how to distinguish a jsf action or direct url link invoked the page

Question

Hi, All

I have a situation, I have a session bean with list, this list I show in html data table. When the user hits the url from browser or normal href, I have to show all records. There is provision to search for the data also, where I have to show the filtered list. Now after a user has made the search, the list contains filtered records and after doing this he leaves the page to some other, and now if the user hits the url or uses the menu to come back to this page, since I have this list in session bean, I still have the filtered list.

Since there is no default action in JSF 1.1 or 2.0 preRenderView concept, its difficult to clear the list and get non filtered data(all results) again. Even tricks in getList() method fail to accomplish the task.

I have planned to use phase listener, as when a user reaches a page via href or url hit in browser, invoke application phase does not happen. I can toggle boolean variable in my session bean and in getList() I can perform some trick to check it was url,href hit or by command button.

Hope I have made myself clear. In short I have to identify in my bean whether the request came directly from href,browser or an action. If search action filter records for data table if not keep list cache and keep showing it as long as search is not made.

Just guide me whether I am doing things in right way or thinking too much or can it be done in much more efficient way.

Thanks in advance. Well platform is jsf 1.1 in weblogic portal 10.3 .....

Answer 1

JSF 1.x actions use by default POST method. Direct links/bookmarks/etc are by nature GET method. Since there's no ResponseStateManager#isPostback() or FacesContext#isPostback() in JSF 1.1, you have to determine the request method yourself:

HttpServletRequest request = (HttpServletRequest) facesContext.getExternalContext().getRequest();
boolean postback = "POST".equalsIgnoreCase(request.getMethod());

Or check for a certain parameter in the request parameter map, but I can't tell from top of head which one you'd like to check. You've to determine it yourself.

boolean postback = facesContext.getExternalContext().getRequestParameterMap().containsKey(SOME_KEY);

If postback is true, then a JSF action is been invoked.