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Ajax Tutorial: Taglibs
Using AjaxTags and Building Custom JSP Tags for Ajax

Interested in training from the author of these tutorials? See the upcoming Ajax & GWT 2.4 courses in Maryland, co-sponsored by Johns Hopkins Engineering for Professionals. Or, contact hall@coreservlets.com for info on customized courses at your location.

Ajax & GWT Tutorials Home
Ajax & JavaScript Basics
JSON
Taglibs & AjaxTags
Prototype
Script.aculo.us
jQuery
Dojo
GWT (Google Web Toolkit)

This is part of the much larger Ajax and GWT tutorial. This section concentrates on using JSP custom tag libraries to support Ajax: writing your own and using the popular AjaxTags library. It assumes the knowledge from the Ajax basics section. Click on a topic below to get the detailed tutorial, download the source code, or try out exercises on the topic.

The Ajax training courses on which this tutorial is based are usually taught on-site at customer locations, but public training courses are periodically scheduled for people with too few developers for an onsite course. For descriptions of the various other courses that are available, please see the J2EE training course page. To inquire about a customized training course at your location, please contact Marty Hall at hall@coreservlets.com.

If you find these free tutorials helpful, we would appreciate it if you would link to us. Send corrections or feedback on any tutorial to hall@coreservlets.com.

Creating Custom JSP Tag Libraries: The Basics

Note: Custom taglibs are not specific to Ajax, but these techniques are needed to understand several of the the Ajax-specific topics after this.

This tutorial section in PDF.
Source code of examples in this section. Bundled as an Eclipse project.
Exercises to reinforce the concepts in this section.
Exercise solutions. Bundled as an Eclipse project.
Topics covered:
- Java-based tags
  - Components of a tag library
  - Basic tags
  - Tags that use attributes
  - Tags that use body content
  - Tags that optionally use body content
- JSP-based tags (tag files)
  - Components of a tag library
  - Basic tags
  - Tags that use attributes
  - Tags that use body content

Creating Custom JSP Tag Libraries: Advanced Topics

This tutorial section in PDF.
Source code of examples in this section. Bundled as an Eclipse project.
Exercises to reinforce the concepts in this section.
Exercise solutions. Bundled as an Eclipse project.
Topics covered:
- Tags with dynamic attribute values
- Tags with complex objects for attributes
- Manipulating the tag body
- Looping tags
- Nested tags
- Using TagLibraryValidator to validate tag library syntax

Using JSP Custom Tag Libraries for Ajax

This tutorial section in PDF.
Source code of examples in this section. Bundled as an Eclipse project.
Exercises to reinforce the concepts in this section.
Topics covered:
- contextPath tag.
  Outputs the Web application context path (e.g., /myApp), to simplify relative URLs.
- simpleAlert tag.
  Takes the result of a URL and puts it in popup dialog box.
- alert tag.
  Takes the result of a URL and puts it in popup dialog box. Sends data from designated input element.
- simpleButton tag.
  Takes the result of a URL and puts it in designated HTML element.
- button tag.
  Takes the result of a URL and puts it in specified HTML element. Sends data from list of designated input elements.

Using the AjaxTags Library: Basics

This tutorial section in PDF.
Source code:
- ajaxtags.zip.
  Web app used in the basic and advanced AjaxTags sections, bundled as an Eclipse project.
- ajaxtags-blank.zip.
  Blank Web app to be used as a starting point for apps that use AjaxTags. Contains all required JAR files and JavaScript files. Bundled as an Eclipse project.
- ajaxtags-demo.zip.
  App that demonstrates many of the AjaxTags features. Taken directly from the AjaxTags site, then bundled as an Eclipse project.
Exercises to reinforce the concepts in this section.
Topics covered:
- Pros and cons of AjaxTags library
- Installing AjaxTags
- Using main components
  - Links that trigger server-side resource and display results within current page
  - Autocompleting textfields
  - Populating textfields based on values in another textfield
  - Populating combobox based on selection in another combobox
  - Forms whose results are displayed inside current page
  - Tabbed panels

Using the AjaxTags Library: Advanced Capabilities

This tutorial section in PDF.
Source code:
- ajaxtags.zip.
  Web app used in the basic and advanced AjaxTags sections, bundled as an Eclipse project.
- ajaxtags-blank.zip.
  Blank Web app to be used as a starting point for apps that use AjaxTags. Contains all required JAR files and JavaScript files. Bundled as an Eclipse project.
- ajaxtags-demo.zip.
  App that demonstrates many of the AjaxTags features. Taken directly from the AjaxTags site, then bundled as an Eclipse project.
Exercises to reinforce the concepts in this section.
Topics covered:
- Regions that display temporarily while server-side resource runs
- Autocomplete textboxes with associated values displayed in other textboxes
- Prefunctions and postfunctions
  - Arbitrary JavaScript that runs before or after server-side resource
- Functions that run when server has error
- Multiple triggers for server-side resources