action does all the real work, like populating the form. The JSP
> just displays the result.
>
> http://jakarta.apache.org/struts/userGuide/building_controller.html
>
> -- Ted Husted, Husted dot Com, Fairport NY USA.
> -- Custom Software ~ Technical Services.
> -- Tel +1 716 737-3463
> -- http://www.husted.com/struts/
>
> Minh Tran wrote:
> >
> > Could somebody let me know what the correct design pattern under struts is
> > for prepopulating a form with data.. let say.. for example after someone
> > logs on.. so a form is automattically filled out with their appropriate
> data
> > for certain fields.. while some fields still need to be filled out.. I've
> > got the validation and error handling part down..
> >
> > Of course the obvious way to do this.. to my limited knowledge of struts
> is
> > to some how create the form bean and populate it before is is displayed
> > through the JSP... which I think will automatically retreive whatever data
> > that's in the form bean.. but i'm still not sure how to make struts creat
> > the form bean before the form gets display.. it seems that the form beans
> > gets created after the form is submitted so that it can be validated..
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Minh Tran
