How do I call a specific Java method on a click/submit event of a specific button in JSP?

Question

My Java file is:

public class MyClass {

    public void method1() {    
        // some code
    }

    public void method2() {
        //some code
    }

    public void method3() {
        //some code
    }
}

In my JSP page I have three HTML buttons.

If I click on button1, then only method1 will be called, if I click on button2 then only method2 will execute, and if button3, then only method3, and so on.

How can I achieve this?

Answer 1

Just give the individual button elements a unique name. When pressed, the button's name is available as a request parameter the usual way like as with input elements.

You only need to make sure that the button inputs have type="submit" as in <input type="submit"> and <button type="submit"> and not type="button", which only renders a "dead" button purely for onclick stuff and all.

E.g.

<form action="${pageContext.request.contextPath}/myservlet" method="post">
    <input type="submit" name="button1" value="Button 1" />
    <input type="submit" name="button2" value="Button 2" />
    <input type="submit" name="button3" value="Button 3" />
</form>

with

@WebServlet("/myservlet")
public class MyServlet extends HttpServlet {

    @Override
    protected void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) throws ServletException, IOException {
        MyClass myClass = new MyClass();

        if (request.getParameter("button1") != null) {
            myClass.method1();
        } else if (request.getParameter("button2") != null) {
            myClass.method2();
        } else if (request.getParameter("button3") != null) {
            myClass.method3();
        } else {
            // ???
        }

        request.getRequestDispatcher("/WEB-INF/some-result.jsp").forward(request, response);
    }

}

Alternatively, use <button type="submit"> instead of <input type="submit">, then you can give them all the same name, but an unique value. The value of the <button> won't be used as label, you can just specify that yourself as child.

E.g.

<form action="${pageContext.request.contextPath}/myservlet" method="post">
    <button type="submit" name="button" value="button1">Button 1</button>
    <button type="submit" name="button" value="button2">Button 2</button>
    <button type="submit" name="button" value="button3">Button 3</button>
</form>

with

@WebServlet("/myservlet")
public class MyServlet extends HttpServlet {

    @Override
    protected void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) throws ServletException, IOException {
        MyClass myClass = new MyClass();
        String button = request.getParameter("button");

        if ("button1".equals(button)) {
            myClass.method1();
        } else if ("button2".equals(button)) {
            myClass.method2();
        } else if ("button3".equals(button)) {
            myClass.method3();
        } else {
            // ???
        }

        request.getRequestDispatcher("/WEB-INF/some-result.jsp").forward(request, response);
    }

}

See also:

• Servlet returns "HTTP Status 404 The requested resource (/servlet) is not available"
• How do I pass current item to Java method by clicking a hyperlink or button in JSP page?

Answer 2

<form method="post" action="servletName">   
     <input type="submit" id="btn1" name="btn1"/>
     <input type="submit" id="btn2" name="btn2"/>
</form>  

on pressing it request will go to servlet on the servlet page check which button is pressed and then accordingly call the needed method as objectName.method

Answer 3

You can try adding action="#{yourBean.function1}" on each button (changing of course the method function2, function3, or whatever you need). If that does not work, you can try the same with the onclick event.

Anyway, it would be easier to help you if you tell us what kind of buttons are you trying to use, a4j:commandButton or whatever you are using.

Answer 4

If you have web.xml then

HTML/JSP

<form action="${pageContext.request.contextPath}/myservlet" method="post">
    <input type="submit" name="button1" value="Button 1" />
</form>

web.xml

<servlet>
        <display-name>Servlet Name</display-name>
        <servlet-name>myservlet</servlet-name>
        <servlet-class>package.SomeController</servlet-class>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
    <servlet-name>myservlet</servlet-name>
    <url-pattern>/myservlet</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>

Java SomeController.java

public void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) throws ServletException, IOException {
        System.out.println("Write your code below");
}