Struts Questions and Answers

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44. Can I use multiple HTML form elements with the same name?

Yes. The issue is that only one action class can be associated with a single form. So the real issue is how do I decode multiple submit types to a single Action class. There is more than one way to achieve this functionality.
The way that is suggested by struts is right out of the javadoc for LookupDispatchAction . Basically, LookupDispatchAction is using the keys from ApplicationProperties.resources as keys to a map of actions available to your Action class. It uses reflection to decode the request and invoke the proper action. It also takes advantage of the struts <html:submit> tags and is straight forward to implement.
You can roll your own with JavaScript events and javascript:void (document.forms["myform"].submit) on any html element. This gives you control of how you want your page to look. Again you will have to decode the expected action in the execute method of your action form if you choose this route.

45. Why doesn't the focus feature on the <html:form> tag work in every circumstance?

Unfortunately, there is some disagreement between the various browsers, and different versions of the same browser, as to how the focus can be set. The <html:form> tag provides a quick and easy JavaScript that will set the focus on a form for most versions of most browsers. If this feature doesn't work for you, then you should set the focus using your own JavaScript. The focus feature is a convenient "value-add" -- not a core requirement of the tag. If you do come up with a JavaScript that provides the final solution to this project, please post your patch to this Bugzilla ticket.

46. Why are my checkboxes not being set from ON to OFF?

A problem with a checkbox is that the browser will only include it in the request when it is checked. If it is not checked, the HTML specification suggests that it not be sent (i.e. omitted from the request). If the value of the checkbox is being persisted, either in a session bean or in the model, a checked box can never unchecked by a HTML form -- because the form can never send a signal to uncheck the box. The application must somehow ascertain that since the element was not sent that the corresponding value is unchecked.
The recommended approach for Struts applications is to use the reset method in the ActionForm to set all properties represented by checkboxes to null or false. The checked boxes submitted by the form will then set those properties to true. The omitted properties will remain false. Another solution is to use radio buttons instead, which always submit a value.
It is important to note that the HTML specification recommends this same behavior whenever a control is not "successful". Any blank element in a HTML form is not guaranteed to submitted. It is therefor very important to set the default values for an ActionForm correctly, and to implement the reset method when the ActionForm might kept in session scope.

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