Include another JSP file

Question

I am currently trying to learn JSP. My question is, at present I used to include the header and footer of the page using:

<%@include file="includes/header.jsp" %>

and

<%@include file="includes/footer.jsp" %>

But now, I have separated the page content also. So, if user clicks on a page, say products, it has to load the JSP file which is situated in: includes/pages/products.jsp So, the link to the user is like: <a href="index.jsp?p=products">Products</a>.

So, I have to get the p value and display the page based on it.

Following is what I have done so far.

<%
 if(request.getParameter("p")!=null)
 { 
   String p = request.getParameter("p");
%>    

<%@include file="includes/page_name.jsp" %>

<% 
 }
%>

So, how do I place the value of variable "p" in position of "page_name" ?

Or, is there any other method that I could use ?

In PHP, we could use the include() or include_once(). I am bit stuck in this JSP. :(

Why not hardcode the pagename there? anyways you are checking for P, then you know distination page will be p.jsp, so any reason to complicate? — kosa, Feb 02 '12 at 09:52
Thanks for replying. It was for an example. Actually, I have subdivided the page into several. For example, if I have a Products page in admin area, to add new product, edit a product, search a product, view a product, etc.. it is separated into sub pages. So, hardcoding each line would look nasty. Say, to display my name for only 10 times, I could either choose to print using a loop or write down the 10 lines. But I think, choosing the loop is better. Isn't it ? I think, this might be the solution: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/482788/how-to-include-a-runtime-file-for-include-in-jsp — Akhilesh B Chandran, Feb 02 '12 at 10:03

score 248 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 11 '14 at 07:02

248

What you're doing is a static include. A static include is resolved at compile time, and may thus not use a parameter value, which is only known at execution time.

What you need is a dynamic include:

<jsp:include page="..." />

Note that you should use the JSP EL rather than scriptlets. It also seems that you're implementing a central controller with index.jsp. You should use a servlet to do that instead, and dispatch to the appropriate JSP from this servlet. Or better, use an existing MVC framework like Stripes or Spring MVC.

edited Aug 11 '14 at 07:02

Marvo

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answered Feb 02 '12 at 10:07

JB Nizet

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Thanks for your suggestions. :) I have tried using jsp:include tag. But at runtime, it gives a file not found error. Exception details:`java.io.FileNotFoundException: /includes/<%= p %>.jsp`. Looks like the `<%= p %>` is used as it is in the file path! – Akhilesh B Chandran Feb 02 '12 at 10:25
7

Don't use scriptlets. Use JSP EL: page="/includes/${param.p}". Or try with page="<%= "/includes/" + p %>". – JB Nizet Feb 02 '12 at 11:21
3

Thank you. I used it like this: `" />` and it's working now :) – Akhilesh B Chandran Feb 02 '12 at 11:34
2

Very good answer! I've seen this pattern (central controller in index.jsp) too many times and it always leads to trouble. – Matthias Hryniszak Mar 06 '13 at 09:58
Should not that be translation time? And I think you can still use parameters with that? – Koray Tugay Jul 14 '14 at 16:45
And if I use parameters values at the compile time? Can I use parameters, as in macros? – Gangnus Aug 24 '17 at 13:18
org.apache.jasper.JasperException: Unable to compile class for JSP: – Zam Mar 20 '21 at 16:07

vitralyoz · Answer 2 · 2015-12-15T07:51:21.473

27

You can use parameters like that

<jsp:include page='about.jsp'>
    <jsp:param name="articleId" value=""/>
</jsp:include>

and

in about.jsp you can take the paramter

<%String leftAds = request.getParameter("articleId");%>

edited Dec 15 '15 at 07:51

answered May 13 '14 at 12:26

vitralyoz

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score 18 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 05 '13 at 19:25

18

You can use Include Directives

<%
 if(request.getParameter("p")!=null)
 { 
   String p = request.getParameter("p");
%>    

<%@include file="<%="includes/" + p +".jsp"%>"%>

<% 
 }
%>

or JSP Include Action

<%
 if(request.getParameter("p")!=null)
 { 
   String p = request.getParameter("p");
%>    

<jsp:include page="<%="includes/"+p+".jsp"%>"/>

<% 
 }
%>

the different is include directive includes a file during the translation phase. while JSP Include Action includes a file at the time the page is requested

I recommend Spring MVC Framework as your controller to manipulate things. use url pattern instead of parameter.

example:

www.yourwebsite.com/products

instead of

www.yourwebsite.com/?p=products

Watch this video Spring MVC Framework

answered Jun 05 '13 at 19:25

Jaymelson Galang

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the video is protected ..please share it to public – AutoMEta Jun 27 '13 at 18:38
Can you check if your first example actually works? I can't seem to get it to work. – Jus12 Nov 14 '13 at 20:17
what happened to the video ? – Sayan Dasgupta Apr 29 '22 at 17:01

score 11 · Answer 4 · edited Mar 02 '16 at 12:17

At page translation time, the content of the file given in the include directive is ‘pasted’ as it is, in the place where the JSP include directive is used. Then the source JSP page is converted into a java servlet class. The included file can be a static resource or a JSP page. Generally, JSP include directive is used to include header banners and footers.

Syntax for include a jsp file:

<%@ include file="relative url">

Example

<%@include file="page_name.jsp" %>

Balaswamy Vaddeman · Answer 5 · 2012-02-02T10:40:38.463

6

1.<a href="index.jsp?p=products">Products</a> when user clicks on Products link,you can directly call products.jsp.

I mean u can maintain name of the JSP file same as parameter Value.

<%
 if(request.getParameter("p")!=null)
 { 
   String contextPath="includes/";
   String p = request.getParameter("p");
   p=p+".jsp";
   p=contextPath+p;

%>    

<%@include file="<%=p%>" %>

<% 
 }
%>

or

2.you can maintain external resource file with key,value pairs. like below

products : products.jsp

customer : customers.jsp

you can programatically retrieve the name of JSP file from properies file.

this way you can easily change the name of JSP file

edited Feb 02 '12 at 10:40

answered Feb 02 '12 at 10:00

Balaswamy Vaddeman

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Thank you. I am using the first thing at the moment. Actually, I am having problem with howto do this ! – Akhilesh B Chandran Feb 02 '12 at 10:29
`org.apache.jasper.JasperException: /admin.jsp(239,44) PWC6117: File "/<%=p%>" not found`. Did that worked in your side ? – Akhilesh B Chandran Feb 02 '12 at 10:56
this is path related issue check if file exists in ur path,I guess u r missing context path (should be includes/admin.jsp).I have not simulated entre scenerio my side – Balaswamy Vaddeman Feb 02 '12 at 11:03
1

I have tried echoing the value of "p". It is: `includes/add.jsp`. Then used this in include derivative: `<%@ include file="includes/add.jsp" %>`. It shows the page contents. But if I use this line instead: `<%@ include file="<%=p%>" %>`, it shows exception ! – Akhilesh B Chandran Feb 02 '12 at 11:18
Hi, i have same problem. Getting error `File "<%=p%>" not found`. If I will use real value it is working. – Reddy SK Jun 12 '19 at 12:04

score 0 · Answer 6 · edited Apr 16 '20 at 14:56

0

For a reason I don't yet understand, after I used <%@include file="includes/footer.jsp" %> in my index.jsp then in the other jsp files like register.jsp I had to use <%@ include file="footer.jsp"%>. As you see there was no more need to use full path, STS had store my initial path.

edited Apr 16 '20 at 14:56

Simon.S.A.

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answered Apr 15 '20 at 15:26

Lekakos Theodore

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Include another JSP file

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