Java server pages fast & easy

Getting Web Developers Up to Speed with JavaServer Pages

Prima Tech's fast & easy® approach is now available for Web developers! Don't spend your time wading through manuals to learn JavaServer Pages. Spend it doing what you do best—creating Web pages! Providing sound information about JavaServer Pages, this book allows readers to fully use the power of JSP. Covering everything from JSP basics to performing calculations, this combination of easy-to-understand instructions and visual examples results in unique, hands-on-approach to JavaServer Pages that you won't find anywhere else. Less time, less effort, more results!

Screen by screen, use this comprehensive JavaServer Pages guide to:

• Create forms and retrieve user-submitted information
• Construct a database-driven Web site
• Create new tags that will extend the functionality of JSP

What's on the CD-ROM

• JRun Server 3.0 Developer Edition
• Trial Versions of:
• Kawa^TM 5.0
• JRun^TM Studio 3.0.1
• Macromedia® Dreamweaver®
• Macromedia® Dreamweaver® UltraDev^TM 4
• Macromedia® Fireworks® 4

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Introducing JavaServer Pages

An Overview of JavaServer Pages
How Do JavaServer Pages Work?
The Advantages of Using JSP
Making the Transition from ASP to JSP

Chapter 2 Getting Started

Installing the Java Development Kit

Installing JRun Developer Edition
Selecting a JSP Editor
Writing Your First JSP Page

Chapter 3 Understanding JSP Basics

Using the Expression Tag
Using the Declaration Tag

Using the Scriptlet Tag
Commenting Your Code
Using Implicit Variables

Chapter 4 Performing Calculations

Performing Basic Mathematical Operations
Changing the Order of Precedence
Using Increment and Decrement Operators
Working with Mathematical Functions
Generating Random Numbers
Displaying the Current Date and Time

Chapter 5 Working with Strings and Arrays

Working with Strings

Working with Arrays
Working with Vectors

Chapter 6 Working with Decisions and Loops

Using Boolean Expressions
Using Logical Operators
Using the if...else Statement
Using the if...else if Statement
Using the switch Statement
Using the for Loop
Using the while Loop
Using the do...while Loop
Using the break Statement
Using the continue Statement

Chapter 7 Object-Oriented Programming

What is Object-Oriented Programming?
Understanding Classes and Objects

Creating a Class
Inheritance

Chapter 8 Handling Exceptions

Exceptions versus Errors
Using try-catch to Handle Exceptions
Catching Common Exceptions
Creating an Error Page in JSP
Specifying an Error Page for Your Web Application

Chapter 9 Using JavaBeans

What is a JavaBean?
Creating a Simple JavaBean
Using JSP Tags to Manipulate JavaBean Properties
Creating a JavaBean to Calculate Simple Interest

Understanding JavaBean Scope
Using a JavaBean to Retrieve and Process Forms
Using Commercial JavaBeans

Chapter 10 Retrieving Information from a User

Creating HTML Forms

Processing a Form
Retrieving Environmental Variables
Creating a Multiple-Choice Quiz
Validating User Input

Chapter 11 Sending E-Mail Messages

Using the JavaMail API
Sending E-Mail

Working with E-Mail Forms
Sending HTML-Formatted E-Mail Messages

Chapter 12 Working with Files and Folders

Displaying File Attributes
Listing the Contents of a Directory
Reading a File
Writing a File
Appending Data to a File
Creating a Guestbook

Chapter 13 Creating Interactive Web Pages

Greeting Your Visitors
Displaying Random Text
Generating Random Images
Using the Include Directive
Forwarding Requests
Generating Microsoft Word Documents
Generating Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets
Creating Dynamic Images

Chapter 14 Persisting User Information

Using Cookies

Using Sessions

Chapter 15 Working with Databases

What is JDBC?
Setting up a System DSN for an Access Database
Connecting to a Database
Using SQL to Query a Database

Displaying Records in a Table with Alternate Row Colors
Working with Prepared Statements
Displaying Summary Search Results and Linking to Full Records
Inserting Records
Updating Records
Deleting Records
Creating Paged Search Results

Chapter 16 XML and JSP

What is XML?
Creating an XML Document
Using JSP to Generate an XML Document
Generating XML from a Database
Using XSL to Format an XML Document

Using JSP and Xalan to Perform XSL Transformations

Chapter 17 Working with Servlets

Creating a Basic Servlet
Processing Forms
Generating Images
Servlets versus JSP
Integrating Servlets and JSP

Chapter 18 Creating Custom Tags

What Is a Tag Library?
Creating a Simple Tag Library

Creating a Tag to Display the Date
Creating a Tag that Accepts Attributes
Formatting the Body of a Tag
Manipulating the Body of a Tag
Using Existing Tag Libraries

Chapter 19 Creating an Employee Directory

Design Requirements
Designing the Employee Directory Database
Creating the Search Form

Processing the Search by Name Request
Processing the Search by Position Request
Processing the Search by Department Request
Administering the Employee Directory

Chapter 20 Creating an Online Store

The Fundamentals of an Online Store
Designing a Database for an Online Store
Building the Product Class
Building the Shopping Cart JavaBean
Displaying the Product Catalog
Viewing the Shopping Cart
Emptying the Shopping Cart
Building the Checkout Page
Processing the Purchase
Testing the Online Store

Appendix A HTML Quick Reference

Appendix B JSP Quick Reference

Appendix C Additional Resources

Appendix D What's on the CD-ROM

Running the CD-ROM with Windows 95/98/2000/Me/NT
The Prima User Interface

Index