Correct way to manage multiple h:inputText?

Question

I've an h:dataTable to display my item information (in my case a customer support request) and for each row I'd like to put an h:inputText and h:commandButton to add a comment to the desired item. I've no problem with action, but my question is about the correct way to manage many h:inputText and related value on backbean.

I'm not sure that is correct to make all h:inputText set the value to the same backbean property. Any suggestions? Thanks all.

Answer 1

Depends on how the form is composed.

If each row of the table represents one form (i.e. the h:form with h:inputText and h:commandButton is inside h:column), then it's technically no problem.

<h:dataTable value="#{bean.list}" var="item">
    <h:column>
        <h:form>
            <h:inputText value="#{bean.value}" />
            <h:commandButton value="Submit" action="#{bean.submit}" />
        </h:form>
    </h:column>
</h:dataTable>

The problem is only that you need to figure to which row the input was related. The f:setPropertyActionListener may be useful in this. But this approach hasn't my recommendation. Rather bind the input value (and if necessary also the action) to the iterated row object as declared in var attribute of h:dataTable instead. I.e. #{item.value} and #{item.submit}. Or, go for the approach described below.

If the whole table is placed inside a single form (i.e. the h:dataTable is inside h:form), then you'd better to set the value attribute of the h:inputText as a property of the iterated row object as declared in var attribute of h:dataTable.

<h:form>
    <h:dataTable value="#{bean.list}" var="item">
        <h:column><h:inputText value="#{item.value}" /></h:column>
    </h:dataTable>
    <h:commandButton value="Submit" action="#{bean.submit}" />
</h:form>

When you set it as a backing bean property, i.e. #{bean.value}, it will always end up to be the value of the last row.