Class PageContext

java.lang.Object
jakarta.servlet.jsp.JspContext
jakarta.servlet.jsp.PageContext
public abstract class PageContext extends JspContext

PageContext extends JspContext to provide useful context information for when JSP technology is used in a Servlet environment.

A PageContext instance provides access to all the namespaces associated with a JSP page, provides access to several page attributes, as well as a layer above the implementation details. Implicit objects are added to the pageContext automatically.

The PageContext class is an abstract class, designed to be extended to provide implementation dependent implementations thereof, by conformant JSP engine runtime environments. A PageContext instance is obtained by a JSP implementation class by calling the JspFactory.getPageContext() method, and is released by calling JspFactory.releasePageContext().

An example of how PageContext, JspFactory, and other classes can be used within a JSP Page Implementation object is given elsewhere.

The PageContext provides a number of facilities to the page/component author and page implementor, including:

  • a single API to manage the various scoped namespaces
  • a number of convenience API's to access various public objects
  • a mechanism to obtain the JspWriter for output
  • a mechanism to manage session usage by the page
  • a mechanism to expose page directive attributes to the scripting environment
  • mechanisms to forward or include the current request to other active components in the application
  • a mechanism to handle errorpage exception processing

Methods Intended for Container Generated Code

Some methods are intended to be used by the code generated by the container, not by code written by JSP page authors, or JSP tag library authors.

The methods supporting lifecycle are initialize() and release()

The following methods enable the management of nested JspWriter streams to implement Tag Extensions: pushBody()

Methods Intended for JSP authors

The following methods provide convenient access to implicit objects: getException(), getPage() getRequest(), getResponse(), getSession(), getServletConfig() and getServletContext().

The following methods provide support for forwarding, inclusion and error handling: forward(), include(), and handlePageException().

  • Field Summary

    Fields
    Modifier and Type
    Field
    Description
    static final String
    APPLICATION
    Name used to store ServletContext in PageContext name table.
    static final int
    APPLICATION_SCOPE
    Application scope: named reference remains available in the ServletContext until it is reclaimed.
    static final String
    CONFIG
    Name used to store ServletConfig in PageContext name table.
    static final String
    EXCEPTION
    Name used to store uncaught exception in ServletRequest attribute list and PageContext name table.
    static final String
    OUT
    Name used to store current JspWriter in PageContext name table.
    static final String
    PAGE
    Name used to store the Servlet in this PageContext's nametables.
    static final int
    PAGE_SCOPE
    Page scope: (this is the default) the named reference remains available in this PageContext until the return from the current Servlet.service() invocation.
    static final String
    PAGECONTEXT
    Name used to store this PageContext in it's own name table.
    static final String
    REQUEST
    Name used to store ServletRequest in PageContext name table.
    static final int
    REQUEST_SCOPE
    Request scope: the named reference remains available from the ServletRequest associated with the Servlet until the current request is completed.
    static final String
    RESPONSE
    Name used to store ServletResponse in PageContext name table.
    static final String
    SESSION
    Name used to store HttpSession in PageContext name table.
    static final int
    SESSION_SCOPE
    Session scope (only valid if this page participates in a session): the named reference remains available from the HttpSession (if any) associated with the Servlet until the HttpSession is invalidated.

  • Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Constructor
    Description
    PageContext()
    Sole constructor.

  • Method Summary

    Modifier and Type
    Method
    Description
    abstract void
    forward(String relativeUrlPath)
    This method is used to re-direct, or "forward" the current ServletRequest and ServletResponse to another active component in the application.
    ErrorData
    getErrorData()
    Provides convenient access to error information.
    abstract Exception
    getException()
    The current value of the exception object (an Exception).
    abstract Object
    getPage()
    The current value of the page object (In a Servlet environment, this is an instance of jakarta.servlet.Servlet).
    abstract jakarta.servlet.ServletRequest
    getRequest()
    The current value of the request object (a ServletRequest).
    abstract jakarta.servlet.ServletResponse
    getResponse()
    The current value of the response object (a ServletResponse).
    abstract jakarta.servlet.ServletConfig
    getServletConfig()
    The ServletConfig instance.
    abstract jakarta.servlet.ServletContext
    getServletContext()
    The ServletContext instance.
    abstract jakarta.servlet.http.HttpSession
    getSession()
    The current value of the session object (an HttpSession).
    abstract void
    handlePageException(Exception e)
    This method is intended to process an unhandled 'page' level exception by forwarding the exception to the specified error page for this JSP.
    abstract void
    handlePageException(Throwable t)
    This method is intended to process an unhandled 'page' level exception by forwarding the exception to the specified error page for this JSP.
    abstract void
    include(String relativeUrlPath)
    Causes the resource specified to be processed as part of the current ServletRequest and ServletResponse being processed by the calling Thread.
    abstract void
    include(String relativeUrlPath, boolean flush)
    Causes the resource specified to be processed as part of the current ServletRequest and ServletResponse being processed by the calling Thread.
    abstract void
    initialize(jakarta.servlet.Servlet servlet, jakarta.servlet.ServletRequest request, jakarta.servlet.ServletResponse response, String errorPageURL, boolean needsSession, int bufferSize, boolean autoFlush)
    The initialize method is called to initialize an uninitialized PageContext so that it may be used by a JSP Implementation class to service an incoming request and response within it's _jspService() method.
    BodyContent
    pushBody()
    Return a new BodyContent object, save the current "out" JspWriter, and update the value of the "out" attribute in the page scope attribute namespace of the PageContext.
    abstract void
    release()
    This method shall "reset" the internal state of a PageContext, releasing all internal references, and preparing the PageContext for potential reuse by a later invocation of initialize().

    Methods inherited from class jakarta.servlet.jsp.JspContext

    findAttribute, getAttribute, getAttribute, getAttributeNamesInScope, getAttributesScope, getELContext, getExpressionEvaluator, getOut, getVariableResolver, popBody, pushBody, removeAttribute, removeAttribute, setAttribute, setAttribute

    Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

    clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

  • Field Details

    • PAGE_SCOPE

      public static final int PAGE_SCOPE
      Page scope: (this is the default) the named reference remains available in this PageContext until the return from the current Servlet.service() invocation.
      See Also:

    • REQUEST_SCOPE

      public static final int REQUEST_SCOPE
      Request scope: the named reference remains available from the ServletRequest associated with the Servlet until the current request is completed.
      See Also:

    • SESSION_SCOPE

      public static final int SESSION_SCOPE
      Session scope (only valid if this page participates in a session): the named reference remains available from the HttpSession (if any) associated with the Servlet until the HttpSession is invalidated.
      See Also:

    • APPLICATION_SCOPE

      public static final int APPLICATION_SCOPE
      Application scope: named reference remains available in the ServletContext until it is reclaimed.
      See Also:

    • PAGE

      public static final String PAGE
      Name used to store the Servlet in this PageContext's nametables.
      See Also:

    • PAGECONTEXT

      public static final String PAGECONTEXT
      Name used to store this PageContext in it's own name table.
      See Also:

    • REQUEST

      public static final String REQUEST
      Name used to store ServletRequest in PageContext name table.
      See Also:

    • RESPONSE

      public static final String RESPONSE
      Name used to store ServletResponse in PageContext name table.
      See Also:

    • CONFIG

      public static final String CONFIG
      Name used to store ServletConfig in PageContext name table.
      See Also:

    • SESSION

      public static final String SESSION
      Name used to store HttpSession in PageContext name table.
      See Also:

    • OUT

      public static final String OUT
      Name used to store current JspWriter in PageContext name table.
      See Also:

    • APPLICATION

      public static final String APPLICATION
      Name used to store ServletContext in PageContext name table.
      See Also:

    • EXCEPTION

      public static final String EXCEPTION
      Name used to store uncaught exception in ServletRequest attribute list and PageContext name table.
      See Also:

  • Constructor Details

    • PageContext

      public PageContext()
      Sole constructor. (For invocation by subclass constructors, typically implicit.)

  • Method Details

    • initialize

      public abstract void initialize(jakarta.servlet.Servlet servlet, jakarta.servlet.ServletRequest request, jakarta.servlet.ServletResponse response, String errorPageURL, boolean needsSession, int bufferSize, boolean autoFlush) throws IOException, IllegalStateException, IllegalArgumentException

      The initialize method is called to initialize an uninitialized PageContext so that it may be used by a JSP Implementation class to service an incoming request and response within it's _jspService() method.

      This method is typically called from JspFactory.getPageContext() in order to initialize state.

      This method is required to create an initial JspWriter, and associate the "out" name in page scope with this newly created object.

      This method should not be used by page or tag library authors.

      Parameters:
      servlet - The Servlet that is associated with this PageContext
      request - The currently pending request for this Servlet
      response - The currently pending response for this Servlet
      errorPageURL - The value of the errorpage attribute from the page directive or null
      needsSession - The value of the session attribute from the page directive
      bufferSize - The value of the buffer attribute from the page directive
      autoFlush - The value of the autoflush attribute from the page directive
      Throws:
      IOException - during creation of JspWriter
      IllegalStateException - if out not correctly initialized
      IllegalArgumentException - If one of the given parameters is invalid

    • release

      public abstract void release()

      This method shall "reset" the internal state of a PageContext, releasing all internal references, and preparing the PageContext for potential reuse by a later invocation of initialize(). This method is typically called from JspFactory.releasePageContext().

      Subclasses shall envelope this method.

      This method should not be used by page or tag library authors.

    • getSession

      public abstract jakarta.servlet.http.HttpSession getSession()
      The current value of the session object (an HttpSession).
      Returns:
      the HttpSession for this PageContext or null

    • getPage

      public abstract Object getPage()
      The current value of the page object (In a Servlet environment, this is an instance of jakarta.servlet.Servlet).
      Returns:
      the Page implementation class instance associated with this PageContext

    • getRequest

      public abstract jakarta.servlet.ServletRequest getRequest()
      The current value of the request object (a ServletRequest).
      Returns:
      The ServletRequest for this PageContext

    • getResponse

      public abstract jakarta.servlet.ServletResponse getResponse()
      The current value of the response object (a ServletResponse).
      Returns:
      the ServletResponse for this PageContext

    • getException

      public abstract Exception getException()
      The current value of the exception object (an Exception).
      Returns:
      any exception passed to this as an errorpage

    • getServletConfig

      public abstract jakarta.servlet.ServletConfig getServletConfig()
      The ServletConfig instance.
      Returns:
      the ServletConfig for this PageContext

    • getServletContext

      public abstract jakarta.servlet.ServletContext getServletContext()
      The ServletContext instance.
      Returns:
      the ServletContext for this PageContext

    • forward

      public abstract void forward(String relativeUrlPath) throws jakarta.servlet.ServletException, IOException

      This method is used to re-direct, or "forward" the current ServletRequest and ServletResponse to another active component in the application.

      If the relativeUrlPath begins with a "/" then the URL specified is calculated relative to the DOCROOT of the ServletContext for this JSP. If the path does not begin with a "/" then the URL specified is calculated relative to the URL of the request that was mapped to the calling JSP.

      It is only valid to call this method from a Thread executing within a _jspService(...) method of a JSP.

      Once this method has been called successfully, it is illegal for the calling Thread to attempt to modify the ServletResponse object. Any such attempt to do so, shall result in undefined behavior. Typically, callers immediately return from _jspService(...) after calling this method.

      Parameters:
      relativeUrlPath - specifies the relative URL path to the target resource as described above
      Throws:
      IllegalStateException - if ServletResponse is not in a state where a forward can be performed
      jakarta.servlet.ServletException - if the page that was forwarded to throws a ServletException
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred while forwarding

    • include

      public abstract void include(String relativeUrlPath) throws jakarta.servlet.ServletException, IOException

      Causes the resource specified to be processed as part of the current ServletRequest and ServletResponse being processed by the calling Thread. The output of the target resources processing of the request is written directly to the ServletResponse output stream.

      The current JspWriter "out" for this JSP is flushed as a side-effect of this call, prior to processing the include.

      If the relativeUrlPath begins with a "/" then the URL specified is calculated relative to the DOCROOT of the ServletContext for this JSP. If the path does not begin with a "/" then the URL specified is calculated relative to the URL of the request that was mapped to the calling JSP.

      It is only valid to call this method from a Thread executing within a _jspService(...) method of a JSP.

      Parameters:
      relativeUrlPath - specifies the relative URL path to the target resource to be included
      Throws:
      jakarta.servlet.ServletException - if the page that was forwarded to throws a ServletException
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred while forwarding

    • include

      public abstract void include(String relativeUrlPath, boolean flush) throws jakarta.servlet.ServletException, IOException

      Causes the resource specified to be processed as part of the current ServletRequest and ServletResponse being processed by the calling Thread. The output of the target resources processing of the request is written directly to the current JspWriter returned by a call to getOut().

      If flush is true, The current JspWriter "out" for this JSP is flushed as a side-effect of this call, prior to processing the include. Otherwise, the JspWriter "out" is not flushed.

      If the relativeUrlPath begins with a "/" then the URL specified is calculated relative to the DOCROOT of the ServletContext for this JSP. If the path does not begin with a "/" then the URL specified is calculated relative to the URL of the request that was mapped to the calling JSP.

      It is only valid to call this method from a Thread executing within a _jspService(...) method of a JSP.

      Parameters:
      relativeUrlPath - specifies the relative URL path to the target resource to be included
      flush - True if the JspWriter is to be flushed before the include, or false if not.
      Throws:
      jakarta.servlet.ServletException - if the page that was forwarded to throws a ServletException
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred while forwarding
      Since:
      JSP 2.0

    • handlePageException

      public abstract void handlePageException(Exception e) throws jakarta.servlet.ServletException, IOException

      This method is intended to process an unhandled 'page' level exception by forwarding the exception to the specified error page for this JSP. If forwarding is not possible (for example because the response has already been committed), an implementation dependent mechanism should be used to invoke the error page (e.g. "including" the error page instead).

      If no error page is defined in the page, the exception should be rethrown so that the standard servlet error handling takes over.

      A JSP implementation class shall typically clean up any local state prior to invoking this and will return immediately thereafter. It is illegal to generate any output to the client, or to modify any ServletResponse state after invoking this call.

      This method is kept for backwards compatibility reasons. Newly generated code should use PageContext.handlePageException(Throwable).

      Parameters:
      e - the exception to be handled
      Throws:
      jakarta.servlet.ServletException - if an error occurs while invoking the error page
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred while invoking the error page
      NullPointerException - if the exception is null
      See Also:

    • handlePageException

      public abstract void handlePageException(Throwable t) throws jakarta.servlet.ServletException, IOException

      This method is intended to process an unhandled 'page' level exception by forwarding the exception to the specified error page for this JSP. If forwarding is not possible (for example because the response has already been committed), an implementation dependent mechanism should be used to invoke the error page (e.g. "including" the error page instead).

      If no error page is defined in the page, the exception should be rethrown so that the standard servlet error handling takes over.

      This method is intended to process an unhandled "page" level exception by redirecting the exception to either the specified error page for this JSP, or if none was specified, to perform some implementation dependent action.

      A JSP implementation class shall typically clean up any local state prior to invoking this and will return immediately thereafter. It is illegal to generate any output to the client, or to modify any ServletResponse state after invoking this call.

      Parameters:
      t - the throwable to be handled
      Throws:
      jakarta.servlet.ServletException - if an error occurs while invoking the error page
      IOException - if an I/O error occurred while invoking the error page
      NullPointerException - if the exception is null
      See Also:

    • pushBody

      public BodyContent pushBody()
      Return a new BodyContent object, save the current "out" JspWriter, and update the value of the "out" attribute in the page scope attribute namespace of the PageContext.
      Returns:
      the new BodyContent

    • getErrorData

      public ErrorData getErrorData()
      Provides convenient access to error information.
      Returns:
      an ErrorData instance containing information about the error, as obtained from the request attributes, as per the Servlet specification. If this is not an error page (that is, if the isErrorPage attribute of the page directive is not set to "true"), the information is meaningless.
      Since:
      JSP 2.0