As Tejas mentioned, you can use the <logic:messagesPresent> tag to apply the style to the text boxes. If the error message for that particular field is present, it will apply the style to the text field.
As far as displaying a single error message, you can again use <logic:messagesPresent> on the top of the JSP instead of <html:errors>. Inside the <logic:messagesPresent> tag, you can use the <bean:message> or <fmt:message> tag and display the error message from the properties file. HTH. Thanks, -Kalpesh --------------------------------- Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1ยข/min.