114. The Struts Framework
Version 1.3

This advanced course shows JSP and servlet programmers how to build web applications using the Apache Struts framework.  Students learn the Struts architecture and see how it captures a great deal of pre-existing best practice: in model/view/controller action mappings, form beans and custom tags for working with HTML forms, input validation, and the Tiles view-building framework.  Two chapters near the end of the course cover configuration techniques and other advanced topics.

This version of the course illustrates the use of Struts 1.3; see the previous version for coverage of Struts 1.1.

Prerequisites

  * Java programming -- Course 103 is excellent preparation.
  * Servlets programming -- Course 110.
  * JSP -- Course 112.
  * Basic knowledge of XML is recommended but not essential -- consider Course 501.

Learning Objectives

  * Use Struts actions and action mappings to take control of HTTP requests/responses.
  * Manage HTML form input and output with form beans, and use these beans to simplify data handling in the controller.
  * Use JSTL and Struts custom tags to build robust and reusable JSP presentation logic.
  * Support multiple client locales with various internationalization techniques.
  * Define validation rules for input forms, and provide clear user feedback.
  * Build complex presentations using decoupled, reusable tiles, screens and layouts.

Timeline: 4 days.

IDE Support: Eclipse WTP 2.0

In addition to the primary lab files, an optional overlay is available that adds support for Eclipse WTP 2.0.  Students can code, build, deploy, and test all exercises from within Eclipse, and take advantage of WTP's built-in editors, integrated debugging, and wizards for web applications, XML files, JSPs, and more.  See also our orientation to Using Capstone's Eclipse Overlays, and please be advised that this is an optional feature; it is not a separate version of the course, and the course itself does not contain explicit Eclipse-specific lab instructions.

Chapter 1. Struts Architecture
    MVC and Model 2
    Command Pattern
    Jakarta Struts
    More XML, Less Java!
    Action Mappings
    JavaBeans in Struts
    Working with Forms
    Validation
    Presentation Technology
    Tiles

Chapter 2. Action Mappings
    Command Pattern for Web Applications
    ActionServlet
    Action and Action Mappings
    Struts Configuration
    Selecting a Forward
    Global Forwards
    Declarative Exception Handling
    Global Exception Handlers

Chapter 3. Forms
    Working with HTML Forms
    Action Forms, a/k/a Form Beans
    Relationship to Input
    Relationship to Actions
    Relationship to the Model
    Relationship to Output
    DynaActionForm and Map-Backed Forms
    Validation
    Coarse-Grained Form Beans

Chapter 4. Struts Tag Libraries
    Building View Components
    Struts Tag Libraries
    Attributes and Struts Expressions
    Building Forms
    <html:form>
    <html:text> et. al.
    Forms and Form Beans
    Scope and Duration of Form Data
    Managing Hyperlinks
    Error Messages
    Logic Tags

Chapter 5. The JSP Standard Tag Library
    JSTL Overview
    JSP Expression Language
    Core Tags
    Formatting Tags
    SQL Tags
    XML Tags
    Mixing JSTL, EL, Scripts and Actions
    Indexed Properties and Struts HTML Forms

Chapter 6. Internationalization and Localization
    i18n in Java
    i18n in Actions
    i18n in JSTL
    i18n in Validation

Chapter 7. Input Validation
    Validation in Web Applications
    Validation in Struts
    The Struts Validator Plug-In
    Validating ActionForm Subtypes
    Configuring Validation
    Standard Validators
    Rules
    The ActionMessages Class
    Is <html:form> Necessary?
    Reporting Errors
    Multi-Page Validation
    Client-Side Validation
    Limitations on the Client Side
    Implementing a Validator
    Implementing ActionForm.validate
    Mapping-Based Validation

Chapter 8. Advanced Configuration
    Struts Configuration in Depth
    Wildcards
    Extensions
    The Configuration Object Model
    Subclasses and <set-property>
    Plug-Ins
    Integrating Other Frameworks
    Role-Based Security
    Chaining Actions
    The ComposableRequestProcessor Class
    Configuring Command Chains
    Modules

Chapter 9. Under the Hood
    Global Objects
    Specialized Struts Actions
    The Utility Package
    The Commons BeanUtils Class
    Form Beans as Adapters to the Business Tier
    Reusing Validation Rules
    Graceful Validation

Chapter 10. Tiles
    Consistent Look and Feel
    Reusable Layouts and Content
    The Tiles Framework
    Instantiating Layouts
    Body-Wrap Insertions
    Tiles and Stylesheets
    Working with Tiles Attributes
    The Tiles Context
    Definitions
    Aggregation and Inheritance
    The Tiles Plug-In
    Forwarding to Definitions
    Performance Considerations

Appendix A. Learning Resources

Appendix B. Quick Reference

System Requirements

    Hardware, Minimum: 1.0 GHz, 500 meg RAM, 500 meg disk space.

    Hardware, Recommended: 1.5 GHz, 1 gig RAM, 1 gig disk space.

    Operating System: Tested on Windows XP Professional.  Course software should be viable on all systems which support a J2SE 5.0 JDK.

    Network and Security: Limited privileges required -- please see our standard security requirements at http://capcourse.com/Guides/Security.gen.html.

    Software Requirements:  All free downloadable tools.