JSP pageContext object

JSP inbuilt pageContext object refers to the context of the current JSP web page. Using it we can get, set and remove attributes present in the various scopes such as page, session, request and application scope. It is an object of type javax.servlet.jsp.PageContext class.

Methods of PageContext class

Methods	Description
Object *setAttribute(String* name, Object value)**	This method sets an attribute in the page scope
Object *setAttribute(String* name, Object value, int scope)**	This method returns the attribute in the specified scope.
Object *getAttribute(String* name)**	This method returns the attribute in the page scope or null.
Object *getAttribute(String* name, int scope)**	This method returns the attribute in the specified scope or null.
Object *findAttribute(String* name)**	This method returns the value associated with the attribute searched in page, request, session and application scope, or null.
void *removeAttribute(String* name)**	This method removes an attribute(if found in any scope).
void *removeAttribute(String* name, int scope)**	This method removes an attribute from the specified scope(if found).
String *forward(String* relativeUrlPath)**	This method forwards the ServletRequest and the ServletResponse to another web page in the application.
ServletRequest getRequest()	Returns the current *ServletRequest* object.
ServletResponse getResponse()	Returns the current *ServletResponse* object.
ServletConfig getServletConfig()	Returns the current *ServletConfig* object.
ServletContext getServletContext()	Returns the current *ServletContext* object.
HttpSession getSession()	Returns the current *HttpSession* object.

An example of using the pageContext object

In the upcoming example, we are first going use JSP's inbuilt pageContext object to set attributes in different scopes like page, request, session and application within a JSP web page named SettingAttributes.jsp and we have called forward() method of JSP's inbuilt pageContext object to forward the ServletRequest to another JSP page GettingAttributes.jsp

SettingAttributes.jsp

<html>
<head>	
<title>JSP pageContext</title>
</head>

<body>

<%  
pageContext.setAttribute("Segment", "IT", pageContext.PAGE_SCOPE);
pageContext.setAttribute("Topic", "JSP", pageContext.REQUEST_SCOPE);
pageContext.setAttribute("Website", "DecodeJava", pageContext.SESSION_SCOPE);
pageContext.setAttribute("Year", "2018", pageContext.APPLICATION_SCOPE);
%>

<% 
pageContext.forward("DataDisplay.jsp");
%>

</body>
</html>

Due to call to the forward() method of JSP's inbuilt pageContext object the ServletRequest is forwarded to another JSP page GettingAttributes.jsp

GettingAttributes.jsp

<html>
<head>	
<title>Using JSP pageContext object</title>
</head>

<body>


Accessing the value of attribute "Segment", set in the page scope:
<% out.println(pageContext.getAttribute("Segment", pageContext.PAGE_SCOPE)); %>
<br/>
<br/>
Accessing the value of attribute "Topic", set in request scope : 
<% out.println(pageContext.getAttribute("Topic", pageContext.REQUEST_SCOPE)); %>
<br/>
<br/>
Accessing the value of attribute "Website", set in session scope : 
<% out.println(pageContext.getAttribute("Website", pageContext.SESSION_SCOPE)); %>
<br/>
<br/>
Accessing the value of attribute "Year", set in application scope : 
<% out.println(pageContext.getAttribute("Year", pageContext.APPLICATION_SCOPE)); %>

</body>
</html>

Finally, on running SettingAttributes.jspM all the attributes set in the request, session and application scope will be read and their associated values will be displayed.

Note :

Value of the attribute Segment set in the page scope on the web page SettingAttributes.jsp is showing null because we are reading the value of this attribute in a different JSP web page i.e. GettingAttributes.jsp and not in the page in they were set.

Please share this article -

< Prev

Next >

< JSP exception object

JSP Built-in Methods >

Please Subscribe

Please subscribe to our social media channels for daily updates.

Notifications

Please check our latest addition

C#, PYTHON and DJANGO