[JSF/Tobago] Howto display a document in a separate window

[H. Swaczinna]

Hello,

I would like to display a document (for example PDF) as a result of
an action in a separate browser window. This is a typical situation:
The user enters some data in a form, presses a print button and a generated
report is displayed in a new browser window, where he or she can print it.
I tried two approaches: The first works only partly, the second works good, but
both seems to me a little bit ugly. I think, there must be a prettier way to do
this.

Regards
Helmut

First approach
--------------

JSP
  ...
  <tc:script>
    function printAction() {
      // Redirect result from action to a new window
      document.forms[0].target = "Print";
      Tobago.submitAction('page:printButton');
      document.forms[0].target = "";
    }
  </tc:script>
  ...
  <tc:button label="Print" id="printButton"
    onclick="javascript:printAction()" 
    action="#{printController.printAction}"/>
  ...
  
PrintController

  public void printAction() {
    // Generate PDF file
    ...
    FacesContext fc = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance();
    ExternalContext ec = fc.getExternalContext();
    try {
      // Return PDF file as result
      ec.redirect("http://localhost:8080/gena/print/test.pdf";);
    } catch (IOException e) {
      LOG.error("printAction", e);
    }
  }

The Problem with this solution is, that every second time the print button
is pressed, the page itself is redisplayed in the new window and not the
PDF file. I can't tell you why.
  
Second approach
---------------

JSP
  ...
  <tc:script onload="showPrintResult('#{printController.printFile}')">
    // Everytime the page is loaded, check for an existing PDF file to display
    function showPrintResult(url) {
      if (url != null && url != "") {
        window.open(url, "Print");
      }
    }
  </tc:script>
  ...
  <tc:button label="Print" id="printButton"
    action="#{printController.printAction}"/>
  ...

PrintController
  
  public void printAction() {
    // Generate PDF file
    ...
    // Set PDF file
    printFile = "http://localhost:8080/gena/print/test.pdf";;
  }

  public String getPrintFile() {
    // Return and reset PDF file 
    String tmp = printFile;
    printFile = null;
    return tmp;
  }