This course will prepare the student to use JSTL to create web pages that include dynamic content - without the need to know Java. Topics covered include variable manipulation, iteration, conditional flow control, Expression Language, internationalization and localization, handling XML, handling SQL (for prototyping purposes), the JSTL function library, and the new simplified custom tag creation facilities. This class provides hands-on training to help you quickly learn JSTL.

JSTL Overview: Most web sites need to present dynamic content from databases, XML, Java Beans, and other sources. One of the challenges facing page designers is to be able to utilize dynamic content without having to learn Java programming or having to rely heavily on Java programmers for assistance. The JSP Standard Tag Library (JSTL) provides industry standard tools for just this purpose.

The JSP Standard Tag Library (JSTL) is a J2EE-based industry standard framework and tool for accessing, manipulating, and presenting dynamic content in JSP web pages. Prior to JSTL, such ordinary and typical procedures as iteration through a collection or array, conditional evaluation of code, as well as setting, retrieving, testing, and formatting of variables required Java code in embedded scriptlets. This made it difficult for web page designers who are not Java programmers to accomplish these important tasks without the help of a Java programmer. Other choices were to buy a non-standard tag library, such as Cold Fusion, or have Java programmers create custom tags. The popular Struts framework also provides tag libraries that overlap much of JSTL, but unlike JSTL, these are not built into Sun's J2EE version 1.4, and they must be acquired and installed separately.

JSTL provides four tag libraries, a function library, and a versatile expression language designed for use by web page designers. JSTL also provides facilities for creating custom tags (and custom tag libraries) without the need to write Java code. Since JSTL works within Java Server Pages, the page designer or student should at a minimum understand how to create JSP pages and how to work with HTML tags.

Audience: HTML programmers who are working in J2EE environment (e.g. Weblogic, Sun Application Server, JBoss, Oracle, Websphere) who want to learn the latest industry standard techniques for the presentation of dynamic content in web pages.

Prerequisites:

• Experience with HTML and writing web pages is required (at least a basic knowledge of HTML).
• Some familiarity with JSP is helpful (the course include a brief JSP Overview). You can learn about JSP at http://java.sun.com/j2ee/1.4/docs/tutorial/doc/index.html . See chapters 12 through 16.
• Knowledge of Java or another programming language is helpful, but not required.
• Experience with ColdFusion, Struts, or another tag-based system is helpful, but not required.
• Experience with XML is helpful but not required for the course as a whole. However, some knowledge of XML, XPath, and XSLT is required in order to benefit from the discussion of the XML tags, and transformation
• Experience with SQL is helpful but not required for the course as a whole. However, some knowledge of SQL is required to benefit from the discussion of the SQL tags

Objectives: After successfully completing this course, the student will be able to take full advantage of the JSP Standard Tag Library and expression language. You will learn how to accomplish the following tasks:

• Iterate over elements in a collection or array.
• Store, retrieve, manipulate, and present variables using expression language (EL).
• Test conditions, and conditionally include or exclude blocks of code.
• Internationalize an application, making it simple to localize for any locale
• Use data provided in Java Beans.
• Use XPath expressions to present information from XML sources (1).
• Connect to a database, select data, and update information in the database (2,3).
• Use the function library to manipulate strings.
• Write custom tags.
• Write custom functions (4).

Notes:

• Knowledge of XPath and XSLT are required to derive benefit from the XML tags
• Knowledge of SQL is required to derive benefit from the SQL tags
• In order to use the SQL tags any relational database is required. MySql, PointBase, Oracle, and Sybase are some examples. You also must have a JDBC driver for your database.
• Knowledge of Java is required to write custom functions (not custom tags)