Introduction to Struts 1.1 using JBuilder

This Struts training course introduces the students to Jakarta Struts 1.1 development using JBuilder. During the course, students will learn to design and develop Struts based applications. Students learn how to incorporate JSPs, servlets, EJBs and JavaBeans into their design. Corresponding to every chapter, there is a lab reinforcing the concept.

Introduction Course Outline

Objectives
	Understand and explain the Jakarta Struts framework Design and build Struts based applications using JBuilder

Topics
	Struts Architecture and Overview A Simple Struts Application Struts Development Cycle Struts Tag Libraries Struts Extensions, Internationalization, Error Handling and Logging Miscellaneous Advanced Features such as Validators and DynaActionForm Database Programming Templates and Tiles Unit Testing Struts Applications - StrutsTestCase JSTL

Audience
	This course is intended for programmers and designers who want to design and develop applications using the Jakarta Struts Model-View-Controller (MVC) framework.

Prerequisites
	A good understanding of HTML. A good understanding of object-oriented programming using Java. Experience with JSPs and servlets with some understanding of JavaBeans or EJBs.

Duration
	Three days.

Lab Setup Guide

Outline for Introduction to Struts 1.1 using JBuilder

1. Struts Architecture and Overview
	Objectives Review: MVC Model Review: Request, Session and Application What is Struts? Struts Flow Components in Struts The Model The View The Controller Struts Flow struts-config.xml struts-config.xml Content The <data-sources> element in the struts-config.xml The <form-beans> element in the struts-config.xml The <global-forwards> element in the struts-config.xml The <action-mappings> element in the struts-config.xml Sample struts-config.xml The Role of web.xml for the Application Configuring Struts in the web.xml web.xml Content Steps to Configuring Struts in the web.xml Step 1. Configuring the Action Servlet Instance in the web.xml Action Servlet Config Example Step 2. Configuring the Action Servlet Mapping in web.xml Prefix Mapping Example Extension Mapping Example Step 3. Configuring the Struts Tag Libraries in the web.xml Sample web.xml Summary

2. The First Struts Application
	Objectives The application The Structure Setup Needed Directory Structure index.jsp index.jsp - continued The index.jsp Page struts-config.xml MultiplyForm.java MultiplyForm.java - continued MultiplyAction.java MultiplyAction.java - continued result.jsp The result page ApplicationResources.properties Summary

3. Struts Development Cycle
	Objectives Struts Development Cycle Gathering Requirements Defining Screen Requirements Detailed screen design Struts view components – Data vs. ActionForm Bean Defining Screen Requirements – define FormBean Developing the FormBean Developing the FormBean – The reset( ) Method Developing the FormBean – The validate( ) Method Developing the FormBean – ActionErrors Developing the FormBean – Defining the Message Key Determining the Screen Flow Defining the ActionMappings in the struts-config.xml Developing the Action Class – action and Action Class Developing the Action Class Developing Actions – The execute() Method Developing Actions – ActionForward Developing Actions – ActionMapping class Developing Actions – execute() example execute() Method Example: Developing Business Logic – EJBs Developing JSPs Configuring struts-config.xml and web.xml Build, Pack, and Deploy Summary

4. Custom JSP Tag Libraries
	Objectives JSP taglib Directive Components of a Tag library The JSP File The Tag Library Descriptor The Tag Handler Class An Example The TLD File – carPrice.tld TLD File – Example The Handler Class – CarPriceHandler.java The Handler Class – Example The JSP File – Carprice.jsp Tag Lib Handler Lifecycle Directory Structure: where Custom Tag Libraries Fit Struts TagLib Bean Tags <bean:define > <bean:message > <bean:page > <bean:include > <bean:cookie > HTML Tags <html:form > < html:submit > <html:text> <html:link> <html:password> Logic Tags Logic Tags functionality logic:equal> <logic:iterate> Template Tags Example of Template Tags Summary

5. Struts Extensions, Internationalization and Error Handling
	Objectives Struts Extensions Extension Points Plug-ins A plug-in example Custom Configuration Class Writing a Configuration Class Custom Struts Servlet Custom Request Processor Base Action Class Base Form Beans Custom JSP Tags Disadvantages of Using Extensions Internationalization (I18N) I18N - continued Error Handling The ActionError class The ActionErrors class Error Handling : validate() method of ActionForm Displaying the errors found in the validate method Error Handling : execute() method of Action Error Handling : execute() method of Action - contd Declarative Exception Handling Syntax of declarative exception handling Programmatic Exception Handling Logging from Struts Logging (cont.) Using Commons Logging and Log4J in Struts Writing Commons Logging Code

6. Miscellaneous Advanced Features
	Advanced Features Discussed in This Chapter Integration of Jakarta Common Libraries - BeanUtils Integration of Jakarta Common Libraries - Digester Multiple Application Support DynaActionForms Validators Adding the Validator framework to a Struts application A tale of three files A sample rule in the file validator-rules.xml A rule in validator-rules.xml (continued) validator.xml file Validator Dependency Rule Variables Error Message Error Message (cont.) Basic Validation Rules Client Side Validation Validating multiplication example using DynaActionForm Writing Custom Validators Validator Class Example HTTP Redirection Working With Check Boxes Context Sensitive Form Validation

7. Database Programming
	Basic Concepts MVC Interaction Database Connection Transaction Management Data Source Defining a Struts Data Source Opening a Connection from a Struts Data Source Creating an Editor Form Example Form Display Action

8. Templates and Tiles
	Objectives Struts Templates Defining the Template A template Using the template in a JSP <template:insert> < template:put > A JSP that uses the template Struts Templates Templates as UI components Struts 1.1 Tiles Support Tiles Tiles example A JSP that uses the layout Tiles go beyond templates Inheritance in tiles definitions Definitions as Struts “forwards” Template or Tiles?

9. Unit Testing Struts Applications
	Objectives Unit Testing Struts Applications What is JUnit? Why JUnit? A JUnit Test Running the tests JUnit Basics A simple Struts test case The testcase Downloading STC Testing Strategies

10. JSTL
	JSP Expression Language (EL) Basic Usage Built-in Objects Working With Arrays and Maps Operators Full Example The future of Struts Tags JSP Standard Template Library (JSTL) Run Time Version Basic Tags Condition Tags Interator Tags Internationalization (I18N) Setting Preferred Locale Specifying Resource Bundle Display Translated Text Display Number Display Date JDBC Tags Specify Data Source Performing a Query Display Result Pagination Example XML Tags

Outline for Introduction to Struts 1.1 using JBuilder

1. Struts Architecture and Overview

2. The First Struts Application

3. Struts Development Cycle

4. Custom JSP Tag Libraries

5. Struts Extensions, Internationalization and Error Handling

6. Miscellaneous Advanced Features

7. Database Programming

8. Templates and Tiles

9. Unit Testing Struts Applications

10. JSTL