RichFaces Developer Guide

says that Facelets will officially be the first, however AjaxViewHandler will be a little ahead temporarily to do some small, but very important job.


...

<context-param>

     <param-name>org.ajax4jsf.VIEW_HANDLERS</param-name>

     <param-value>com.sun.facelets.FaceletViewHandler</param-value>

</context-param>

...

Note:

In this case you don't have to define FaceletViewHandler in the WEB-INF/faces-config.xml.

4.5. JBoss Seam Support

RichFaces now works out-of-the-box with JBoss Seam and Facelets running inside JBoss AS 4.0.4 and higher. There is no more shared JAR files needed. You just have to package the RichFaces library with your application.

Your web.xml for Seam 1.2 must be like this:


<?xml version="1.0" ?>

<web-app xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/j2ee"

                   xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"

                   xsi:schemaLocation="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/j2ee http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/j2ee/web-app_2_4.xsd"

                   version="2.4">



     <!-- richfaces -->



     <filter>

          <display-name>RichFaces Filter</display-name>

          <filter-name>richfaces</filter-name>

          <filter-class>org.ajax4jsf.Filter</filter-class>

     </filter>



     <filter-mapping>

          <filter-name>richfaces</filter-name>

          <url-pattern>*.seam</url-pattern>

     </filter-mapping>



     <!-- Seam -->



     <listener>

          <listener-class>org.jboss.seam.servlet.SeamListener</listener-class>

     </listener>



     <servlet>

          <servlet-name>Seam Resource Servlet</servlet-name>

          <servlet-class>org.jboss.seam.servlet.ResourceServlet</servlet-class>

     </servlet>



     <servlet-mapping>

          <servlet-name>Seam Resource Servlet</servlet-name>

          <url-pattern>/seam/resource/*</url-pattern>

     </servlet-mapping>



     <filter>

          <filter-name>Seam Filter</filter-name>

          <filter-class>org.jboss.seam.web.SeamFilter</filter-class>

     </filter>



     <filter-mapping>

          <filter-name>Seam Filter</filter-name>

          <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>

     </filter-mapping>



     <!-- MyFaces -->



     <listener>

          <listener-class>org.apache.myfaces.webapp.StartupServletContextListener</listener-class>

     </listener>



     <!-- JSF -->



     <context-param>

          <param-name>javax.faces.STATE_SAVING_METHOD</param-name>

          <param-value>client</param-value>

     </context-param>



     <context-param>

          <param-name>javax.faces.DEFAULT_SUFFIX</param-name>

         <param-value>.xhtml</param-value>

     </context-param>



     <servlet>

          <servlet-name>Faces Servlet</servlet-name>

          <servlet-class>javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet</servlet-class>

          <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>

     </servlet>



     <servlet-mapping>

          <servlet-name>Faces Servlet</servlet-name>

          <url-pattern>*.seam</url-pattern>

     </servlet-mapping>

</web-app>

Seam 2 supports RichFaces Filter. Thus your web.xml for Seam 2 must be like this:


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<web-app version="2.5"

                   xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee"

                   xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"

                   xsi:schemaLocation="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/javaee/web-app_2_5.xsd">



     <context-param>

          <param-name>org.ajax4jsf.VIEW_HANDLERS</param-name>

          <param-value>com.sun.facelets.FaceletViewHandler</param-value>

     </context-param>



     <!-- Seam -->



     <listener>

          <listener-class>org.jboss.seam.servlet.SeamListener</listener-class>

     </listener>



     <servlet>

          <servlet-name>Seam Resource Servlet</servlet-name>

          <servlet-class>org.jboss.seam.servlet.SeamResourceServlet</servlet-class>

     </servlet>



     <servlet-mapping>

          <servlet-name>Seam Resource Servlet</servlet-name>

          <url-pattern>/seam/resource/*</url-pattern>

     </servlet-mapping>



     <filter>

          <filter-name>Seam Filter</filter-name>

          <filter-class>org.jboss.seam.servlet.SeamFilter</filter-class>

     </filter>



     <filter-mapping>

          <filter-name>Seam Filter</filter-name>

          <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>

     </filter-mapping>



     <!-- JSF -->



     <context-param>

          <param-name>javax.faces.DEFAULT_SUFFIX</param-name>

          <param-value>.xhtml</param-value>

     </context-param>



     <context-param>

          <param-name>facelets.DEVELOPMENT</param-name>

          <param-value>true</param-value>

     </context-param>



     <servlet>

          <servlet-name>Faces Servlet</servlet-name>

          <servlet-class>javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet</servlet-class>

          <load-on-startup>1</load-on-startup>

     </servlet>



     <servlet-mapping>

          <servlet-name>Faces Servlet</servlet-name>

          <url-pattern>*.seam</url-pattern>

     </servlet-mapping>

</web-app>

Only one issue still persists while using Seam with MyFaces. Look at myFaces part of this section.

Detailed information on how to integrate Richfaces and Trinidad and how to hide ".seam" postfix in the URL you can find in the RichFaces Cookbook article

4.6. Portlet Support

JBoss Portlets have support since version Ajax4jsf 1.1.1. This support is improved from RichFaces 3.2.1. Provide your feedback on compatible with RichFaces if you face some problems.

4.7. Sybase EAServer

The load-on-startup for the Faces Servlet had to be set to 0 in web.xml.

This is because, EAServer calls servlet init() before the ServletContextInitializer. Not an EAServer bug, this is in Servlet 2.3 spec.


...

<servlet>

     <servlet-name>Faces Servlet</servlet-name>

     <servlet-class>javax.faces.webapp.FacesServlet</servlet-class>

     <load-on-startup>0</load-on-startup>

</servlet>

...

4.8. Oracle AS/OC4J

In order to deploy your project with RichFaces components to an Oracle AS you just have to prevent the application's class loader from importing the Oracle XML parser. Use the following notation in orion-application.xml :


...

<imported-shared-libraries>

     <remove-inherited name="oracle.xml"/>

     <remove-inherited name="oracle.xml.security"/>

</imported-shared-libraries>

...

Chapter 5. Basic concepts of the RichFaces Framework

5.1. Introduction

5.2. RichFaces Architecture Overview

5.3. RichFaces Integral Parts

5.4. Limitations and Rules

+-5.5. Ajax Request Optimization

5.5.1. Re-Rendering

5.5.2. Queue and Traffic Flood Protection

+-5.5.3. Queue Principles

5.5.3.1. Global default queue, defined in the web.xml file

5.5.3.2. View scoped default queue

5.5.3.3. View scoped named queue

5.5.3.4. Form based default queue

+-5.5.3.5. Queue functionality

5.5.3.5.1. Events Similarity
5.5.3.5.2. Similar requests during request delay
5.5.3.5.3. JavaScript API

5.5.4. Data Processing Options

5.5.5. Action and Navigation

5.5.6. JavaScript Interactions

5.5.7. Iteration components Ajax attributes

5.5.8. Other useful attributes

+-5.6. How To...

5.6.1. Send an Ajax request
5.6.2. Decide What to Send
5.6.3. Decide What to Change
5.6.4. Decide what to process

5.7. Filter Configuration

5.8. Scripts and Styles Load Strategy

+-5.9. Request Errors and Session Expiration Handling

5.9.1. Request Errors Handling
5.9.2. Session Expired Handling

+-5.10. Skinnability

5.10.1. Why Skinnability

5.10.2. Using Skinnability

5.10.3. Example

5.10.4. Skin Parameters Tables in RichFaces

5.10.5. Creating and Using Your Own Skin File

5.10.6. Built-in Skinnability in RichFaces

5.10.7. Changing skin in runtime

+-5.10.8. Standard Controls Skinning

5.10.8.1. Standard level
5.10.8.2. Extended level

5.10.9. Client-side Script for Extended Skinning Support

5.10.10. XCSS File Format

+-5.10.11. Plug-n-Skin

5.10.11.1. Details of Usage

5.11. State Manager API

5.12. Identifying User Roles

5.1. Introduction

The framework is implemented as a component library which adds Ajax capability into existing pages, so you don't need to write any JavaScript code or to replace existing components with new Ajax widgets. RichFaces enables page-wide Ajax support instead of the traditional component-wide support. Hence, you can define the event on the page that invokes an Ajax request and the areas of the page that should be synchronized with the JSF Component Tree after the Ajax request changes the data on the server according to the events fired on the client.

Next Figure shows how it works:

Figure 5.1. Request Processing flow

RichFaces allows to define (by means of JSF tags) different parts of a JSF page you wish to update with an Ajax request and provide a few options to send Ajax requests to the server. Also JSF page doesn't change from a "regular" JSF page and you don't need to write any JavaScript or XMLHTTPRequest objects by hands, everything is done automatically.

5.2. RichFaces Architecture Overview

Next figure lists several important elements of the RichFaces framework

Figure 5.2. Core Ajax component structure

Ajax Filter.

To get all benefits of RichFaces , you should register a Filter in web.xml file of your application. The Filter recognizes multiple request types. Necessary information about Filter configuration can be found in the "Filter configuration" section. The sequence diagram on Figure 3 shows the difference in processing of a "regular" JSF request and an Ajax request.

In the first case the whole JSF tree will be encoded, in the second one option it depends on the "size" of the Ajax region. As you can see, in the second case the filter parses the content of an Ajax response before sending it to the client side.

Have a look at the next picture to understand these two ways:

Figure 5.3. Request Processing sequence diagram

In both cases, the information about required static or dynamic resources that your application requests is registered in the ResourseBuilder class.

When a request for a resource comes (Figure 4), the RichFaces filter checks the Resource Cache for this resource and if it is there, the resource is sent to the client. Otherwise, the filter searches for the resource among those that are registered by the ResourceBuilder. If the resource is registered, the RichFaces filter will send a request to the ResourceBuilder to create (deliver) the resource.

Next Figure shows the ways of resource request processing.

Figure 5.4. Resource request sequence diagram

AJAX Action Components

There are Ajax Action Components: <a4j:commandButton> , <a4j:commandLink> , <a4j:poll> and <a4j:support> and etc. You can use them to send Ajax requests from the client side.

AJAX Containers

AjaxContainer is an interface that describes an area on your JSF page that should be decoded during an Ajax request. AjaxViewRoot and AjaxRegion are implementations of this interface.

JavaScript Engine

RichFaces JavaScript Engine runs on the client-side. It knows how to update different areas on your JSF page based on the information from the Ajax response. Do not use this JavaScript code directly, as it is available automatically.

5.3. RichFaces Integral Parts

The RichFaces comes with a number of integral parts (framework, libraries):

For more information about framework and libraries loading see the following section in the FAQ.

Note:

In order to prevent JavaScript versions conflict you should use only one version of the framework or library. You could find more information about libraries exclusion in the FAQ.

5.4. Limitations and Rules

In order to create RichFaces applications properly, keep the following points in mind:

Any Ajax framework should not append or delete, but only replace elements on the page. For successful updates, an element with the same ID as in the response must exist on the page. If you'd like to append any code to a page, put in a placeholder for it (any empty element). For the same reason, it's recommended to place messages in the "AjaxOutput" component (as no messages is also a message).
Don't use <f:verbatim> for self-rendered containers, since this component is transient and not saved in the tree.
Ajax requests are made by XMLHTTPRequest functions in XML format, but this XML bypasses most validations and the corrections that might be made in a browser. Thus, create only a strict standards-compliant code for HTML and XHTML, without skipping any required elements or attributes. Any necessary XML corrections are automatically made by the XML filter on the server, but lot's of unexpected effects can be produced by an incorrect HTML code.
The RichFaces ViewHandler puts itself in front of the Facelets ViewHandlers chain.
RichFaces components uses their own renderers. On the Render Response Phase RichFaces framework makes a traversal of the component tree, calls its own renderer and put the result into the Faces Response.
Certain components in the RichFaces framework allow data to be serialized and transferred from the server to the client. If the data model being used contains circular references, the references are partially serialized. Serialization of the data is done from the top-most object down, so all circular references back to parent objects are ignored when transferred to the client.
Only the data required by the client should be serialized. Serializing excess data can lead to performance and memory issues if too much data is processed. Additionally, security issues may arise if private data is exposed to end-users. Large amounts of data can be handled creating Data Transfer Objects (DTO) from entities and passing them as suggestion values. Alternatively a mapping framework or assembler can manage the required data.

5.5. Ajax Request Optimization

5.5.1. Re-Rendering

Ajax attributes are common for Ajax components such as <a4j:support> , <a4j:commandButton> , <a4j:jsFunction> , <a4j:poll> , <a4j:push> and so on. Also, most RichFaces components with built-in Ajax support have these attributes for a similar purpose. Ajax components attributes help RichFaces to expose its features. Most of the attributes have default values. Thus, you can start working with RichFaces without knowing the usage of these attribute. However, their usage allows to tune the required Ajax behavior very smoothly.

"reRender" is a key attribute. The attribute allows to point to area(s) on a page that should be updated as a response on Ajax interaction. The value of the "reRender" attribute is an id of the JSF component or an id list.

A simple example is placed below:


...

<a4j:commandButton value="update" reRender="infoBlock"/>

...

<h:panelGrid id="infoBlock">

    ...

</h:panelGrid>

...

The value of "reRender" attribute of the <a4j:commandButton> tag defines which part(s) of your page is (are) to be updated. In this case, the only part of the page to update is the <h:panelGrid> tag because its ID value matches to the value of "reRender" attribute. As you see, it's not difficult to update multiple elements on the page, only list their IDs as the value of "reRender" .

"reRender" uses UIComponent.findComponent() algorithm (with some additional exceptions) to find the component in the component tree. As can you see, the algorithm presumes several steps. Each other step is used if the previous step is not successful. Therefore, you can define how fast the component is found mentioning it more precisely. The following example shows the difference in approaches (both buttons will work successfully):


...

<h:form id="form1">

    ...

    <a4j: commandButton value="Usual Way" reRender="infoBlock, infoBlock2" />

    <a4j:commandButton value="Shortcut" reRender=":infoBlockl,:sv:infoBlock2" />

    ...

</h:form>

<h:panelGrid id="infoBlock">

    ...

</h:panelGrid>

...

<f:subview id="sv">

    <h:panelGrid id="infoBlock2">

        ...

    </h:panelGrid>

    ...

</f:subview>

...

It's also possible to use JSF EL expression as a value of the reRender attribute. It might be a property of types Set, Collection, Array or simple String. The EL for reRender is resolved right before the Render Response phase. Hence, you can calculate what should be re-rendered on any previous phase during the Ajax request processing.

Most common problem with using reRender is pointing it to the component that has a "rendered" attribute. Note, that JSF does not mark the place in the browser DOM where the outcome of the component should be placed in case the "rendered" condition returns false. Therefore, after the component becomes rendered during the Ajax request, RichFaces delivers the rendered code to the client, but does not update a page, because the place for update is unknown. You need to point to one of the parent components that has no "rendered" attribute. As an alternative, you can wrap the component with <a4j:outputPanel> layout="none" .

"ajaxRendered" attribute of the <a4j:outputPanel> set to "true" allows to define the area of the page that will be re-rendered even if it is not pointed in the reRender attribute explicitly. It might be useful if you have an area on a page that should be updated as a response on any Ajax request. For example, the following code allows to output error messages regardless of what Ajax request causes the Validation phase failed.


...

<a4j:outputPanel ajaxRendered="true">

    <h:messages />

</a4j:outputPanel>

...

"limitToList" attribute allows to dismiss the behavior of the <a4j:outputPanel> "ajaxRendered" attribute. limitToList = "false" means to update only the area(s) that mentioned in the "reRender" attribute explicitly. All output panels with ajaxRendered="true" is ignored. An example is placed below:


...

<h:form>

    <h:inputText value="#{person.name}">

        <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="test" limitToList="true"/>

    </h:inputText>

    <h:outputText value="#{person.name}" id="test"/>

</form>

...

5.5.2. Queue and Traffic Flood Protection

"eventsQueue" attribute defines the name of the queue that will be used to order upcoming Ajax requests. By default, RichFaces does not queue Ajax requests. If events are produced simultaneously, they will come to the server simultaneously. JSF implementations (especially, the very first ones) does not guaranty that the request that comes first will be served or passed into the JSF lifecycle first. The order how the server side data will be modified in case of simultaneous request might be unpredictable. Usage of eventsQueue attribute allows to avoid possible mess. Define the queue name explicitly, if you expect intensive Ajax traffic in your application.

The next request posted in the same queue will wait until the previos one is not processed and Ajax Response is returned back if the "eventsQueue" attribute is defined. In addition, RichFaces starts to remove from the queue "similar" requests. "Similar'"requests are the requests produced by the same event. For example, according to the following code, only the newest request will be sent to the server if you type very fast and has typed the several characters already before the previous Ajax Response is back.


...

<h:inputText value="#{userBean.name}">

    <a4j:support event="onkeyup" eventsQueue="foo" reRender="bar" />

</h:inputText>

...

"requestDelay" attribute defines the time (in ms) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest "similar" request is in a queue already .

"ignoreDupResponses" attribute orders to ignore the Ajax Response produced by the request if the newest "similar" request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses"="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response loses the actuality.

Defining the "eventsQueue" along with "requestDelay" allows to protect against unnecessary traffic flood and synchronizes Ajax requests order. If you have several sources of Ajax requests, you can define the same queue name there. This might be very helpful if you have Ajax components that invoke request asynchronously from the ones produced by events from users. For example, <a4j:poll> or <a4j:push> . In case the requests from such components modify the same data, the synchronization might be very helpful.

More information can be found on the RichFaces Users Forum .

"timeout" attribute is used for setting response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted.

5.5.3. Queue Principles

Starting from 3.3.0 version RichFaces has an improved queue.

There are some reasons why the queue has been improved. In previous versions the queue had quite simple implementation: it sent to the server only the last Ajax request out of all requests coming in the queue during request delay.

The improved queue allows to

Eliminate the possibility of collisions when several JSF requests pass the JSF lifecycle at the same time. The queue prevents sending such requests. Only one request is processed. The rest ones are waiting.
Reduce the traffic between browser and the server. The "similar" requests came within request delay are absorbed. Only the last one is actually sent. Reducing the number of request reduces the server load.

There are 4 types of the queue:

Global default queue, defined in the web.xml file
View scoped default queue
View scoped named queue
Form-based default queue

In this section we will take a closer look at the listed above types of the queue and see in more detail how they differ. Usage details are covered in the <a4j:queue> chapter.

5.5.3.1. Global default queue, defined in the web.xml file

Global default queue has application scope and is defined in the web.xml

Only one global queue will ever exist on a view
If you define more then one with this name while attempting to set its attributes a warning will appear in server console during rendering. All the same named queues after the first instance are ignored.
The queue class name is "org.richfaces.queue.global"

It can be done as follows:


...

<context-param>

   <param-name>org.richfaces.queue.global.enabled</param-name>

   <param-value>true</param-value>

</context-param>

...

The global default queue is disabled by default, because artificial serializing of all Ajax requests on a page can significantly affect expected behavior.

5.5.3.2. View scoped default queue

The view scoped default, named and formed-based types of queue utilize the <a4j:queue> tag to override the settings of the global queue defined in the web.xml file.

Only one default queue is ever active at one time for a given view or form.
If ever more are detected a warning will appears in server console during rendering. All the same named queues after the first instance are ignored.
View scoped default queue is also created for components which have the following ajax attributes: (in this case queue has a component scope)
- "requestDelay"
- "ignoreDupResponce"
View scoped default queue is created automatically if the "eventsQueue" attribute is defined with some name in a component but not found in the view. It has a scope the same as defined in corresponding context param.

You can also programmatically enable/disable the global queue on a single view using the following:


...

<a4j:queue name="org.richfaces.global_queue" disabled="true"... />

...

Hence, to enable the queue for a single view page you need to define the "disable" attribute with "false".

Now, you can override the default settings using the attributes of the <a4j:queue> component. The full list of attributes is given in the "6.20. <a4j:queue>" chapter of the guide.

Example:


...

<a4j:queue name="org.richfaces.global_queue" requestDelay="1000" />

...

View scoped queue can be also added by just definition of the queue without name specified. In this case it should be placed anywhere outside the forms in order not to be recognized as a form-based queue.


...

<a4j:queue ... />

...

5.5.3.3. View scoped named queue

You can reference a named queue from any Ajax4JSF or RichFaces component that supports the "eventsQueue" attribute. Below there is an example of how the components can reference a named queue.

Named queues must have a unique name, if a second queue with the same name is defined all the same named queues after the first instance are ignored.
Form elements are used as naming container for the queue i.e. custom queue defined within the form cannot be used by the components outside this concrete form.

In this example, two components(<a4j:queue>, <rich:comboBox>,) reference the named queue via the "eventsQueue" attribute.


...

<a4j:queue name="sampleQueue"/>                         

<h:inputText value="#{bean.inputValue}" >

    <a4j:support id="inputSupport" event="onkeyup" eventsQueue="sample"/>

</h:inputText>

<rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" eventsQueue="sample" />    

...

5.5.3.4. Form based default queue

Queues are often used within forms, but defining the "eventsQueue" attribute on every component within a form can be tedious work. To avoid that you can create a default queue for a form (overriding the global default queue ).

Only one enabled form based default queue can be active at a time.
- A warning appears in server console during rendering if more than one enabled form based queue exists. All queues with the same name after the first instance should be ignored.
- Users can define more than one form queue, however all but one must be disabled.

You can use either a JSF <h:form> or an Ajax4JSF <a4j:form>.

Though, using an Ajax4JSF <a4j:form> you can refrence a named queue via the "eventsQueue".


...

<h:form ... >

    <a4j:queue ... /><!-- note no name specified -->

    ...

</h:form>

...

However the implementation of the queue allows you to reference a named queue from the form with a form-based queue.


...

<a4j:form eventsQueue="fooQueue" ...>

    ...

</a4j:form>

...

RichFaces uses form based approach for Ajax request sending. This means each time, when you click an Ajax button or <a4j:poll> produces an asynchronous request, the data from the closest JSF form is submitted with the XMLHTTPRequest object. The form data contains the values from the form input element and auxiliary information such as state saving data.


...

<a4j:queue name="sampleQueue" ... /> <!-- named queue -->

...

<h:form ... >

    <a4j:queue ... /><!-- form-based queue-->

    <a4j:commandButton ... /> <!-- uses the form-based queue -->

    <a4j:commandButton eventsQueue="sampleQueue" /> <!-- uses named queue -->

</h:form>

...

5.5.3.5.3. JavaScript API

Table 5.1. JavaScript API

Function	Description
getSize()	Returns the current size to the queue
getMaximumSize()	Returns the maximum size to the queue, specified in the "size" attribute

5.5.4. Data Processing Options

When "ajaxSingle" attribute value is "true" , it orders to include only a value of the current component (along with <f:param> or <a4j:actionparam> values if any) to the request map. In case of <a4j:support> , it is a value of the parent component. An example is placed below:


...

<h:form>

    <h:inputText value="#{person.name}">

        <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="test" ajaxSingle="true"/>

    </h:inputText>

    <h:inputText value="#{person.middleName}"/>

</form>

...

In this example the request contains only the input component causes the request generation, not all the components contained on a form, because of ajaxSingle="true" usage.

Note, that ajaxSingle="true" reduces the upcoming traffic, but does not prevent decoding other input components on the server side. Some JSF components, such as <h:selectOneMenu> do recognize the missing data in the request map value as a null value and try to pass the validation process with a failed result. Thus, use <a4j:region> to limit a part of the component tree that will be processed on the server side when it is required.

"immediate" attribute has the same purpose as any other non-JSF component. The default "ActionListener" should be executed immediately (i.e. during the Apply Request Values phase of a request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase. Using immediate="true" is one of the ways to have some data model values updated when other cannot be updated because of a problem with passing the Validation phase successfully. This might be important inside the <h:dataTable> like components where using <a4j:region> is impossible due to the <h:dataTable> component architecture.

"bypassUpdates" attribute allows to bypass the Update Model phase. It might be useful if you need to check your input against the available validator, but not to update the model with those data. Note, that an action will be invoked at the end of the Validation phase only if the Validation phase is passed successfully. The listeners of the Application phase will not be invoked in any case.

5.5.5. Action and Navigation

Ajax component is similar to any other non-Ajax JSF component like <h:commandButton> . It allows to submit the form. You can use "action" and "actionListener" attributes to invoke the action method and define the action event.

"action" method must return null if you want to have an Ajax Response with a partual page update. This is regular mode called "Ajax request generates Non-Ajax Response". In case of action does not return null, but the action outcome that matches one of navigation rules, RichFaces starts to work in "Ajax request generates Non-Ajax Response" mode. This mode might be helpful in two major cases:

RichFaces allows to organize a page flow inside the <a4j:include> component. This is a typical scenario for Wizard like behavior. The new content is rendered inside the <a4j:include> area. The content is taken from the navigation rule of the faces configuration file (usually, the faces-config.xml). Note, that the content of the "wizard" is not isolated from the rest of the page. The included page should not have own <f:view> (it does not matter if you use facelets). You need to have an Ajax component inside the <a4j:include> to navigate between the wizard pages. Otherwize, the whole page update will be performed.
If you want to involve the server side validators and navigate to the next page only if the Validation phase is passed successfully, you can replace <h:commandButton> with <a4j:commandButton> and point to the action method that navigates to the next page. If Validation process fails, the partial page update will occur and you will see an error message. Otherwize, the application proceeds to the next page. Make sure, you define <redirect/> option for the navigation rule to avoid memory leaks.

5.5.6. JavaScript Interactions

RichFaces allows writing Ajax-enabled JSF application without writing any Javascript code. However, you can still invoke the JavaScript code if you need. There are several ajax attributes that helps to do it.

"onsubmit" attribute allows to invoke JavaScript code before an Ajax request is sent. If "onsubmit" returns "false" , the Ajax request is canceled. The code of "onsubmit" is inserted before the RichFaces Ajax call. Hence, the "onsubmit" should not has a "return" statement if you want the Ajax request to be sent. If you are going to invoke a JavaScript function that returns "true" or "false" , use the conditional statement to return something only when you need to cancel the request. For example:


...

onsubmit="if (mynosendfunct()==false){return false}"

...

"onclick" attribute is similar to the "onsubmit" , but for clickable components such as <a4j:commandLink> and <a4j:commandButton> . If it returns "false" , the Ajax request is canceled also.

The "oncomplete" attribute is used for passing JavaScript that would be invoked right after the AJAX response returns back and DOM is updated. It is not recommended to use use keyword this inside the EL-expression, because it will not always point to the component where AJAX request was initiated.

"onbeforedomupdate" attribute defines JavaScript code for call after Ajax response receiving and before updating DOM on a client side.

"data" attribute allows to get the additional data from the server during an Ajax call. You can use JSF EL to point the property of the managed bean and its value will be serialized in JSON format and be available on the client side. You can refer to it using the "data" variable. For example:


...

<a4j:commandButton value="Update" data="#{userBean.name}" oncomplete="showTheName(data.name)" />

...

RichFaces allows to serialize not only primitive types into JSON format, but also complex types including arrays and collections. The beans should be serializable to be refered with "data" . Refer to Section 5.4, “Limitations and Rules” for limitations on serializing data.

There is a number of useful functions which can be used in JavaScript:

rich:clientId('id') - returns client id by short id or null if the component with the id specified hasn't been found
rich:element('id') - is a shortcut for document.getElementById(#{rich:clientId('id')})
rich:component('id') - is a shortcut for #{rich:clientId('id')}.component

rich:findComponent('id') - returns an instance of UIComponent taking the short ID of the component as a parameter.


...

<h:inputText id="myInput">

    <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="outtext"/>

</h:inputText>

<h:outputText id="outtext" value="#{rich:findComponent('myInput').value}" />

...

5.5.7. Iteration components Ajax attributes

"ajaxKeys" attribute defines strings that are updated after an Ajax request. It provides possibility to update several child components separately without updating the whole page.


...

<a4j:poll intervall="1000" action="#{repeater.action}" reRender="text">

    <table>

        <tbody>

            <a4j:repeat value="#{bean.props}" var="detail" ajaxKeys="#{repeater.ajaxedRowsSet}">

                <tr>

                    <td>

                        <h:outputText value="detail.someProperty" id="text"/>

                    </td>

                </tr>

            </a4j:repeat>

        </tbody>

    </table>

</a4j:poll>

...

5.5.8. Other useful attributes

"status" attribute for Ajax components (such as <a4j:commandButton> , <a4j:poll> , etc.) points to an ID of <a4j:status> component. Use this attribute if you want to share <a4j:status> component between different Ajax components from different regions. The following example shows it.


...

<a4j:region id="extr">

    <h:form>

        <h:outputText value="Status:" />

        <a4j:status id="commonstatus" startText="In Progress...." stopText=""/>

        <h:panelGrid columns="2">

            <h:outputText value="Name"/>

            <h:inputText id="name" value="#{userBean.name}">

                <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="out" />

            </h:inputText>

            <h:outputText value="Job"/>

            <a4j:region  id="intr">

                <h:inputText id="job" value="#{userBean.job}">

                    <a4j:support event="onkeyup"  reRender="out" status="commonstatus"/>

                </h:inputText>

            </a4j:region>

        </h:panelGrid>

        <a4j:region>

            <h:outputText id="out" value="Name: #{userBean.name}, Job: #{userBean.job}" />

            <br />

            <a4j:commandButton ajaxSingle="true" value="Clean Up Form" reRender="name, job, out"  status="commonstatus">

                <a4j:actionparam name="n" value=""  assignTo="#{userBean.name}" />

                <a4j:actionparam name="j" value=""  assignTo="#{userBean.job}" />

            </a4j:commandButton>

        </a4j:region>

    </h:form>

</a4j:region>

...

In the example <a4j:support> and <a4j:commandButton> are defined in different regions. Values of "status" attribute for these components points to an ID of <a4j:support> .Thus, the <a4j:support> component is shared between two components from different regions.

More information could be found on the RichFaces Live Demo .

Other useful attribute is "focus" . It points to an ID of a component where focus will be set after an Ajax request.

5.6. How To...

5.6.1. Send an Ajax request

There are different ways to send Ajax requests from your JSF page. For example you can use <a4j:commandButton> , <a4j:commandLink> , <a4j:poll> or <a4j:support> tags or any other.

All these tags hide the usual JavaScript activities that are required for an XMHTTPRequest object building and an Ajax request sending. Also, they allow you to decide which components of your JSF page are to be re-rendered as a result of the Ajax response (you can list the IDs of these components in the "reRender" attribute).

<a4j:commandButton> and <a4j:commandLink> tags are used to send an Ajax request on "onclick" JavaScript event.

<a4j:poll> tag is used to send an Ajax request periodically using a timer.

The <a4j:support> tag allows you to add Ajax functionality to standard JSF components and send Ajax request onto a chosen JavaScript event: "onkeyup" , "onmouseover" , etc.

5.6.2. Decide What to Send

You may describe a region on the page you wish to send to the server, in this way you can control what part of the JSF View is decoded on the server side when you send an Ajax request.

The easiest way to describe an Ajax region on your JSF page is to do nothing, because the content between the <f:view> and </f:view> tags is considered the default Ajax region.

You may define multiple Ajax regions on the JSF page (they can even be nested) by using the <a4j:region> tag.

If you wish to render the content of an Ajax response outside of the active region then the value of the "renderRegionOnly" attribute should be set to "false" ("false" is default value). Otherwise, your Ajax updates are limited to elements of the active region.

5.6.3. Decide What to Change

Using IDs in the "reRender" attribute to define "AJAX zones" for update works fine in many cases.

But you can not use this approach if your page contains, e.g. a <f:verbatim> tag and you wish to update its content on an Ajax response.

The problem with the <f:verbatim/> tag as described above is related to the value of the transientFlag of JSF components. If the value of this flag is true, the component must not participate in state saving or restoring of process.

In order to provide a solution to this kind of problems, RichFaces uses the concept of an output panel that is defined by the <a4j:outputPanel> tag. If you put a <f:verbatim> tag inside of the output panel, then the content of the <f:verbatim/> tag and content of other panel's child tags could be updated on Ajax response. There are two ways to control this:

By setting the "ajaxRendered" attribute value to "true".
By setting the "reRender" attribute value of an Action Component to the output panel ID.

5.6.4. Decide what to process

The "process" attribute allows to define the ids of components to be processed together with the component which is marked as ajaxSingle or wrapped to region.

You could make use of the "process" attribute when you need to process only two components in the different parts of view.

Imagine you need to process only two input fields but not all the view. If you wrap the first input to region or make <a4j:support> component with ajaxSingle="true" nested the second input will not be processed.

Here is a simple solution:


...

<h:inputText value="#{bean.name}" id="name">

    <a4j:support ajaxSingle="true" process="email" event="onblur" reRender="someOut"/>

</h:inputText>

<h:inputTextarea value="#{bean.description}" id="desc" />

<h:inputText value="#{bean.email}" id="email">

    <a4j:support ajaxSingle="true" process="name" event="onblur" reRender="someOut"/>

</h:inputText>

...

In the example above when the input field with the id="name" looses focus, an AJAX request is sent. So only two input fields (with id="name" and additionally with id="email") are processed: decoding, conversion/validation, value applying phases are executed. The input field with the id="email" is handled the same way on blur event.

5.7. Filter Configuration

RichFaces uses a filter for a correction of code received on an Ajax request. In case of a "regular" JSF request a browser makes correction independently. In case of Ajax request in order to prevent layout destruction it's needed to use a filter, because a received code could differ from a code validated by a browser and a browser doesn't make any corrections.

An example of how to set a Filter in a web.xml file of your application is placed below.

Fast Filter is deprecated and available only for backward compatibility with previous RichFaces versions. Fast Filter usage isn't recomended, because there is another way to use its functionality by means of Neko filter type .


...

<filter>

    <display-name>RichFaces Filter</display-name>

    <filter-name>richfaces</filter-name>

    <filter-class>org.ajax4jsf.Filter</filter-class>

</filter>

...

Note:

From RichFaces 3.2 filter configuration becomes more flexible. It's possible to configure different filters for different sets of pages for the same application.

The possible filter types are:

TIDY

"TIDY" filter type based on the Tidy parser. This filter is recommended for applications with complicated or non-standard markup when all necessary code corrections are made by the filter when a response comes from the server.

NEKO

"NEKO" filter type corresponds to the former "Fast Filter" and it's based on the Neko parser. In case of using this filter code isn't strictly verified. Use this one if you are sure that your application markup is really strict for this filter. Otherwise it could cause lot's of errors and corrupt a layout as a result. This filter considerably accelerates all Ajax requests processing.

NONE

No correction.

An example of configuration is placed below.

The example shows that ORDER parameter defines the order in which particular filter types are used for pages code correction.


...

<context-param>

    <param-name>org.ajax4jsf.xmlparser.ORDER</param-name>

    <param-value>NONE,NEKO,TIDY</param-value>

</context-param>

<context-param>

    <param-name>org.ajax4jsf.xmlparser.NONE</param-name>

    <param-value>/pages/performance\.xhtml,/pages/default.*\.xhtml</param-value>

</context-param>

<context-param>

    <param-name>org.ajax4jsf.xmlparser.NEKO</param-name>

    <param-value>/pages/repeat\.xhtml</param-value>

</context-param>

<filter>

    <display-name>RichFaces Filter</display-name>

    <filter-name>richfaces</filter-name>

    <filter-class>org.ajax4jsf.Filter</filter-class>

</filter>

<filter-mapping>

    <filter-name>richfaces</filter-name>

    <servlet-name>Faces Servlet</servlet-name>

    <dispatcher>FORWARD</dispatcher>

    <dispatcher>REQUEST</dispatcher>

    <dispatcher>INCLUDE</dispatcher>

</filter-mapping>

...

First of all "NONE" type is specified for the filter. Then two different sets of pages are defined for which two filter types (NONE and NEKO) are used correspondingly. If a page relates to the first set that is defined in the following way:


<param-value>/pages/performance\.xhtml,/pages/default.*\.xhtml</param-value>

it's not corrected, because filter type for this page is defined as "NONE". If a page is not from the first set, then "NEKO" type is set.

If a page relates to the second set that is defined in the following way:


<param-value>/pages/repeat\.xhtml</param-value>

then "NEKO" filter type is used for correction. If it's not related to the second set, "TIDY" type is set for the filter ("TIDY" filter type is used for code correction).

5.8. Scripts and Styles Load Strategy

Before the version 3.1.3, RichFaces loaded styles and script on demand. I.e. files are loaded only if they are required on a particular page. Since RichFaces 3.1.3, it's possible to manage how the RichFaces script and style files are loaded to application.

org.richfaces.LoadScriptStrategy

The following declaration in your web.xml allows loading the integrated script files.


...

<context-param>

    <param-name>org.richfaces.LoadScriptStrategy</param-name>

    <param-value>ALL</param-value>

</context-param>

...

If you do not declare the org.richfaces.LoadScriptStrategy in the web.xml, it equals to:


...

<context-param>

    <param-name>org.richfaces.LoadScriptStrategy</param-name>

    <param-value>DEFAULT</param-value>

</context-param>

...

The third possible value is "NONE". You have no a special reason to use it unless you obtain the newest (or modified) version of the script and want to include it manually in a page header.

Note:

If you use ALL value of Scripts Load Strategy, the JavaScript files compression turns off!

org.richfaces.LoadStyleStrategy

The following declaration allows to load only one integrated style sheet file.


...

<context-param>

    <param-name>org.richfaces.LoadStyleStrategy</param-name>

    <param-value>ALL</param-value>

</context-param>

...

The integrated style sheet contains style for all shipped components. The skinnability feature still works.

The "DEFAULT" value is a classical on-demand variant.

The "NONE" stops loading the styles at all. The earlier introduced plain skin resets all color and font parameters to null. The "NONE" value for org.richfaces.LoadStyleStrategy means that predefined styles for RichFaces are not used.

For more information see RichFaces User Forum .

5.9. Request Errors and Session Expiration Handling

RichFaces allows to redefine standard handlers responsible for processing of different exceptional situations. It helps to define own JavaScript, which is executed when these situations occur.

Add the following code to web.xml:


<context-param>

    <param-name>org.ajax4jsf.handleViewExpiredOnClient</param-name>

    <param-value>true</param-value>

</context-param>

5.9.1. Request Errors Handling

To execute your own code on the client in case of an error during Ajax request, it's necessary to redefine the standard "A4J.AJAX.onError" method:

 A4J.AJAX.onError = function(req, status, message){

    window.alert("Custom onError handler "+message);

}

The function defined this way accepts as parameters:

req - a params string of a request that calls an error
status - the number of an error returned by the server
message - a default message for the given error

Thus, it's possible to create your own handler that is called on timeouts, internal server errors, and etc.

5.9.2. Session Expired Handling

It's possible to redefine also the "onExpired" framework method that is called on the "Session Expiration" event.

Here the function receives in params:



A4J.AJAX.onExpired = function(loc, expiredMsg){

    if(window.confirm("Custom onExpired handler "+expiredMsg+" for a location: "+loc)){

      return loc;

    } else {

     return false;

    }

}

loc - URL of the current page (on demand can be updated)
expiredMsg - a default message on "Session Expiration" event.

Note:

Note that custom "onError", "onExpire" handlers do not work under MyFaces. MyFaces handles exception by its internals generating debug page. You could use the following code to prevent such behavior:


...

<context-param>

    <param-name>org.apache.myfaces.ERROR_HANDLING</param-name>

    <param-value>false</param-value>

</context-param> 

...

5.10. Skinnability

5.10.1. Why Skinnability

If you have a look at a CSS file in an enterprise application, for example, the one you're working on now, you'll see how often the same color is noted in it. Standard CSS has no way to define a particular color abstractly for defining as a panel header color, a background color of an active pop-up menu item, a separator color, etc. To define common interface styles, you have to copy the same values over and over again and the more interface elements you have the more copy-and-paste activity that needs to be performed.

Hence, if you want to change the application palette, you have to change all interrelating values, otherwise your interface can appear a bit clumsy. The chances of such an interface coming about is very high, as CSS editing usually becomes the duty of a general developer who doesn't necessarily have much knowledge of user interface design.

Moreover, if a customer wishes to have an interface look-and-feel that can be adjusted on-the-fly by an end user, your work is multiplied, as you have to deal with several CSS files variants, each of which contains the same values repeated numerous times.

These problems can be solved with the skinnability system built into the RichFaces project and implemented fully in RichFaces. Every named skin has some skin-parameters for the definition of a palette and the other parameters of the user interface. By changing just a few parameters, you can alter the appearance of dozens of components in an application in a synchronized fashion without messing up user interface consistency.

The skinnability feature can't completely replace standard CSS and certainly doesn't eliminate its usage. Skinnability is a high-level extension of standard CSS, which can be used together with regular CSS declarations. You can also refer to skin parameters in CSS via JSF Expression Language. You have the complete ability to synchronize the appearance of all the elements in your pages.

5.10.2. Using Skinnability

RichFaces skinnability is designed for mixed usage with:

Skin parameters defined in the RichFaces framework
Predefined CSS classes for components
User style classes

The color scheme of the component can be applied to its elements using any of three style classes:

A default style class inserted into the framework
This contains style parameters linked to some constants from a skin. It is defined for every component and specifies a default representation level. Thus, an application interface could be modified by changing the values of skin parameters.
A style class of skin extension
This class name is defined for every component element and inserted into the framework to allow defining a class with the same name into its CSS files. Hence, the appearance of all components that use this class is extended.
User style class
It's possible to use one of the styleClass parameters for component elements and define your own class in it. As a result, the appearance of one particular component is changed according to a CSS style parameter specified in the class.

5.10.3. Example

Here is a simple panel component:

The code generates a panel component on a page, which consists of two elements: a wrapper <div> element and a <div> element for the panel body with the particular style properties. The wrapper <div> element looks like:


<rich:panel> ... </rich:panel>

dr-pnl is a CSS class specified in the framework via skin parameters:


<div class="dr-pnl rich-panel">

     ...

</div>

background-color is defined with generalBackgroundColor
border-color is defined with panelBorderColor

It's possible to change all colors for all panels on all pages by changing these skin parameters.

However, if a <rich:panel> class is specified somewhere on the page, its parameters are also acquired by all panels on this page.

A developer may also change the style properties for a particular panel. The following definition:

Could add some style properties from customClass to one particular panel, as a result we get three styles:


<rich:panel styleClass="customClass" />

RichFaces provides eight predefined skin parameters (skins) at the simplest level of common customization:




<div class="dr_pnl rich-panel customClass"> 

    ...

</div>

5.10.4. Skin Parameters Tables in RichFaces

DEFAULT
plain
emeraldTown
blueSky
wine
japanCherry
ruby
classic
deepMarine

To plug one in, it's necessary to specify a skin name in the org.richfaces.SKIN context-param.

Here is an example of a table with values for one of the main skins, "blueSky" .

Table 5.2. Colors

Parameter name	Default value
headerBackgroundColor	#BED6F8
headerGradientColor	#F2F7FF
headTextColor	#000000
headerWeightFont	bold
generalBackgroundColor	#FFFFFF
generalTextColor	#000000
generalSizeFont	11px
generalFamilyFont	Arial, Verdana, sans-serif
controlTextColor	#000000
controlBackgroundColor	#ffffff
additionalBackgroundColor	#ECF4FE
shadowBackgroundColor	#000000
shadowOpacity	1
panelBorderColor	#BED6F8
subBorderColor	#ffffff
tabBackgroundColor	#C6DEFF
tabDisabledTextColor	#8DB7F3
trimColor	#D6E6FB
tipBackgroundColor	#FAE6B0
tipBorderColor	#E5973E
selectControlColor	#E79A00
generalLinkColor	#0078D0
hoverLinkColor	#0090FF
visitedLinkColor	#0090FF

Table 5.3. Fonts

Parameter name	Default value
headerSizeFont	11px
headerFamilyFont	Arial, Verdana, sans-serif
tabSizeFont	11px
tabFamilyFont	Arial, Verdana, sans-serif
buttonSizeFont	11px
buttonFamilyFont	Arial, Verdana, sans-serif
tableBackgroundColor	#FFFFFF
tableFooterBackgroundColor	#cccccc
tableSubfooterBackgroundColor	#f1f1f1
tableBorderColor	#C0C0C0

Skin "plain" was added from 3.0.2 version. It doesn't have any parameters. It's necessary for embedding RichFaces components into existing projecst which have its own styles.

To get detailed information on particular parameter possibilities, see the chapter where each component has skin parameters described corresponding to its elements.

5.10.5. Creating and Using Your Own Skin File

In order to create your own skin file, do the following:

Create a file and define in it skin constants which are used by style classes (see section "Skin Parameters Tables in RichFaces" ). The name of skin file should correspond to the following format: <name>.skin.properties . As an example of such file you can see RichFaces predefined skin parameters (skins): blueSky, classic, deepMarine, etc. These files are located in the richfaces-impl-xxxxx.jar inside the /META-INF/skins folder.

Add a skin definition <contex-param> to the web.xml of your application. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

<context-param>

     <param-name>org.richfaces.SKIN</param-name>

     <param-value>name</param-value>

</context-param>

...

Put your <name>.skin.properties file in one of the following classpath elements: META-INF/skins/ or classpath folder (e.g. WEB-INF/classes).

5.10.6. Built-in Skinnability in RichFaces

RichFaces gives an opportunity to incorporate skinnability into UI design. With this framework you can easily use named skin parameters in properties files to control the appearance of the skins that are applied consistently to a whole set of components. You can look at examples of predefined skins at:

http://livedemo.exadel.com/richfaces-demo/

You may simply control the look-and-feel of your application by using the skinnability service of the RichFaces framework. With the means of this service you can define the same style for rendering standard JSF components and custom JSF components built with the help of RichFaces.

To find out more on skinnability possibilities, follow these steps:

Create a custom render kit and register it in the faces-config.xml like this:


<render-kit>

     <render-kit-id>NEW_SKIN</render-kit-id>

     <render-kit-class>org.ajax4jsf.framework.renderer.ChameleonRenderKitImpl</render-kit-class>

</render-kit>

Then you need to create and register custom renderers for the component based on the look-and-feel predefined variables:


<renderer>

    <component-family>javax.faces.Command</component-family>

    <renderer-type>javax.faces.Link</renderer-type>

    <renderer-class>newskin.HtmlCommandLinkRenderer</renderer-class>

</renderer>

Finally, you need to place a properties file with skin parameters into the class path root. There are two requirements for the properties file:
- The file must be named <skinName>.skin.properties , in this case, it would be called newskin.skin.properties .
- The first line in this file should be render.kit=<render-kit-id> in this case, it would be called render.kit=NEW_SKIN .

Extra information on custom renderers creation can be found at:

http://java.sun.com/javaee/javaserverfaces/reference/docs/index.html

5.10.7. Changing skin in runtime

It's possible to change skins in runtime. In order to do that, define the EL-expression in the web.xml. For example:


<context-param>

    <param-name>org.richfaces.SKIN</param-name>

    <param-value>#{skinBean.skin}</param-value>

</context-param>

The skinBean code looks as follows:

public class SkinBean {


    private String skin;


    public String getSkin() {

        return skin;

    }

    public void setSkin(String skin) {

        this.skin = skin;

    }

}

Further, it is necessary to set the skin property to the initial value in the configuration file. For example, "classic":


<managed-bean>

    <managed-bean-name>skinBean</managed-bean-name>

    <managed-bean-class>SkinBean</managed-bean-class>

    <managed-bean-scope>session</managed-bean-scope>

    <managed-property>

        <property-name>skin</property-name>

        <value>classic</value>

    </managed-property>

</managed-bean>

You can also change the default skin, for instance, change the default color. To do this, edit the file properties of the skin. Here is an example of the code for page:


<h:form>

     <div style="display: block; float: left">

          <h:selectOneRadio value="#{skinBean.skin}" border="0" layout="pageDirection" title="Changing skin" style="font-size: 8; font-family: comic" onchange="submit()">

                <f:selectItem itemLabel="plain" itemValue="plain" />

        <f:selectItem itemLabel="emeraldTown" itemValue="emeraldTown" />

        <f:selectItem itemLabel="blueSky" itemValue="blueSky" />

        <f:selectItem itemLabel="wine" itemValue="wine" />

        <f:selectItem itemLabel="japanCherry" itemValue="japanCherry" />

        <f:selectItem itemLabel="ruby" itemValue="ruby" />

        <f:selectItem itemLabel="classic" itemValue="classic" />

        <f:selectItem itemLabel="laguna" itemValue="laguna" />

        <f:selectItem itemLabel="deepMarine" itemValue="deepMarine" />

        <f:selectItem itemLabel="blueSky Modified" itemValue="blueSkyModify" />

          </h:selectOneRadio>

     </div>

     <div style="display: block; float: left">

          <rich:panelBar height="100" width="200">

               <rich:panelBarItem label="Item 1" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 12;">

         Changing skin in runtime

    </rich:panelBarItem>

    

    <rich:panelBarItem label="Item 2" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 12;">

         This is a result of the modification "blueSky" skin

    </rich:panelBarItem>

          </rich:panelBar>

     </div>

</h:form>

This is result:

Figure 5.5. Changing skin in runtime

5.10.8. Standard Controls Skinning

The feature is designed to unify the look and feel of standard HTML element and RichFaces components. Skinning can be applied to all controls on a page basing on elements' name and attribute type (where applicable). Also this feature provides a set of CSS styles so that skinning can be applied assigning rich-* classes to particular elements or to container of elements that nests controls.

Standard controls skinning feature provides 2 levels of skinning: Standard and Extended. The level is based on detecting the browser type. If browser type is not identified, Advanced level is used. However, if you want to explicitly specify the level of skinning you want to be applied, you need to add a context parameter to your web.xml with org.richfaces.CONTROL_SKINNING_LEVEL as the parameter name and value set to either basic or extended.

Standard level provides customization for only basic style properties.
To the following browsers Standard level of skinning is applied:
Extended level extends basic level introducing broader number of style properties and is applied to browsers with rich visual styling capability of controls
The following browsers support Extended level of skinning:
- Mozilla Firefox
- Internet Explorer 7 in Standards-compliant mode (CSS1Compat mode)

These are the elements that affected by skinning:

input
select
textarea
keygen
isindex
legend
fieldset
hr
a (together with a:hover, a:visited "pseudo"-elements)

Skinning for standard HTML controls can be initialized in two ways:

by adding org.richfaces.CONTROL_SKINNING parameter to web.xml. Values: "enable" and "disable". This way implies that skinning style properties are applied to elements by element name and attribute type (where applicable). No additional steps required. Please find below the table that contains the list of elements to which skinning is applicable.
by adding org.richfaces.CONTROL_SKINNING_CLASSES parameter to web.xml file. Possible values "enable" and "disable". When this option is enabled you are provided with a set of predefined CSS classes that you can use for skinning your HTML components.

By setting org.richfaces.CONTROL_SKINNING_CLASSES to "enable" you are provided with style classes applicable to:

Basic elements nested inside element having rich-container class, e.g.:
Example:
```
...

.rich-container select {

   //class content

}

...
```
Elements that have class name corresponding to one of the basic elements name/type mapped by the following scheme rich-<elementName>[-<elementType>] . See the example:
Example:
```
...

.rich-select {

  //class content

}



.rich-input-text {

  //class content

}



...
```
Note:
Elements have classes based on "link" and pseudo class name, e.g.: rich-link, rich-link-hover, rich-link-visited

Additionally, the predefined rich CSS classes that we provide can be used not only as classes for basic HTML elements but also as classes for creation of complex elements .

There is a snippet with some of them for example:


...

<u:selector name=".rich-box-bgcolor-header">

     <u:style name="background-color" skin="headerBackgroundColor" />

</u:selector>

<u:selector name=".rich-box-bgcolor-general">

     <u:style name="background-color" skin="generalBackgroundColor" />

</u:selector>

...

//gradient elements

...

<u:selector name=".rich-gradient-menu">

     <u:style name="background-image">

          <f:resource f:key="org.richfaces.renderkit.html.gradientimages.MenuGradientImage"/>

     </u:style>

     <u:style name="background-repeat" value="repeat-x" />

</u:selector>

<u:selector name=".rich-gradient-tab">

     <u:style name="background-image">

          <f:resource f:key="org.richfaces.renderkit.html.gradientimages.TabGradientImage"/>

     </u:style>

     <u:style name="background-repeat" value="repeat-x" />

</u:selector>

...

To get a better idea of standard component skinning we recommend to explore CSS files located in ui/core/src/main/resources/org/richfaces/ folder of RichFaces svn.

5.10.8.1. Standard level

Table 5.4. Html Elements Skin Bindings for input, select, textarea, button, keygen, isindex, legend

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
font-size	generalSizeFont
font-family	generalFamilyFont
color	controlTextColor

Table 5.5. Html Elements Skin Bindings for fieldset

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
border-color	panelBorderColor

Table 5.6. Html Elements Skin Bindings for hr

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
border-color	panelBorderColor

Table 5.7. Html Elements Skin Bindings for a

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
color	generalLinkColor

Table 5.8. Html Elements Skin Bindings for a:hover

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
color	hoverLinkColorgeneralLinkColor

Table 5.9. Html Elements Skin Bindings for a:visited

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
color	visitedLinkColor

Table 5.10. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-input, .rich-select, .rich-textarea, .rich-keygen, .rich-isindex, .rich-link

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
font-size	generalSizeFont
font-family	generalFamilyFont
color	controlTextColor

Table 5.11. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-fieldset

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
border-color	panelBorderColor

Table 5.12. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-hr

CSS Properties	Skin parameters/Value
border-color	panelBorderColor
border-width	1px
border-style	solid

Table 5.13. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-link

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
color	generalLinkColor

Table 5.14. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-link:hover

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
color	hoverLinkColor

Table 5.15. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-link:visited

CSS Properties	Skin parameters
color	visitedLinkColor

Table 5.16. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-field

CSS Properties	Skin parameters/Value
border-width	1px
border-style	inset
border-color	panelBorderColor
background-color	controlBackgroundColor
background-repeat	no-repeat
background-position	1px 1px

Table 5.17. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-field-edit

CSS Properties	Skin parameters/Value
border-width	1px
border-style	inset
border-color	panelBorderColor
background-color	editBackgroundColor

Table 5.18. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-field-error

CSS Properties	Skin parameter/Value
border-width	1px
border-style	inset
border-color	panelBorderColor
background-color	warningBackgroundColor
background-repeat	no-repeat
background-position	center left
padding-left	7px

Table 5.19. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-button, .rich-button-disabled, .rich-button-over

CSS Properties	Skin parameter/Value
border-width	1px
border-style	solid
border-color	panelBorderColor
background-color	trimColor
padding	2px 10px 2px 10px
text-align	center
cursor	pointer
background-repeat	repeat-x
background-position	top left

Table 5.20. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-button-press

CSS Properties	Skin parameter/Value
background-position	bottom left

Table 5.21. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-container fieldset, .rich-fieldset

CSS Properties	Skin parameters/Value
border-color	panelBorderColor
border-width	1px
border-style	solid
padding	10px
padding	10px

Table 5.22. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-legend

CSS Properties	Skin parameter/Value
font-size	generalSizeFont
font-family	generalFamilyFont
color	controlTextColor
font-weight	bold

Table 5.23. Rich Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-form

CSS Properties	Skin parameters/Value
padding	0px
margin	0px

5.10.8.2. Extended level

Table 5.24. Html Elements Skin Bindings for input, select, textarea, button, keygen, isindex

CSS properties	Skin parameters/Value
border-width	1px
border-color	panelBorderColor
color	controlTextColor

Table 5.25. Html Elements Skin Bindings for *|button

CSS properties	Skin parameters
border-color	panelBorderColor
font-size	generalSizeFont
font-family	generalFamilyFont
color	headerTextColor
background-color	headerBackgroundColor
background-image	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.images.ButtonBackgroundImage

Table 5.26. Html Elements Skin Bindings for button[type=button], button[type=reset], button[type=submit], input[type=reset], input[type=submit], input[type=button]

CSS properties	Skin parameters
border-color	panelBorderColor
font-size	generalSizeFont
font-family	generalFamilyFont
color	headerTextColor
background-color	headerBackgroundColor
background-image	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.images.ButtonBackgroundImage

Table 5.27. Html Elements Skin Bindings for *|button[disabled], .rich-container *|button[disabled], .rich-button-disabled

CSS properties	Skin parameters
color	tabDisabledTextColor
border-color	tableFooterBackgroundColor
background-color	tableFooterBackgroundColor
background-image	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.images.ButtonDisabledBackgroundImage

Table 5.28. Html Elements Skin Bindings for .rich-button-disabled, .rich-container button[type="button"][disabled], .rich-button-button-disabled, .rich-container button[type="reset"][disabled], .rich-button-reset-disabled, .rich-container button[type="submit"][disabled], .rich-button-submit-disabled, .rich-container input[type="reset"][disabled], .rich-input-reset-disabled, .rich-container input[type="submit"][disabled], .rich-input-submit-disabled, .rich-container input[type="button"][disabled], .rich-input-button-disabled

CSS properties	Skin parameters
color	tabDisabledTextColor
background-color	tableFooterBackgroundColor
border-color	tableFooterBackgroundColor
background-image	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.images.ButtonDisabledBackgroundImage

Table 5.29. Html Elements Skin Bindings for *button[type="button"][disabled], button[type="reset"][disabled], button[type="submit"][disabled], input[type="reset"][disabled], input[type="submit"][disabled], input[type="button"][disabled]

CSS properties	Skin parameters
color	tabDisabledTextColor
border-color	tableFooterBackgroundColor
background-color	tableFooterBackgroundColor

Table 5.30. Html Elements Skin Bindings for *|textarea

CSS properties	Skin parameters
border-color	panelBorderColor
font-size	generalSizeFont
font-family	generalFamilyFont
color	controlTextColor
background-color	controlBackgroundColor
background-image	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.images.InputBackgroundImage

Table 5.31. Html Elements Skin Bindings for textarea[type=textarea], input[type=text], input[type=password], select

CSS properties	Skin parameters
border-color	panelBorderColor
font-size	generalSizeFont
font-family	generalFamilyFont
color	controlTextColor
background-color	controlBackgroundColor
background-image	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.images.InputBackgroundImage

Table 5.32. Html Elements Skin Bindings for *|textarea[disabled], .rich-container *|textarea[disabled]

CSS properties	Skin parameters
color	tableBorderColor

Table 5.33. textarea[type="textarea"][disabled], input[type="text"][disabled], input[type="password"][disabled]

CSS properties	Skin parameters
color	tableBorderColor

Table 5.34. textarea[type="textarea"][disabled], input[type="text"][disabled], input[type="password"][disabled]

CSS properties	Skin parameters
color	tableBorderColor

Note:

Standard skinning level can fail if configuration of ajaxPortlet is as following:


...

<portlet>

   <portlet-name>ajaxPortlet</portlet-name>

   <header-content>

      <script src="/faces/rfRes/org/ajax4jsf/framework.pack.js" type="text/javascript" />

      <script src="/faces/rfRes/org/richfaces/ui.pack.js" type="text/javascript" />

      <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/faces/rfRes/org/richfaces/skin.xcss" />

   </header-content>

</portlet>

...

5.10.9. Client-side Script for Extended Skinning Support

As it was mentioned earlier in the guide, extended skinning of standard HTML controls is applied automatically: the browser type is detected and if a browser doesn't fully support extended skinning feature, only basic skinning is applied.

However, if you don't want the RichFaces components and standard HTML controls to be skinned automatically and perform the skinnability implementation yourself, you might encounter with a problem, namely standard HTML controls in such browsers as Opera and Safari will be affected by standard controls skinning. ( In this section you can get more details on how to disable skinnability.)

In brief, to disable the skinnability mechanism of RichFaces you need to set the "org.richfaces.LoadStyleStrategy" parameter to "NONE" in the web.xml file.


...

<context-param>

    <param-name>org.richfaces.LoadStyleStrategy</param-name>

    <param-value>NONE</param-value>

</context-param>

...

Additionally, you should include the style sheets that perform skinning of the RichFaces component and standard HTML controls.

In order to resolve the problem with extended skinning in Opera and Safari a client script (skinning.js) is added to the RichFaces library. The script detects the browser type and enables extended skinning only for those browsers that fully support it.

The script can be activated by inserting this JavaScript code to the page:


<script type="text/javascript">

    window.RICH_FACES_EXTENDED_SKINNING_ON = true;

</script>

When NO script loading strategy is used and extended skinning is turned on then corresponding warning message will appears in the console.

You also need to specify "media" attribute in the <link> tag which includes the "extended_both.xcss" style sheet with "rich-extended-skinning".

This is how you can include the style sheets to the page, in case automatic skinnability implementation is disabled.


<link href='/YOUR_PROJECT_NAME/a4j_3_2_2-SNAPSHOTorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/css/basic_both.xcss/DATB/eAF7sqpgb-jyGdIAFrMEaw__.jsf' type='text/css' rel='stylesheet' class='component' />

<link media='rich-extended-skinning' href='/ YOUR_PROJECT_NAME /a4j_3_2_2-SNAPSHOTorg/richfaces/renderkit/html/css/extended_both.xcss/DATB/eAF7sqpgb-jyGdIAFrMEaw__.jsf' type='text/css' rel='stylesheet' class='component' />

<link href='/ YOUR_PROJECT_NAME /a4j_3_2_2-SNAPSHOT/org/richfaces/skin.xcss/DATB/eAF7sqpgb-jyGdIAFrMEaw__.jsf' type='text/css' rel='stylesheet' class='component' />

Note

Now it's necessary to use a4j/versionXXX resources prefix instead of a4j_versionXXX. Base64 encoder changed to use '!' instead of '.'.

5.10.10. XCSS File Format

XCSS files are the core of RichFaces components skinnability.

XCSS is an XML formatted CSS that adds extra functionality to the skinning process. XCSS extends skinning possibilities by parsing the XCSS file that contains all look-and-feel parameters of a particular component into a standard CSS file that a web browser can recognize.

XCSS file contains CSS properties and skin parameters mappings. Mapping of a CSS selector to a skin parameter is performed using < u:selector > and < u:style> XML tags that form the mapping structure. Please study the example below.


...

<u:selector name=".rich-component-name">

    <u:style name="background-color" skin="additionalBackgroundColor" />

    <u:style name="border-color" skin="tableBorderColor" />

    <u:style name="border-width" skin="tableBorderWidth" />

    <u:style name="border-style" value="solid" />

</u:selector>

...

During processing the code in the shown example is parsed into a standard CSS format.


...

.rich-component-name {

     background-color: additionalBackgroundColor; /*the value of the constant defined by your skin*/

     border-color: tableBorderColor; /*the value of the constant defined by your skin*/

     border-width: tableBorderWidth; /*the value of the constant defined by your skin*/

     border-style: solid;

}

...

The "name" attribute of <u:selector> tag defines the CSS selector, while "name" attribute of the <u:style> tag defines what skin constant is mapped to a CSS property. The "value" attribute of the <u:style> tag can also be used to assign a value to a CSS property.

CSS selectors with identical skinning properties can be set as a comma separated list.


...

<u:selector name=".rich-ordering-control-disabled, .rich-ordering-control-top, .rich-ordering-control-bottom, .rich-ordering-control-up, .rich-ordering-control-down">

    <u:style name="border-color" skin="tableBorderColor" />

</u:selector>

...

5.10.11. Plug-n-Skin

Plug-n-Skin is a feature that gives you an opportunity to easily create, customize and plug into your project a custom skin. The skin can be created basing on parameters of some predefined RichFaces skin.

The feature also provides an option to unify the appearance of rich controls with standard HTML elements.

In order to create your own skin using Plug-n-Skin feature, you can follow these step by step instructions.

First of all, you need to create a template for the new skin. Creation of the template can be performed using Maven build and deployment tool. More information on how to configure Maven for RichFaces you can find out from JBoss wiki article . You can copy and paste these Maven instructions to command line and execute them.


...

mvn archetype:create

-DarchetypeGroupId=org.richfaces.cdk

-DarchetypeArtifactId=maven-archetype-plug-n-skin

-DarchetypeVersion=RF-VERSION

-DartifactId=ARTIFACT-ID

-DgroupId=GROUP-ID

-Dversion=VERSION

...

Primary keys for the command:

archetypeVersion indicates the RichFaces version. For example, "3.3.1.SP1-SNAPSHOT"
artifactId artifact id of the project
groupId group id of the project
version the version of the project you create, by default it is "1.0.-SNAPSHOT"

After this operation, a folder with the name of your "ARTIFACT-ID" appears. The folder contains a template of Maven project.

Next steps will guide you though creating of the skin itself.

In the root folder of Maven project (the one that contains "pom.xml" file) you should run the following command in the command line:


...

mvn cdk:add-skin -Dname=SKIN-NAME -Dpackage=SKIN-PACKAGE

...

Primary keys for the command:

name defines the name of the new skin
package base package of the skin. By default "groupId" of the project is used.

Additional optional keys for the command:

baseSkin defines the name of the base skin.
createExt if set to "true", extended CSS classes are added. For more information, please, see "Standard controls skinning"

As a result of the performed operations the following files and folders are created:

BaseImage.java - the base class to store images. Location: "\src\main\java\SKIN-PACKAGE\SKIN-NAME\images\"
BaseImageTest.java - a test version of a class that stores images. Location: "\src\test\java\SKIN-PACKAGE\SKIN-NAME\images\"
XCSS files - XCSS files define the new look of RichFaces components affected by the new skin. Location: "\src\main\resources\SKIN-PACKAGE\SKIN-NAME\css\"
SKIN-NAME.properties - a file that contains properties of the new skin. Location: "\src\main\resources\SKIN-PACKAGE\SKIN-NAME\css\"
The following properties are used to configure the SKIN-NAME.properties file:
- baseSkin – the name of the base skin to be used as basis. The look of the skin you define will be affected by new style properties.
- generalStyleSheet - a path to the style sheet (SKIN-NAME.xcss) that imports style sheets of the components to be affected by the new skin.
- extendedStyleSheet - a path to a style sheet that is used to unify the appearance of RichFaces components and standard HTML controls. For additional information please read "Standard controls skinning" chapter.
- gradientType - a predefined property to set the type of gradient applied to the new skin. Possible values are glass, plastic, plain. More information on gradient implementation you can find further in this chapter.
SKIN-NAME.xcss - a XCSS file that imports XCSS files of the components to be affected by the new skin. Location: "src\main\resources\META-INF\skins "
XCSS files If the command is executed with the "DcreateExt" key set to "true", the XCSS (extended_classes.xcss and extended.xcss) files that define style for standard controls will be created. Location: "\src\main\resources\SKIN-PACKAGE\SKIN-NAME\css\".
SKIN-NAME-ext.xcss If the command is executed with the "DcreateExt" key set to "true", the configuration SKIN-NAME-ext.xcss file that imports XCSS file defining styles for the standard controls will be created. Location: "src\main\resources\META-INF\skins ".
SKIN-NAME-resources.xml - the file contains the description of all listed above files. Location: "src\main\config\resources ".

Now you can start editing the XCSS files located in "\src\main\resources\SKIN-PACKAGE\SKIN-NAME\css\". New style properties can be assigned to the selectors (the selectors listed in the XCSS files) in two ways, which are both valid, and it'up to you what way to choose.

Standard CSS coding approach, i.e. you can add CSS properties to the given selectors. The only thing, you have to keep in mind is that the selectors must be inside <f:verbatim> <![CDATA[ ...]]> </f:verbatim> tags.
For example
```
...

.rich-calendar-cell {

     background: #537df8;

}

...
```

Using XCSS coding approach, the same way as XCSS files are normally formed in RichFaces. The XCSS tags have to be placed outside <f:verbatim> <![CDATA[ ...]]> </f:verbatim> tags.


...

<u:selector name=".rich-calendar-cell">

     <u:style name="border-bottom-color" skin="panelBorderColor"/>

     <u:style name="border-right-color" skin="panelBorderColor"/>

     <u:style name="background-color" skin="tableBackgroundColor"/>

     <u:style name="font-size" skin="generalSizeFont"/>

     <u:style name="font-family" skin="generalFamilyFont"/>

</u:selector>

...

Having performed described above steps and edited the XCSS files you can proceed to building the new skin and to plugging it into the project. Building the new skin can be done by executing the given below command in the command line in the root folder of you skin project (the one that contains pom.xml file).


...

mvn clean install

...

In addition Plug-n-Skin has a number of predefined gradients that you can also use to make your application look nicer. The given below code snippet shows how a gradient can be used


...

<u:selector name=".rich-combobox-item-selected">

    <u:style name="border-width" value="1px" />

    <u:style name="border-style" value="solid" />

    <u:style name="border-color" skin="newBorder" />

    <u:style name="background-position" value="0% 50%" />

    <u:style name="background-image">

        <f:resource f:key="org.richfaces.renderkit.html.CustomizeableGradient">

            <f:attribute name="valign" value="middle" />

            <f:attribute name="gradientHeight" value="17px" />

            <f:attribute name="baseColor" skin="headerBackgroundColor" />

         </f:resource>

    </u:style>

</u:selector>

...

So, as you can see, the background-image CSS property is defined with <f:resource f:key="org.richfaces.renderkit.html.CustomizeableGradient"> that sets the gradient. While the gradient type can be specified in the SKIN-NAME.properties file with gradientType property. The gradientType property can be set to one of the possible values glass, plastic, plain. The gradient in it's turn can be can be adjusted using baseColor, gradientColor, gradientHeight, valign attributes. Their usage is shown in the snippet above.

Now, you can use your newly-created and customized skin in your project by adding your new skin parameters to web.xml file and placing the jar file with your skin ( the jar file is located in "target" folder of your skin project) to "\WebContent\WEB-INF\lib\".


...

<context-param>

    <param-name>org.ajax4jsf.SKIN</param-name>

    <param-value>SKIN-NAME</param-value>

</context-param>

...

5.10.11.1. Details of Usage

This section will cover some practical aspects of Plug-n-Skin implementation. It's assumed that you have read the section of the guide that tells how the new skin using Plug-n-Skin prototype can be created.

Above all, we need to create a new skin, in order to do that we just have to follow the steps described in the previous section.

This command will be used to create a template of the new skin project.




mvn archetype:create

-DarchetypeGroupId=org.richfaces.cdk

-DarchetypeArtifactId=maven-archetype-plug-n-skin

-DarchetypeVersion=3.3.1.SP1-SNAPSHOT

-DartifactId=P-n-S

-DgroupId=GROUPID

-Dversion=1.0.-SNAPSHOT

Now you can browse the "P-n-S" folder to view what files and folders were created there.

Next, we will use Maven to add all needed files to the skin project. This will done by the following command:


mvn cdk:add-skin -DbaseSkin=blueSky  -DcreateExt=true -Dname=PlugnSkinDemo -Dpackage=SKINPACKAGE

As you remember from the previous section "-DbaseSkin" key defines what RichFaces built-in skin to be used as a base one, "-DcreateExt=true" determines that the new skin will come with XCSS files that unify the look of the rich components with standard HTML controls.

So, now the files and folder with all needed resources are created and redefining/editing the new skin can be started.

Now we can start editing XCSS files of the rich components. In order to see how the Plug-n-Skin feature works we will change some style attributes of <rich:calendar> and some basic HTML controls to see how they are affected by standard controls skinning.

Thus, it will be demonstrated how to:

Recolor the current day's cell background of the <rich:calendar> to see how the new skin created with the help of Plug-n-Skin feature affects the style of the component;
Recolor a standard HTML submit button;

In oder to edit the style properties of <rich:calendar> you need to open the "calendar.xcss" file located in "P-n-S\src\main\resources\skinpackage\plugnskindemo\css\". Once, you have opened the file, please find ".rich-calendar-today" selector and amend it as follows: background-color: #075ad1;. The current day's background color can be considered recolored.

Now we will see how font style of a standard HTML submit button can be changed. Please, open "extended.xcss" file located in "P-n-S\src\main\resources\skinpackage\plugnskindemo\css\" and put in font-weight: bold; inside the curly braces of these coma separated selectors button[type="button"], button[type="reset"], button[type="submit"], input[type="reset"], input[type="submit"], input[type="button"]. So, the CSS code should look like this.




button[type=&quot;button&quot;], button[type=&quot;reset&quot;], button[type=&quot;submit&quot;], input[type=&quot;reset&quot;], input[type=&quot;submit&quot;], input[type=&quot;button&quot;] {

    font-weight: bold;

}

All the changes that were planned to be preformed are done and now you can proceed to building the new PlugnSkinDemo skin and import it into the project. As you read in the previous section, the skin should be built in the "P-n-S" folder of the skin project by executing mvn clean install command. This procedure results in creating a "target" folder that contains a .jar file with a compiled new skin, it our case the file is named "P-n-S-1.0.-SNAPSHOT.jar". The next step is to import the new PlugnSkinDemo skin into the project.

What you need to do, in order to have the new skin imported to the project is to

Copy the "P-n-S-1.0.-SNAPSHOT.jar" file to the "\WebContent\WEB-INF\lib\" folder.

Add the new skin's name to the "web.xml" file. It is done like this


 <context-param>

    <param-name>org.ajax4jsf.SKIN</param-name>

    <param-value>PlugnSkinDemo</param-value>

</context-param>

Please, do not forget that standard controls skinning has to be enabled in the "web.xml" file, which can be done by adding the following code to the "web.xml" file:


<context-param>

    <param-name>org.richfaces.CONTROL_SKINNING</param-name>

    <param-value>enable</param-value>

</context-param>

The result of both operations is displayed on the figure below.

Figure 5.6. Plug-n-Skin feature in action.

5.11. State Manager API

JSF has an advanced navigation mechanism that allows you to define navigation from view to view. Navigation happens in a Web Application when a user tries to switch from one page to another page either by clicking a button, a hyperlink, or another command component. But there is no switch mechanism between some logical states of the same view. For example in Login/Register dialog an existing user signs in with his user name and password, but if a new user registers an additional field "Confirm" is displayed, buttons labels and methods are changed when the user clicks "To register" link:

Figure 5.7. Login Dialog

Figure 5.8. Register Dialog

RichFaces State API allows easily to define some set of states for the pages and any properties for this states.

Actually States is a map where the entry key is a name of the State and the value is a State map. Particular State map has entries with some names as keys and any objects as values that are used after the state activation. Thus, in the State map you could define any values, method bindings, or just some simple state variables (constants) which have different values for every State.

Figure 5.9. RichFaces State API

One of the most convenience features of the RichFaces State API is a navigation between states. The RichFaces State API implements states change as the standard JSF navigation. Action component just returns outcome and the RichFaces State API extension for the JSF navigation handler checks whether this outcome is registered as a state change outcome or not. If the state change outcome is found the corresponding state is activated. Otherwise the standard navigation handling is called.

In order to use RichFaces State API you should follow the next steps:


...

<application>

    <navigation-handler>org.richfaces.ui.application.StateNavigationHandler</navigation-handler>

    <el-resolver>org.richfaces.el.StateELResolver</el-resolver>

</application>

...


...

<factory>

    <application-factory>org.richfaces.ui.application.StateApplicationFactory</application-factory>

</factory>

...


...

<managed-bean>

    <managed-bean-name>state</managed-bean-name>

    <managed-bean-class>org.richfaces.ui.model.States</managed-bean-class>

    <managed-bean-scope>request</managed-bean-scope>

    <managed-property>

        <property-name>states</property-name>

        <property-class>org.richfaces.ui.model.States</property-class>

        <value>#{config.states}</value>

    </managed-property>

</managed-bean>

<managed-bean>

    <managed-bean-name>config</managed-bean-name>

    <managed-bean-class>org.richfaces.demo.stateApi.Config</managed-bean-class>

    <managed-bean-scope>none</managed-bean-scope>

</managed-bean>

...

One bean ("config") defines and stores states as it is shown in the following example:

...

public class Config {


    /**

     * @return States

     */

    public States getStates() {

        FacesContext facesContext = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance();

        States states = new States();


        // Registering new User State definition

        states.setCurrentState("register"); // Name of the new state


        // Text labels, properties and Labels for controls in "register" state

        states.put("showConfirm", Boolean.TRUE); // confirm field rendering

        states.put("link", "(To login)"); // Switch State link label

        states.put("okBtn", "Register"); // Login/Register button label

        states.put("stateTitle", "Register New User"); // Panel title


        ExpressionFactory expressionFactory = facesContext.getApplication()

                .getExpressionFactory();


        // Define "registerbean" available under "bean" EL binding on the page

        ValueExpression beanExpression = expressionFactory

                .createValueExpression(facesContext.getELContext(),

                        "#{registerbean}", Bean.class);

        states.put("bean", beanExpression);


        // Define "registeraction" available under "action" EL binding on the

        // page

        beanExpression = expressionFactory.createValueExpression(facesContext

                .getELContext(), "#{registeraction}", RegisterAction.class);

        states.put("action", beanExpression);


        // Define method expression inside registeraction binding for this state

        MethodExpression methodExpression = expressionFactory.createMethodExpression(

                facesContext.getELContext(), "#{registeraction.ok}",

                String.class, new Class[] {});

        states.put("ok", methodExpression);


        // Outcome for switching to login state definition

        states.setNavigation("switch", "login");


        // Login Existent User State analogous definition

        states.setCurrentState("login");

        states.put("showConfirm", Boolean.FALSE);

        states.put("link", "(To register)");

        states.put("okBtn", "Login");

        states.put("stateTitle", "Login Existing User");


        beanExpression = expressionFactory.createValueExpression(facesContext

                .getELContext(), "#{loginbean}", Bean.class);

        states.put("bean", beanExpression);


        beanExpression = expressionFactory.createValueExpression(facesContext

                .getELContext(), "#{loginaction}", LoginAction.class);

        states.put("action", beanExpression);


        methodExpression = expressionFactory.createMethodExpression(

                facesContext.getELContext(), "#{loginaction.ok}",

                String.class, new Class[] {});

        states.put("ok", methodExpression);


        states.setNavigation("switch", "register");


        return states;

    }

}

...

The other bean ("state") with the type org.richfaces.ui.model.States has the "states" managed property that is bound to the "config" bean which defines states.

Use state bindings on the page. See the following example:


...

<h:panelGrid columns="3">

    <h:outputText value="username" />

    <h:inputText value="#{state.bean.name}" id="name" required="true" />

    <h:outputText value="password" />

    <h:inputSecret value="#{state.bean.password}" id="password" required="true" />

    <h:outputText value="confirm" rendered="#{state.showConfirm}" />

    <h:inputSecret value="#{state.bean.confirmPassword}" rendered="#{state.showConfirm}" id="confirm" required="true" />

</h:panelGrid>

<a4j:commandButton actionListener="#{state.action.listener}" action="#{state.ok}" value="#{state.okBtn}" id="action"/>

...

To get full Login/Register dialog example, please, have a look at RichFaces Live Demo.

5.12. Identifying User Roles

RichFaces provides a function to check whether the logged-in user belongs to a certain user role. The function is rich:isUserInRole(Object), it takes a String, a comma-separated list String, Collection etc. as arguments and returns a boolean value.

For example, you need to render some controls only for administrators. To do this you need to create a role "admin" in web.xml and implement authorisation that assigns the "admin" role to the user that loggged-in as an administrator. Afterwards, you can use the rich:isUserInRole(Object) function with the "rendered" attribute of any component.

In the example above only a logged-in user with the role "admin" can see the text editor while for the user with other roles the component will not be rendered.


...

<rich:editor value="#{bean.text}"  rendered="#{rich:isUserInRole('admin')}" />

...

Chapter 6. The RichFaces Components

+-6.1. < a4j:ajaxListener >

6.1.1. Description
6.1.2. Creating on a page
6.1.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.1.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.1.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.2. < a4j:keepAlive >

6.2.1. Description
6.2.2. Using the tag on a Page
6.2.3. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.2.4. Relevant resources links

+-6.3. < a4j:commandLink >

6.3.1. Description
6.3.2. Creating on a page
6.3.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.3.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.3.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.4. < a4j:mediaOutput >

6.4.1. Description
6.4.2. Creating on a page
6.4.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.4.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.4.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.5. < a4j:status >

6.5.1. Description
6.5.2. Creating on a page
6.5.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.5.4. Facets
6.5.5. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.5.6. Relevant resources links

+-6.6. < a4j:loadScript >

6.6.1. Description
6.6.2. Creating on a page
6.6.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.6.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.6.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.7. < a4j:poll >

6.7.1. Description
6.7.2. Creating on a page
6.7.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.7.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.7.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.8. < a4j:actionparam >

6.8.1. Description
6.8.2. Creating on a page
6.8.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.8.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.8.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.9. < a4j:outputPanel >

6.9.1. Description
6.9.2. Creating on a page
6.9.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.9.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.9.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.10. < a4j:queue >

6.10.1. Description
6.10.2. Creating on a page
6.10.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.10.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.10.5. JavaScript API
6.10.6. Relevant resources links

+-6.11. < a4j:log >

6.11.1. Description
6.11.2. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.11.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.11.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.11.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.12. < a4j:loadStyle >

6.12.1. Description
6.12.2. Creating on a page
6.12.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.12.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.12.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.13. < a4j:loadBundle >

6.13.1. Description
6.13.2. Creating on a page
6.13.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.13.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.13.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.14. < a4j:page >

6.14.1. Description
6.14.2. Creating on a page
6.14.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.14.4. Facets
6.14.5. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.14.6. Relevant resources links

+-6.15. < a4j:form >

6.15.1. Description
6.15.2. Creating on a page
6.15.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.15.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.15.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.16. < a4j:htmlCommandLink >

6.16.1. Description
6.16.2. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.16.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.16.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.16.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.17. < a4j:support >

6.17.1. Description
6.17.2. Creating on a page
6.17.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.17.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.17.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.18. < a4j:region >

6.18.1. Description
6.18.2. Creating on a page
6.18.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.18.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.18.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.19. < a4j:push >

6.19.1. Description
6.19.2. Creating on a page
6.19.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.19.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.19.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.20. < a4j:repeat >

6.20.1. Description
6.20.2. Creating on a page
6.20.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.20.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.20.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.21. < a4j:commandButton >

6.21.1. Description
6.21.2. Creating on a page
6.21.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.21.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.21.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.22. < a4j:include >

6.22.1. Description
6.22.2. Creating on a page
6.22.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.22.4. Relevant resources links

+-6.23. < a4j:jsFunction >

6.23.1. Description
6.23.2. Creating on a page
6.23.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.23.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.23.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.24. < a4j:portlet >

6.24.1. Description
6.24.2. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.24.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.24.4. Key attributes and ways of usage
6.24.5. Relevant resources links

+-6.25. < rich:ajaxValidator >

6.25.1. Description
6.25.2. Key Features
6.25.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.25.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.25.5. Details of Usage
6.25.6. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.26. < rich:graphValidator >

6.26.1. Description
6.26.2. Key Features
6.26.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.26.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.26.5. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.27. < rich:beanValidator >

6.27.1. Description
6.27.2. Key Features
6.27.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.27.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.27.5. Details of Usage
6.27.6. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.28. < rich:calendar >

6.28.1. Description
6.28.2. Key Features
6.28.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.28.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.28.5. Details of Usage
6.28.6. JavaScript API
6.28.7. Facets
6.28.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.28.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.28.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.28.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.29. < rich:colorPicker >

6.29.1. Description
6.29.2. Key Features
6.29.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.29.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.29.5. Details of Usage
6.29.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.29.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.29.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.29.9. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.30. < rich:comboBox >

6.30.1. Description
6.30.2. Key Features
6.30.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.30.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.30.5. Details of Usage
6.30.6. JavaScript API
6.30.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.30.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.30.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.30.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.31. < rich:componentControl >

6.31.1. Description
6.31.2. Key Features
6.31.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.31.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.31.5. Details of Usage
6.31.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.31.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.32. < rich:contextMenu >

6.32.1. Description
6.32.2. Key Features
6.32.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.32.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.32.5. Details of Usage
6.32.6. JavaScript API
6.32.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.32.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.32.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.32.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.33. < rich:dataFilterSlider >

6.33.1. Description
6.33.2. Key Features
6.33.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.33.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.33.5. Details of Usage
6.33.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.33.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.34. < rich:datascroller >

6.34.1. Description
6.34.2. Key Features
6.34.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.34.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.34.5. Details of Usage
6.34.6. Facets
6.34.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.34.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.34.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.34.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.35. < rich:columns >

6.35.1. Description
6.35.2. Key Features
6.35.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.35.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.35.5. Details of Usage
6.35.6. Facets
6.35.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.35.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.35.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.35.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.36. < rich:subTable >

6.36.1. Description
6.36.2. Key Features
6.36.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.36.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.36.5. Details of Usage
6.36.6. Facets
6.36.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.36.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.36.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

+-6.37. < rich:column >

6.37.1. Description

6.37.2. Key Features

6.37.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

6.37.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

6.37.5. Details of Usage

+-6.37.6. Sorting and Filtering

6.37.6.1. Sorting
6.37.6.2. Filtering

6.37.7. Facets

6.37.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

6.37.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

6.37.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

6.37.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.38. < rich:dataGrid >

6.38.1. Description
6.38.2. Key Features
6.38.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.38.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.38.5. Details of Usage
6.38.6. Facets
6.38.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.38.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.38.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.38.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.39. < rich:dataList >

6.39.1. Description
6.39.2. Key Features
6.39.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.39.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.39.5. Details of Usage
6.39.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.39.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.39.8. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.40. < rich:dataOrderedList >

6.40.1. Description
6.40.2. Key Features
6.40.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.40.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.40.5. Details of Usage
6.40.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.40.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.40.8. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.41. < rich:dataDefinitionList >

6.41.1. Description
6.41.2. Key Features
6.41.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.41.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.41.5. Details of Usage
6.41.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.41.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.41.8. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.42. < rich:columnGroup >

6.42.1. Description
6.42.2. Key Features
6.42.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.42.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.42.5. Details of Usage
6.42.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.42.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.42.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.42.9. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.43. < rich:dataTable >

6.43.1. Description
6.43.2. Key Features
6.43.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.43.4. Creating the Component Dynamically from Java
6.43.5. Details of Usage
6.43.6. Facets
6.43.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.43.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.43.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.43.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.44. < rich:editor >

6.44.1. Description
6.44.2. Key Features
6.44.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.44.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.44.5. Details of Usage
6.44.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.44.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.44.8. Definition of Custom Style Selectors
6.44.9. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.45. < rich:dragIndicator >

6.45.1. Description

6.45.2. Key Features

6.45.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

6.45.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

+-6.45.5. Details of Usage

6.45.5.1. Macro definitions
6.45.5.2. Predefined macro definitions
6.45.5.3. Marker customization

6.45.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

6.45.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.46. < rich:dropSupport >

6.46.1. Description
6.46.2. Key Features
6.46.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.46.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.46.5. Details of Usage
6.46.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.46.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.47. < rich:dndParam >

6.47.1. Description
6.47.2. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.47.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.47.4. Details of Usage
6.47.5. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.47.6. Relevan Resources Links

+-6.48. < rich:dragSupport >

6.48.1. Description
6.48.2. Key Features
6.48.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.48.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.48.5. Details of Usage
6.48.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.48.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.49. < rich:dropListener >

6.49.1. Description
6.49.2. Key Features
6.49.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.49.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.49.5. Details of Usage
6.49.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

+-6.50. < rich:dragListener >

6.50.1. Description
6.50.2. Key Features
6.50.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.50.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.50.5. Details of Usage
6.50.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

+-6.51. < rich:dropDownMenu >

6.51.1. Description
6.51.2. Key Features
6.51.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.51.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.51.5. Details of Usage
6.51.6. Facets
6.51.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.51.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.51.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.51.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.52. < rich:extendedDataTable >

6.52.1. Description
6.52.2. Key Features
6.52.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.52.4. Creating the Component Dynamically from Java
6.52.5. Details of Usage
6.52.6. Facets
6.52.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.52.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.52.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.52.10. Relevant resources links

+-6.53. < rich:menuGroup >

6.53.1. Description
6.53.2. Key Features
6.53.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.53.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.53.5. Details of Usage
6.53.6. Facets
6.53.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.53.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.53.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.53.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.54. < rich:menuItem >

6.54.1. Description
6.54.2. Key Features
6.54.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.54.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.54.5. Details of Usage
6.54.6. Facets
6.54.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.54.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.54.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.54.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.55. < rich:menuSeparator >

6.55.1. Description
6.55.2. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.55.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.55.4. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.55.5. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.55.6. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.55.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.56. < rich:effect >

6.56.1. Description
6.56.2. Key Features
6.56.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.56.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.56.5. Details of Usage
6.56.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.56.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.57. < rich:fileUpload >

6.57.1. Description
6.57.2. Key Features
6.57.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.57.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.57.5. Details of Usage
6.57.6. JavaScript API
6.57.7. Facets
6.57.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.57.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.57.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.57.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.58. < rich:gmap >

6.58.1. Description
6.58.2. Key Features
6.58.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.58.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.58.5. Details of Usage
6.58.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.58.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.58.8. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.59. < rich:virtualEarth >

6.59.1. Description
6.59.2. Key Features
6.59.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.59.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.59.5. Details of Usage
6.59.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.59.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.59.8. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.60. < rich:hotKey >

6.60.1. Description
6.60.2. Key Features
6.60.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.60.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.60.5. Details of Usage
6.60.6. JavaScript API
6.60.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.60.8. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.61. < rich:inplaceInput >

6.61.1. Description
6.61.2. Key Features
6.61.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.61.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.61.5. Details of Usage
6.61.6. JavaScript API
6.61.7. Facets
6.61.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.61.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.61.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.61.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.62. < rich:inplaceSelect >

6.62.1. Description
6.62.2. Key Features
6.62.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.62.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.62.5. Details of Usage
6.62.6. JavaScript API
6.62.7. Facets
6.62.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.62.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.62.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.62.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.63. < rich:inputNumberSlider >

6.63.1. Description
6.63.2. Key Features
6.63.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.63.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.63.5. Details of Usage
6.63.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.63.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.63.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.63.9. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.64. < rich:inputNumberSpinner >

6.64.1. Description
6.64.2. Key Features
6.64.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.64.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.64.5. Details of Usage
6.64.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.64.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.64.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.64.9. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.65. < rich:insert >

6.65.1. Description
6.65.2. Key Features
6.65.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.65.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.65.5. Details of Usage
6.65.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.65.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.66. < rich:jQuery >

6.66.1. Description
6.66.2. Key Features
6.66.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.66.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.66.5. Details of Usage
6.66.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.66.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.67. < rich:layoutPanel >

6.67.1. Description
6.67.2. Key Features
6.67.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.67.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.67.5. Details of Usage
6.67.6. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.68. < rich:layout >

6.68.1. Description
6.68.2. Key Features
6.68.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.68.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.68.5. Details of Usage
6.68.6. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.69. < rich:page >

6.69.1. Description
6.69.2. Key Features
6.69.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.69.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.69.5. Details of Usage
6.69.6. Facets
6.69.7. Skin Parameters for the "simple" theme
6.69.8. Component CSS Selectors
6.69.9. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.70. < rich:listShuttle >

6.70.1. Description
6.70.2. Key Features
6.70.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.70.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.70.5. Details of Usage
6.70.6. JavaScript API
6.70.7. Facets
6.70.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.70.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.70.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.70.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.71. < rich:message >

6.71.1. Description
6.71.2. Key Features
6.71.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.71.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.71.5. Details of Usage
6.71.6. Facets
6.71.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.71.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.71.9. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.72. < rich:messages >

6.72.1. Description
6.72.2. Key Features
6.72.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.72.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.72.5. Details of Usage
6.72.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.72.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.72.8. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.73. < rich:modalPanel >

6.73.1. Description
6.73.2. Key Features
6.73.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.73.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.73.5. Details of Usage
6.73.6. JavaScript API
6.73.7. Facets
6.73.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.73.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.73.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.73.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.74. < rich:orderingList >

6.74.1. Description
6.74.2. Key Features
6.74.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.74.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.74.5. Details of Usage
6.74.6. JavaScript API
6.74.7. Facets
6.74.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.74.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.74.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.74.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.75. < rich:paint2D >

6.75.1. Description
6.75.2. Key Features
6.75.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.75.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.75.5. Details of Usage
6.75.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.75.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.76. < rich:panel >

6.76.1. Description
6.76.2. Key Features
6.76.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.76.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.76.5. Details of Usage
6.76.6. Facets
6.76.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.76.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.76.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.76.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.77. < rich:panelBar >

6.77.1. Description
6.77.2. Key Features
6.77.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.77.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.77.5. Details of Usage
6.77.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.77.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.77.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.77.9. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.78. < rich:panelBarItem >

6.78.1. Description
6.78.2. Key Features
6.78.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.78.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.78.5. Details of Usage
6.78.6. Facets
6.78.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.78.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.78.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

+-6.79. < rich:panelMenu >

6.79.1. Description
6.79.2. Key Features
6.79.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.79.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.79.5. Details of Usage
6.79.6. JavaScript API
6.79.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.79.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.79.9. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.80. < rich:panelMenuGroup >

6.80.1. Description
6.80.2. Key Features
6.80.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.80.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.80.5. Details of Usage
6.80.6. JavaScript API
6.80.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.80.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.80.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.80.10. Relevant resources links

+-6.81. < rich:panelMenuItem >

6.81.1. Description
6.81.2. Key Features
6.81.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.81.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.81.5. Details of Usage
6.81.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.81.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.81.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.81.9. Relevant resources links

+-6.82. < rich:pickList >

6.82.1. Description
6.82.2. Key Features
6.82.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.82.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.82.5. Details of Usage
6.82.6. Facets
6.82.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.82.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.82.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.82.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.83. < rich:progressBar >

6.83.1. Description
6.83.2. Key Features
6.83.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.83.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.83.5. Details of Usage
6.83.6. JavaScript API
6.83.7. Facets
6.83.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.83.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.83.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.83.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.84. < rich:scrollableDataTable >

6.84.1. Description
6.84.2. Key Features
6.84.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.84.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.84.5. Details of Usage
6.84.6. JavaScript API
6.84.7. Facets
6.84.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.84.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.84.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.84.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.85. < rich:separator >

6.85.1. Description
6.85.2. Key Features
6.85.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.85.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.85.5. Details of Usage
6.85.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.85.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.85.8. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.86. < rich:simpleTogglePanel >

6.86.1. Description
6.86.2. Key Features
6.86.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.86.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.86.5. Details of Usage
6.86.6. Facets
6.86.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.86.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.86.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.86.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.87. < rich:spacer >

6.87.1. Description
6.87.2. Key Features
6.87.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.87.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.87.5. Details of Usage
6.87.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.87.7. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.88. < rich:suggestionbox >

6.88.1. Description
6.88.2. Key Features
6.88.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.88.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.88.5. Details of Usage
6.88.6. JavaScript API
6.88.7. Facets
6.88.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.88.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.88.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.88.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.89. < rich:tabPanel >

6.89.1. Description
6.89.2. Key Features
6.89.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.89.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.89.5. Details of Usage
6.89.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.89.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.89.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.89.9. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.90. < rich:tab >

6.90.1. Description
6.90.2. Key Features
6.90.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.90.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.90.5. Details of Usage
6.90.6. Facets
6.90.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.90.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.90.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

+-6.91. < rich:togglePanel >

6.91.1. Description
6.91.2. Key Features
6.91.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.91.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.91.5. Details of Usage
6.91.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.91.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.91.8. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.92. < rich:toggleControl >

6.92.1. Description
6.92.2. Key Features
6.92.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.92.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.92.5. Details of Usage
6.92.6. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.92.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes

+-6.93. < rich:toolBar >

6.93.1. Description
6.93.2. Key Features
6.93.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.93.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.93.5. Details of Usage
6.93.6. Facets
6.93.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.93.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.93.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.93.10. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.94. < rich:toolBarGroup >

6.94.1. Description
6.94.2. Key Features
6.94.3.
6.94.4. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.94.5. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.94.6. Details of Usage
6.94.7. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.94.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.94.9. Relevant resources links

+-6.95. < rich:toolTip >

6.95.1. Description
6.95.2. Key Features
6.95.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.95.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.95.5. Details of Usage
6.95.6. JavaScript API
6.95.7. Facets
6.95.8. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.95.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.95.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.95.11. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.96. < rich:treeNode >

6.96.1. Description
6.96.2. Key Features
6.96.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.96.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.96.5. Details of Usage
6.96.6. Built-in Drag and Drop
6.96.7. Events Handling
6.96.8. Facets
6.96.9. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.96.10. Skin Parameters Redefinition
6.96.11. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.96.12. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.97. < rich:tree >

6.97.1. Description
6.97.2. Key Features
6.97.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.97.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.97.5. Details of Usage
6.97.6. Built-In Drag and Drop
6.97.7. Events handling
6.97.8. Facets
6.97.9. Look-and-Feel Customization
6.97.10. Skin Parameters Redefinition:
6.97.11. Definition of Custom Style Classes
6.97.12. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.98. < rich:changeExpandListener >

6.98.1. Description
6.98.2. Key Features
6.98.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.98.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.98.5. Details of Usage
6.98.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

+-6.99. < rich:nodeSelectListener >

6.99.1. Description
6.99.2. Key Features
6.99.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.99.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.99.5. Details of Usage
6.99.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

+-6.100. < rich:treeNodesAdaptor >

6.100.1. Description
6.100.2. Key Features
6.100.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.100.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.100.5. Details of Usage
6.100.6. Relevant Resources Links

+-6.101. < rich:recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor >

6.101.1. Description
6.101.2. Key Features
6.101.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag
6.101.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java
6.101.5. Details of Usage
6.101.6. Relevant resources links

The library encompasses ready-made components built based on the Rich Faces CDK .

6.1. < a4j:ajaxListener >

6.1.1. Description

The <a4j:ajaxListener> component is the same one as <f:actionListener> or <f:valueChangeListener> , but for an Ajax container.

Table 6.1. a4j : ajaxListener attributes

Attribute Name	Description
type	Fully qualified Java class name of an AjaxListener to be created and registered.

Table 6.2. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
listener-class	org.ajax4jsf.event.AjaxListener
event-class	org.ajax4jsf.event.AjaxEvent
tag-class	org.ajax4jsf.taglib.html.jsp.AjaxListenerTag

6.1.2. Creating on a page

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <a4j:ajaxListener type="demo.Bean"/>

...

6.1.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

Some additional information about usage of component can be found on RichFaces Live Demo page.

package demo;

      

public class ImplBean implements import org.ajax4jsf.event.AjaxListener{

    ...

}

import demo.ImplBean;

...

ImplBean myListener = new ImplBean();

...

6.1.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

Additional to the listeners provided by JSF specification, RichFaces add one more: ajax Listener ( <a4j:ajaxListener> ). Ajax Listener is invoked before the Render Response phase. Instead of <f:actionListener> of <f:valueChangeListener> which are not invoked when Validation of Update Model phases failed, ajax Listener is guarantied to be invoked for each Ajax response. Thus, it is a good place for update the list of re-rendered components, for example. Ajax Listener is not invoked for non-Ajax request and when RichFaces works in "Ajax Request generates Non-Ajax Response" mode. Therefore, ajax Listener invocation is a good indicator that Ajax response is going to be processed. Attribute "type" described in the following chapter. It defines the fully qualified Java class name for listener. This class implements org.ajax4jsf.event.AjaxListener interface. You can access to the source of the event (Ajax component) using java.util.EventObject.getSource() call.

Example:


...

<a4j:commandLink id="cLink" value="Click it To Send Ajax Request">

     <a4j:ajaxListener type="demo.Bean"/>

</a4j:commandLink>

...

Example:

package demo;


import org.ajax4jsf.event.AjaxEvent;


public class Bean implements org.ajax4jsf.event.AjaxListener{

... 

    public void processAjax(AjaxEvent arg){

        //Custom Developer Code 

    }

...

}

6.1.5. Relevant resources links

More information about <f:valueChangeListener> can be found in Sun JSF TLD documentation .

6.2. < a4j:keepAlive >

6.2.1. Description

The <a4j:keepAlive> tag allows to keep a state of a bean between requests.

Table 6.3. a4j : keepAlive attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxOnly	if true, bean value restored in ajax requests only.
beanName	name of bean for EL-expressions.

Table 6.4. Tag identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.KeepAlive
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxKeepAlive
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxKeepAlive

6.2.2. Using the tag on a Page

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:

Note, that to be put into the request scope the pointed bean should be registered inside faces-config.xml file and marked with org.ajax4jsf.model.KeepAlive annotation.


<a4j:keepAlive beanName = "testBean"/>

A bean instance in the request scope could also be saved directly through the declaration of @KeepAlive annotation inside the bean.

6.2.3. Key attributes and ways of usage

If a managed bean is declared with request scope in the configuration file with the help of <managed-bean-scope> tag then the life-time of this bean instance is valid only for the current request. Any attempts to make a reference to the bean instance after the request end will throw in Illegal Argument Exception by the server. To avoid these kinds of Exception, component <a4j:keepAlive> is used to maintain the state of the whole bean object among subsequent request.

The "beanName" attribute defines the request scope bean name you'd like to re-use. Note that this attribute must point to a legal JSF EL expression which resolves to a managed mean instance. For example for the above code the class definition may look like this one:


<a4j:keepAlive beanName = "#{myClass.testBean}"/>

class MyClass{

    ...

    private TestBean testBean;

    // Getters and Setters for testBean.

    ...

}

The "ajaxOnly" attribute declares whether the value of the bean should be available during a non-Ajax request. If the value of this attribute is "true" a request scope bean keeps the same value during Ajax requests from the given page. If a non-Ajax request is sent from this page the bean is re-created as a regular request scope bean.

6.2.4. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:keepAlive> usage and sources for the given example.

Some additional information about usage of component can be found on theAjax4JSF Users Forum.

6.3. < a4j:commandLink >

6.3.1. Description

The <a4j:commandLink> component is very similar to the <h:commandLink> component, the only difference is that an Ajax form submit is generated on a click and it allows dynamic rerendering after a response comes back. It's not necessary to plug any support into the component, as Ajax support is already built in.

Table 6.5. a4j : commandLink attributes

Attribute Name	Description
accesskey	This attribute assigns an access key to an element. An access key is a single character from the document character set. Note: Authors should consider the input method of the expected reader when specifying an accesskey
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
charset	The character encoding of a resource designated by this hyperlink
coords	This attribute specifies the position and shape on the screen. The number and order of values depends on the shape being defined. Possible combinations: * rect: left-x, top-y, right-x, bottom-y. * circle: center-x, center-y, radius. Note. When the radius value is percentage value, user agents should calculate the final radius value based on the associated object's width and height. The radius should be the smaller value of the two. * poly: x1, y1, x2, y2, ..., xN, yN. The first x and y coordinate pair and the last should be the same to close the polygon. When these coordinate values are not the same, user agents should infer an additional coordinate pair to close the polygon. Coordinates are relative to the top, left corner of the object. All values are lengths. All values are separated by commas
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
disabled	If true, disable this component on page.
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
hreflang	Base language of a resource specified with the href attribute; hreflang may only be used with href
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onblur	JavaScript code. The onblur event occurs when an element loses focus either by the pointing device or by tabbing navigation. It may be used with the same elements as onfocus
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onfocus	JavaScript code. The onfocus event occurs when an element gets focus
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rel	The relationship from the current document to the anchor specified by this hyperlink. The value of this attribute is a space-separated list of link types
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rev	A reverse link from the anchor specified by this hyperlink to the current document. The value of this attribute is a space-separated list of link types
shape	This attribute specifies the shape of a region. The possible values are "default", "rect", "circle" and "poly".
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tabindex	This attribute specifies the position of the current element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767. User agents should ignore leading zeros
target	This attribute specifies the name of a frame where a document is to be opened. By assigning a name to a frame via the name attribute, authors can refer to it as the "target" of links defined by other elements
timeout	Timeout ( in ms ) for request.
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
type	The content type of the resource designated by this hyperlink
value	The current value for this component

Table 6.6. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.CommandLink
component-family	javax.faces.Command
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxCommandLink
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxCommandLinkRenderer

6.3.2. Creating on a page

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

   <a4j:commandLink reRender="someData" action="#{bean.action1}" value="Link"/>

...

6.3.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <a4j:commandLink> component is used in the same way as the <h:commandLink> component, but with definition of the area that is updated after the response comes back from the server.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxCommandLink;

...

HtmlAjaxCommandLink myLink = new HtmlAjaxCommandLink();

...

6.3.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

This definition of the component provides a link, and a click on the link causes an Ajax form submit on the server, "action1" method performance, and rendering of the component with "someData" id after the response comes back from the server.

Tip:

The example in the "Creation on a page" section generates the following HTML code:


...

<a href="#" onclick="A4J.AJAX.Submit(?"request parameters"); return false;">

      <span>Link</span>

</a>

...

If you click on the generated anchor the utility method A4J.AJAX.Submit() is fired. The method performs an Ajax request as the Ajax support is built-in. It's not necessary to add nested <a4j:support /> to the <a4j:commandLink /> component.

Common JSF navigation could be performed after Ajax submit and partial rendering, but Navigation Case must be defined as <redirect/> in order to avoid problems with some browsers.

As any Core Ajax component sending Ajax requests and processing server responses <a4j:commandLink> has all attributes described above (see <a4j:support> chapter) that provide the required behavior of requests sending (delay, limitation of submit area and rendering, etc.)

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find " Decide what to process " guide section.

6.3.5. Relevant resources links

Vizit CommandLink demo page at RichFaces live demo for examples of component usage and their sources.

Useful articles:

How to use "window.confirm" JavaScript with <a4j:commandLink> "onclick" attribute in RichFaces cookbook at JBoss portal.

6.4. < a4j:mediaOutput >

6.4.1. Description

The <a4j:mediaOutput> component implements one of the basic features specified in the framework. The component is a facility for generating images, video, sounds and other binary resources defined by you on-the-fly.

Table 6.7. a4j : mediaOutput attributes

Attribute Name	Description
accesskey	This attribute assigns an access key to an element. An access key is a single character from the document character set. Note: Authors should consider the input method of the expected reader when specifying an accesskey
align	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the position of an IMG, OBJECT, or APPLET with respect to its context. The possible values are "bottom", "middle", "top", "left" and "right". The default value is "middle".
archive	space-separated list of URIs
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
border	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the width of an IMG or OBJECT border, in pixels. The default value for this attribute depends on the user agent
cacheable	If "true", the resource is cached (on the server and the client sides).
charset	The character encoding of a resource designated by this hyperlink
classid	identifies an implementation
codebase	base URI for classid, data, archive
codetype	content type for code
converter	ID of a converter to be used or a reference to a converter.
coords	This attribute specifies the position and shape on the screen. The number and order of values depends on the shape being defined. Possible combinations: * rect: left-x, top-y, right-x, bottom-y. * circle: center-x, center-y, radius. Note. When the radius value is percentage value, user agents should calculate the final radius value based on the associated object's width and height. The radius should be the smaller value of the two. * poly: x1, y1, x2, y2, ..., xN, yN. The first x and y coordinate pair and the last should be the same to close the polygon. When these coordinate values are not the same, user agents should infer an additional coordinate pair to close the polygon. Coordinates are relative to the top, left corner of the object. All values are lengths. All values are separated by commas
createContent	Method call expression to send generated resource to OutputStream. It must have two parameter with a type of java.io.OutputStream and java.lang.Object ( deserialized value of data attribute )
createContentExpression	Method call expression to send generated resource to OutputStream. It must have two parameter with a type of java.io.OutputStream and java.lang.Object ( deserialized value of data attribute )
declare	declare but don't instantiate flag
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
element	Name of html element for resource link - may be <a> <img> <object> <applet> <script> or <link>
expires	The attribute allows to manage caching and defines the period after which a resource is reloaded.
hreflang	Base language of a resource specified with the href attribute; hreflang may only be used with href
hspace	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the amount of white space to be inserted to the left and right of an IMG, APPLET, or OBJECT. The default value is not specified, but is generally a small, non-zero length
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ismap	use server-side image map
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
lastModified	The attribute allows to manage caching. A browser can send request with the header "If-Modified-Since" for necessity of object reloading. If time of modification is earlier, then the framework doesn't call generation and return code 304.
mimeType	Geterated content mime-type for append to response header ( 'image/jpeg' etc )
onblur	JavaScript code. The onblur event occurs when an element loses focus either by the pointing device or by tabbing navigation. It may be used with the same elements as onfocus
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onfocus	JavaScript code. The onfocus event occurs when an element gets focus
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rel	The relationship from the current document to the anchor specified by this hyperlink. The value of this attribute is a space-separated list of link types
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
rev	A reverse link from the anchor specified by this hyperlink to the current document. The value of this attribute is a space-separated list of link types
session	If "true", a session for an object generation is restored.
shape	This attribute specifies the shape of a region. The possible values are "default", "rect", "circle" and "poly".
standby	message to show while loading
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tabindex	This attribute specifies the position of the current element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767. User agents should ignore leading zeros
target	This attribute specifies the name of a frame where a document is to be opened. By assigning a name to a frame via the name attribute, authors can refer to it as the "target" of links defined by other elements
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
type	The content type of the resource designated by this hyperlink
uriAttribute	Name of attribute for resource-link attribute ( 'href' for <a>, 'src' for <img> or <script>, etc)
usemap	use client-side image map
value	Data value calculated at render time and stored in URI (also as part of cache Key ), at generation time passed to send method. Can be used for update cache at change of generating conditions, and for creating beans as "Lightweight" pattern components (request scope). IMPORTANT: Since serialized data stored in URI, avoid using big objects.
vspace	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the amount of white space to be inserted above and below an IMG, APPLET, or OBJECT. The default value is not specified, but is generally a small, non-zero length

Table 6.8. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.MediaOutput
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.Resource
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.MediaOutput
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.MediaOutputRenderer

6.4.2. Creating on a page

Component definition on a page for graphical data output


...

<a4j:mediaOutput element="img" cacheable="false" session="true"

    createContent="#{paintBean.paint}" value="#{paintData}"

    mimeType="image/jpeg"/>

...

6.4.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

To use the component it's necessary to define it on a page and set Java methods for data keeping and data transmission to output stream.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.MediaOutput;

...

MediaOutput myMedia = new MediaOutput ();

...

6.4.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

Here is the content of paintData that is a bean containing output data

The Paint method of the paintBean class is a method transmitting graphical data into output stream.

package demo;


public class PaintData implements Serializable{

        private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

        Integer width=100;

        Integer weight=50;

...

As it was shown in the example above there are two main components:

public void paint(OutputStream out, Object data) throws IOException{

    <!--...Some code that puts binary data to "out" Stream-->

        }

"createContent" specifies a method accepting 2 parameters. The first (of java.io.OutputStream type) defines a stream, where any binary data is output. The second (of java.lang.Object type) contains deserialized object with data specified in the "value" attribute.
Value specifies a bean class keeping data for transmitting into a method that transmits it into a stream.

Note:

A bean class transmitted into value should implement Serializable interface.

Hence, when using the component it's possible to output your data of any type on a page with Ajax requests.

6.4.5. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:mediaOutput > usage and sources for the given example.

6.5. < a4j:status >

6.5.1. Description

The <a4j:status> component generates elements for displaying of the current Ajax requests status. There are two status modes: Ajax request is in process or finished.

Table 6.9. a4j : status attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
for	ID of the AjaxContainer component whose status is indicated (in the format of a javax.faces.UIComopnent.findComponent() call).
forceId	If true, render the ID of the component in HTML code without JSF modifications.
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
layout	Define visual layout of panel, can be "block" or "inline".
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onstart	JavaScript code, called on the start of a request.
onstop	JavaScript code, called on the stop of a request.
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
startStyle	CSS style class for the element displayed on the start of a request.
startStyleClass	CSS style class for the element displayed on the start of a request.
startText	Text for display on starting request.
stopStyle	CSS style for element displayed on request completion.
stopStyleClass	CSS style class for element displayed on request
stopText	Text for display on request complete.
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component

Table 6.10. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Status
component-family	javax.faces.Panel
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxStatus
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxStatusRenderer

6.5.2. Creating on a page

There are two ways to define elements indicating a request status :

With "StartText"/"StopText" atributes:
```
<a4j:status startText="Progress" stopText="Done" for="stat1">
```
In this case, text elements for the corresponding status are generated.

With "Start" / "Stop" facets definition:


<a4j:status for="stat2">

      <f:facet name="start">

                <h:graphicImage value="ajax_process.png" />

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="stop">

              <h:graphicImage value="ajax_stoped.png" />

        </f:facet>

</a4j:status>

In this case, the elements are generated for each status and correspond the facets content.

6.5.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

There are two ways for the components or containers definition, which Ajax requests status is tracked by a component.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxStatus;

...

HtmlAjaxStatus  myStatus = new HtmlAjaxStatus();

...

6.5.4. Facets

Table 6.11. Facets

Facet name	Description
start	Redefines the content for display on starting request
stop	Redefines the content for display on request complete

6.5.5. Key attributes and ways of usage

Definition with the "for" attribute on the <a4j:status> component. Here "for" attribute should point at an Ajax container ( <a4j:region> ) id, which requests are tracked by a component.

Definition with the "status" attribute obtained by any RichFaces library action component. The attribute should point at the <a4j:status> component id. Then this <a4j:status> component shows the status for the request fired from this action component.

The component creates two <span> or <div> elements depending on attribute "layout" with content defined for each status, one of the elements (start) is initially hidden. At the beginning of an Ajax request, elements state is inversed, hence the second element is shown and the first is hidden. At the end of a response processing, elements display states return to its initial values.

The code shown in the example above is decoded on a page as:


<a4j:status startText="Started" stopText="stopped" />


<span id="j_id20:status.start" style="display: none">

      Started

</span>

<span id="j_id20:status.stop">

        Stopped

</span>

and after the generation of an Ajax response is changed to:


<span id="j_id20:status.start">

        Started

</span>

<span id="j_id20:status.stop" style="display: none">

        Stopped

</span>

There is a possibility to group a <a4j:status> elements content into <div> elements, instead of <span> . To use it, just redefine the "layout" attribute from "inline" (default) to "block".

6.5.6. Relevant resources links

Here you can find information on how to show a "Please Wait" box and block the input while the Ajax request is processed using combination of <a4j:status> and <rich:modalPanel> components .

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <a4j:status> usage and sources for the given example.

6.6. < a4j:loadScript >

6.6.1. Description

Inserts script links to the head element. Render the value of the component, after passing it to the getResourceURL() method of the ViewHandler for this application, and passing the result through the encodeResourceURL() method of the ExternalContext.

Table 6.12. a4j : loadScript attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
src	name of JavaScript resource to load.

Table 6.13. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.LoadScript
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.LoadScript
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlLoadScript
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.LoadScriptRenderer

6.6.2. Creating on a page

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


<a4j:loadScript src="scripts/someScript.js"/>

6.6.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <a4j:poll> component allows periodical sending of Ajax requests to a server and is used for a page updating according to a specified time interval.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlLoadScript;

...

HtmlLoadScript myScript = new HtmlLoadScript();

...

6.6.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

As it was mentioned above this component returns its value as the value of the "src" attribute passing it to the getResourceURL() method of the ViewHandler for this application, and passing the result through the encodeResourceURL() method of the ExternalContext.

It means that the Context is inserts automatically to the link. And calls like resource:// is properly handled.

Except this - you may be free to put your script links right from the child page while using facelets templates.

6.6.5. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:loadScript> usage and sources for the given example.

6.7. < a4j:poll >

6.7.1. Description

Table 6.14. a4j : poll attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
enabled	Enables/disables polling. Default value is "true".
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
interval	Interval (in ms) for call poll requests. Default value is "1000"ms (1 second).
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
onsubmit	JavaScript code for call before submission of ajax event
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
timeout	Timeout (in ms) for request

Table 6.15. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Poll
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxPoll
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.AjaxPoll
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxPollRenderer

6.7.2. Creating on a page

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


<a4j:poll interval="500" reRender="grid"/>

6.7.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <a4j:poll> componet is used for periodical polling of server data. In order to use the component it's necessary to set an update interval. The "interval" attribute defines an interval in milliseconds between the previous response and the next request. The total period beetween two requests generated by the <a4j:poll> component is a sum of an "interval" attribute value and server response time. Default value for "interval" attribute is set to "1000" milliseconds (1 second). See an example of definition in the "Creating on a page" section.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.AjaxPoll;

...

AjaxPoll myPoll = new AjaxPoll();

...

6.7.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

The "enabled" attribute defines should the <a4j:poll> send request or not. It's necessary to render the <a4j:poll> to apply the current value of "enabled" attribute. You can use an EL-expression for "enabled" attribute to point to a bean property. An example of usage of mentioned above attributes is placed below:

Example:


...

<a4j:region>

      <h:form>

            <a4j:poll id="poll" interval="1000" enabled="#{userBean.pollEnabled}" reRender="poll,grid"/>

      </h:form>

</a4j:region>

<h:form>

      <h:panelGrid columns="2" width="80%" id="grid">

           <h:panelGrid columns="1">

                <h:outputText value="Polling Inactive" rendered="#{not userBean.pollEnabled}" />

                <h:outputText value="Polling Active" rendered="#{userBean.pollEnabled}" />

                <a4j:commandButton style="width:120px" id="control"

                         value="#{userBean.pollEnabled?'Stop':'Start'} Polling"

                         reRender="poll, grid">

                     <a4j:actionparam name="polling" value="#{!userBean.pollEnabled}"

                          assignTo="#{userBean.pollEnabled}"/>

                </a4j:commandButton>

          </h:panelGrid>

          <h:outputText id="serverDate" style="font-size:16px" value="Server Date: #{userBean.date}"/>

    </h:panelGrid>

</h:form>

...

The example shows how date and time are updated on a page in compliance with data taken from a server. The <a4j:poll> componet sends requests to the server every second. "reRender" attribute for <a4j:poll> contains value of its own Id. Hence, it renders itself for applying the current value of "enabled" attribute.

Note:

The form around the <a4j:poll> component is required.

Note:

To make the <a4j:poll> component send requests periodically when it limitToList is set to "true", pass the <a4j:poll> ID to it reRender attribute.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find " Decide what to process " guide section.

6.7.5. Relevant resources links

In RichFaces Wiki article "Creating a Banner Using Effects and Poll" you can get additional information how to create an image banner using <rich:effect> and <a4j:poll> components and also you can figure out how to create an HTML banner in RichFaces Wiki article "Creating an HTML Banner Using Effects and Poll" .

In RichFaces Cookbook article on Slide Show" you can find information how to make a Slide Show with help of the <rich:effect> and <a4j:poll> components.

On RichFaces Live Demo page you can see the example of <a4j:poll> usage and sources for the given example.

The additional information about component usage you can find in RichFaces Users Forum .

6.8. < a4j:actionparam >

6.8.1. Description

The <a4j:actionparam> component combines the functionality of both JSF components: <f:param> and <f:actionListener> .

More information about <f:param> and <f:actionListener> can be found in Sun JSF TLD documentation.

Table 6.16. a4j : actionparam attributes

Attribute Name	Description
actionListener	A method binding that refers to a method with this signature: void methodName(ActionEvent)
assignTo	EL expression for updatable bean property. This property will be updated if the parent command component performs an actionEvent.
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
converter	ID of a converter to be used or a reference to a converter.
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
name	A name of this parameter
noEscape	If set to true, the value will not enclosed within single quotes and there will be no escaping of characters. This allows the use of the value as JavaScript code for calculating value on the client-side. This doesn't work with non-AJAX components.
value	An initial value or a value binding

Table 6.17. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.ActionParameter
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlActionParameter

6.8.2. Creating on a page

Simple component definition example:


<a4j:actionparam noEscape="true" name="param1" value="getMyValue()" assignTo="#{bean.prop1}" />

6.8.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The component <a4j:actionparam> is a combination of the functionality of two JSF tags: <f:param> and <f:actionListener> .

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlActionParameter;

...

HtmlActionParameter myActionParameter = new HtmlActionParameter();

...

6.8.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

At the render phase, it's decoded by parent component ( <h:commandLink> or like) as usual. At the process request phase, if the parent component performs an action event, update the "value" specified in the "assignTo" attribute as its "value" . If a "converter" attribute is specified, use it to encode and decode the "value" to a string stored in the html parameter.

<a4j:actionparam> has a "noEscape" attribute. If it is set to "true", the "value" is evaluated as a JavaScript code.

The <a4j:param> extends <f:param> , so the "name" attribute is mandatory. Otherwise, the "value" misses due missing the request parameter name for it.


...

<script>

    ...

    var foo = "bar";

    ...

</script>

...

<a4j:actionparam noEscape="true" name="param1" value="foo" assignTo="#{bean.prop1}" />

...

6.8.5. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:actionparam> usage and sources for the given example.

More information can be found on the Ajax4jsf Users Forum.

6.9. < a4j:outputPanel >

6.9.1. Description

The component is used for components grouping in the Ajax output area, which offers several additional output opportunities such as inserting of non-present in tree components, saving of transient elements after Ajax request and some others.

Table 6.18. a4j : outputPanel attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxRendered	Defines, whether the content of this component must be (or not) included in AJAX response created by parent AJAX Container, even if it is not forced by reRender list of ajax action. Ignored if component marked to output by some Ajax action component. Default value is "false".
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
keepTransient	Flag to mark all child components to non-transient. If true, all children components will be set to non-transient state and keep in saved components tree. For output in self-renderer region all content ( By default, all content in <f:verbatim> tags and non-jsf elements in facelets, marked as transient - since, self-rendered ajax regions don't plain output for ajax processing ). Default value is "true"
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
layout	HTML layout for generated markup. Possible values: "block" for generating an HTML <div> element, "inline" for generating an HTML <span> element, and "none" for generating no HTML element. There is a minor exception for the "none" case where a child element has the property "rendered" set to "false". In this case, we create an empty <span> element with same ID as the child element to use as a placeholder for later processing. Default value is "inline"
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component

Table 6.19. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.OutputPanel
component-family	javax.faces.Panel
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.ajax.OutputPanel
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxOutputPanel
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxOutputPanelRenderer

6.9.2. Creating on a page

Here is the simplest way for a component creation on a page.


<a4j:outputPanel>

    <h:form>

        <h:outputText value="Some text"/>

            <h:inputText id="text1" label="text1" value="#{rsBean.text1}"/>

    </h:form>

</a4j:outputPanel>

6.9.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<a4j:outputPanel> allows marking of a page area, which is updated on Ajax response. Anyway, <a4j:outputPanel> usage is optional, as in RichFaces it's possible to indicate any existing component id on a component view in order to define updating areas. To speed up the performance, RichFaces updates only a component tree. <a4j:outputPanel> usage is recommended for wrapping components that aren't rendered during the primary non-ajax response, as the components don't present in a component tree.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxOutputPanel;

...

HtmlAjaxOutputPanel  myPanel = new HtmlAjaxOutputPanel();

6.9.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

In addition to the areas directly indicated in "reRender" attribute of Ajax components, <a4j:outputPanel> allows to update a part of a page basing on its own flag. The flag is defined by the "ajaxRendered" attribute. The flag is commonly used when a part of a page must be updated or can be updated on any response.


<a4j:support ... reRender="mypanel"/>

...

<a4j:outputPanel id="mypanel">

    <h:panelGrid rendered="#{not empty foo.bar}">

        ...

    </h:panelGrid>

</a4j:outputPanel>

On default <a4j:outputPanel> is output as a pair of opening and closing html <span> tag, but with the help of the layout attribute this output way could be changed. There are three variants for this component value:


<a4j:outputPanel ajaxRendered="true">

    <h:messages/>

</a4j:outputPanel>

"inline" (default)
"block"
"none"

If layout="block" is chosen, the component is rendered as a pair of opening and closing <div> tag, to which it's possible to apply any available style attributes available for block tags.

layout ="none" helps to avoid an unnecessary tag round a context that could or couldn't be rendered according to the defined "rendered" attribute conditions. If an inner context isn't rendered, <a4j:outputPanel> is rendered as a <span> tag with the id equal to an id of a child component and display:none style. If a child component is rendered, <a4j:outputPanel> doesn't present at all in a final code.

As you see, the code is very similar to the one shown above, but "reRender " attribute refers directly to the updating panelGrid and not to the framing outputPanel, and it's more semantically correct.


<a4j:support .... reRender="mypanel"/>

...

<a4j:outputPanel layout="none">

    <h:panelGrid id="mypanel" rendered="#{not empty foo.bar}">

        ...

    </h:panelGrid>

</a4j:outputPanel>

<a4j:outPanel> should be used for non-JSF component part framing, which is to be updated on Ajax response, as RichFaces specifies the list of updating areas as a list of an existing JSF component.

On default non-JSF context isn't saved in a component tree, but is rendered anew every time. To accelerate the processing speed and Ajax response input speed, RichFaces saves non-JSF context in a component tree on default. This option could be canceled by "keepTransient" attribute that cancels transient flag forced setting for child components. This flag setting keeps the current value set by child components.

Note:

In JSF 1.1 implementation and lower, where non-JSF context should be framed with the <f:verbatim> component, <a4j:outputPanel> doesn't improve this JSF implementation option in any way, so you still have to use this tag where it's necessary without RichFaces usage.

RichFaces allows setting Ajax responses rendering directly basing on component tree nodes without referring to the JSP (XHTML) page code. It could be defined by "selfRendered" attribute setting to "true" on <a4j:region> and could help considerably speed up a response output. However, if a transient flag is kept as it is, this rapid processing could cause missing of transient components that present on view and don't come into a component tree. Hence, for any particular case you could choose a way for you application optimization: speed up processing or redundant memory for keeping tree part earlier defined a transient.

6.9.5. Relevant resources links

On RichFaces Live Demo page you can see the example of <a4j:outputPanel> usage and sources for the given example.

Some additional information about usage of component can be found on the Ajax4JSF Users Forum

See how the <a4j:outputPanel> component can be used in the Ajax Input form with detection of Old/New Values example in the RichFaces cookbook.

6.10. < a4j:queue >

6.10.1. Description

The <a4j:queue> component creates a queue of the Ajax requests. The Ajax4JSF or RichFaces components with built-in Ajax can reference the queue to optimize Ajax requests.

You can find more information about the <a4j:queue> in the "Queue Principles" section.

Table 6.20. a4j : queue attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
disabled	If "true", disables this component on page.
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows you to ignore an Ajax response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in the queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows avoiding unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
name	Specifies to name for the named queue.
onbeforedomupdate	JavaScript code for call before DOM has been updated on client side
oncomplete	JavaScript code for call after request completed on client side
onerror	HTML: a script expression; event fires whenever an JavaScript server side error occurs
onrequestdequeue	JavaScript code for call after the request has removed from the queue
onrequestqueue	JavaScript code for call after the request has got into the queue
onsizeexceeded	A script expression; a size is exceed
onsubmit	JavaScript code for call before submission of an ajax request
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms) the request will be waiting in the queue before it is ready to be sent.
size	Defines the number of requests allowed in the queue at one time.
sizeExceededBehavior	Defines the strategies of the queue's behavior if the number of the requests waiting in the queue is exceeded. There are four strategies: dropNext (by default), dropNew, fireNext , fireNew.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
timeout	Waiting time for response on a particular request. If no response is received during this time, the request is aborted

Table 6.21. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.Queue
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlQueue
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.QueueRenderer
tag-class	org.ajax4jsf.taglib.html.jsp.QueueTag

6.10.2. Creating on a page

This is how you can create a form based queue. All other types of the queue are described in the "Queue Principles" section.

Example:


<h:form>

    <a4j:queue />

    <h:inputText value="#{bean.a}">

        <a4j:support event="onkeyup" />

    </h:inputText>

</h:form>

6.10.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

As it was said earlier the queue implemented in Richfaces has 4 types. In this section we will take a closer look at the form based queue. All other types of queue are similar is usage(except for the "global queue") but different is their scope.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlQueue;            

...

HtmlQueue myQueue = new HtmlQueue();

6.10.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

In order to disable or enable the <a4j:queue> component on the page you can use the "disabled" attribute.

The "requestDelay" attribute defines delay time for all the requests fired by the action components.

The "size" attribute specifies the number of request that can be stored in the queue at a time. The attribute can help you prevent overloading of a sever with requests. You can also determine the type of behaviour when the size of the queue is exceeded.

You should use the "sizeExceededBehavior" for the purpose.

The "sizeExceededBehavior" attribute can set 4 the strategies of the queue's behavior if the number of the requests waiting in the queue is exceeded:

"dropNext" drops next request that should be fired
"dropNew" drops the incoming request
"fireNext" immediately fires the next request in line to be fired
"fireNew" immediately fires the incoming request.

In this example if the queue has more than 2 requests waiting to be processed the next event will be dropped and a message (the "onsizeexceeded" attribute fires a JavaScript function ) saying that the queues is exceeded will be displayed.


...

<h:form>

    <a4j:queue size="2" requestDelay="500" sizeExceededBehavior="dropNext" onsizeexceeded="alert('The size of the queue is exceeded')" />

    <h:inputText value="#{bean.a}">

        <a4j:support event="onkeyup" />

    </h:inputText>

    <h:inputText value="#{bean.b}">

        <a4j:support event="onblur" />

    </h:inputText>

    <h:selectBooleanCheckbox value="#{bean.check}" id="checkboxID">

        <a4j:support id="checkboxSupport" event="onchange" />

    </h:selectBooleanCheckbox>

</h:form>

...

The "ignoreDupResponses" attribute that takes a boolean value can also help optimize your Ajax requests. If set to true, response processing for request will not occur if a similar request is already waiting in the queue. New request will be fired immediately when the response from the previous one returns.

In this example, the requests are glued together and only the last one is submitted.


...

<h:form>

    <a4j:queue requestDelay="500" ignoreDupResponses="true" />

    <h:inputText value="#{bean.a}">

        <a4j:support event="onkeyup" />

    </h:inputText>

</h:form>

...

Another key attribute that easies server load is "timeout" . The attribute specifies the amount of time an item can be in the queue before the sent event is be aborted and dropped from the queue.

If the request is sent and response is not returned within the time frame defined in this attribute - the request is aborted, and the next one is sent.

In this case if the sever doesn't respond within a second the request will be aborted.


...

<h:form>

    <a4j:queue timeout="1000" />

    <h:inputText value="#{bean.a}" >

        <a4j:support event="onkeyup" />

    </h:inputText>

</h:form>

...

As you can see the implementation of the queue provides some custom event handlers that you may use to call JavaScript functions.

The "oncomplete" is fired after request completed.

In this event handler request object is be passed as a parameter. Thus queue is be accessible using request.queue. And the element which was a source of the request is available using this.

In this example you can see how the number of requests waiting in the queue change. You will get a message with the number of the requests in the queue.


...

<h:form  >

    <a4j:queue oncomplete="alert(request.queue.getSize())" requestDelay="1000" />

    <h:inputText value="#{bean.a}">

        <a4j:support event="onkeyup" />

    </h:inputText>

    <h:selectBooleanCheckbox value="#{bean.check}">

        <a4j:support event="onchange"/>

    </h:selectBooleanCheckbox>

</h:form>

...

The "onbeforedomupdate" event handler called before updating DOM on a client side.

The "onrequestqueue" event handler called after the new request has been added to queue. And the "onrequestdequeue" event handler called after the request has been removed from queue.

The "onsubmit" event handler called after request is completed. This attribute allows to invoke JavaScript code before an Ajax request is sent.

6.10.5. JavaScript API

Table 6.22. JavaScript API

Function	Description
getSize()	Returns the current size to the queue
getMaximumSize()	Returns the maximum size to the queue, specified in the "size" attribute

6.10.6. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:queue> usage and sources for the given example.

General queue principals are documented in the "Queue Principles" section.

6.11. < a4j:log >

6.11.1. Description

The <a4j:log > component generates JavaScript for opening of the window with client-side debug information on an Ajax request.

Table 6.23. a4j : log attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
height	Height of pop-up. Default value is "600".
hotkey	Keyboard key for activate ( in combination with CTRL+SHIFT ) log window. Default value is "L"
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
level	Log level. The possible values are "FATAL", "ERROR", "WARN", "INFO", "DEBUG", "ALL". Component sets level 'ALL' by default.
name	Name of pop-up window. Default value is "LogWindow"
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
popup	Renders log as pop-up window or as div element on the page. Default value is "true".
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
width	Width of pop-up. Default value is "800".

Table 6.24. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Log
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.Log
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.AjaxLog
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.LogRenderer

6.11.2. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


<a4j:log popup="false" level="ALL" style="width: 800px; height: 300px;"></a4j:log>

Then, in order to open a log window, press "CTRL+SHIFT+L" on a page with the component.

6.11.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

Usage of the appropriate component attributes could change a representation level of debug information as well as the hot key for a window opening.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.AjaxLog;

...

AjaxLog myLog = new AjaxLog();

...

6.11.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

The hot key could be changed with the "hotkey" attribute, where it's necessary to define one letter that together with "CTRL+SHIFT" opens a window.

The "level" attribute with several possible values ("FATAL", "ERROR", "WARN", "INFO", "ALL") could change a logging level.

The log could be generated not only in a new window, but also on the current page in a separate <div> , this is also controlled with the "popup" attribute on the component.

The component defined this way is decoded on a page as <div> inside a page, where all the information beginning with informational message is generated.


<a4j:log level="ALL" popup="false" width="400" height="200"/>

Note:

<a4j:log> is getting renewed automatically after execution of Ajax requests. Don't renew <a4j:log> by using reRender!

6.11.5. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:log> usage and sources for the given example.

6.12. < a4j:loadStyle >

6.12.1. Description

The component Inserts stylesheet links to the head element. Render the value of the component, after passing it to the getResourceURL() method of the ViewHandler for this application, and passing the result through the encodeResourceURL() method of the ExternalContext.

Table 6.25. a4j : loadStyle attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
media	This attribute defines the device to which it is necessary to apply style registration. The possible values are "all", "screen" (by default), "print", "projection", "projection", "braille" and "speech".
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
src	name of JavaScript resource to load.

Table 6.26. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.LoadStyle
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.LoadStyle
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlLoadStyle
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.LoadStyleRenderer

6.12.2. Creating on a page

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


<a4j:loadStyle src="styles/style.css"/>

6.12.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

Some additional information about usage of component can be found on the component Live Demo page.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlLoadStyle;

...

HtmlLoadScript myStyle = new HtmlLoadStyle();

...

6.12.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

As it was mentioned above this component returns its value as the value of the "src" attribute passing it to the getResourceURL() method of the ViewHandler for this application, and passing the result via the encodeResourceURL() method of the ExternalContext.

It means that the Context is inserted automatically to the link. And calls like resource:// is properly handled.

Except this - you may be free to put your stylesheet links right from the child page while using facelets templates.

6.12.5. Relevant resources links

6.13. < a4j:loadBundle >

6.13.1. Description

The <a4j:loadBundle> component is similar to the same component from the JSF Core library. The component loads a resource bundle localized for the Locale of the current view and exposes it (as a Map) in the request attributes of the current request.

Table 6.27. a4j : loadBundle attributes

Attribute Name	Description
basename	Base name of the resource bundle to be loaded.
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
var	Name of a request scope attribute under which the resource bundle will be exposed as a Map.

Table 6.28. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Bundle
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.Bundle
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.AjaxLoadBundle

6.13.2. Creating on a page

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


<a4j:loadBundle baseName="demo.bundle.Messages" var="Message"/>

6.13.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<a4j:loadBundle> allows to use reference to bundle messages during the Ajax re-rendering. <a4j:loadBundle> is a substitute for the <f:loadBundle> in JSF 1.1 which is not a JSF component originally. <f:loadBundle> is a jsp tag that load the bundle messages into the request scope when page is rendered. As soon as each Ajax request works in own request scope, the bundles loaded with <f:loadBundle> are unavailable. Instead of <f:loadBundle> that might be located anywhere on a page, the <a4j:loadBundle> should be declared inside the <f:view> (this does not matter in case on using Facelets) JSF 1.2 introduces the bundle registered in the faces-config.xml. This fixed the problem with <f:loadBundle> . Therefore, you can use this JSF 1.2 way to declare your bundles.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.AjaxLoadBundle;

...

AjaxLoadBundle myBundle = new AjaxLoadBundle();

...

6.13.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

6.13.5. Relevant resources links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information for <a4j:loadBundle> component usage.

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information about <f:loadBundle> component.

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information about <f:view> component.

6.14. < a4j:page >

6.14.1. Description

<a4j:page> is used for solving of incompatibility problems in early Ajax4jsf versions. The component encodes the full html page structure.

Table 6.29. a4j : page attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxListener	MethodExpression representing an action listener method that will be notified when this component is activated by the ajax Request and handle it. The expression must evaluate to a public method that takes an AjaxEvent parameter, with a return type of void
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
contentType	Set custom mime content type to response
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
format	Page layout format ( html, xhtml, html-transitional, html-3.2 ) for encoding DOCTYPE, namespace and Content-Type definitions
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	Flag indicating that, if this component is activated by ajaxrequest, notifications should be delivered to interested listeners and actions immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase) rather than waiting until Invoke Application phase
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
namespace	Set html element default namespace
onload	JavaScript code to execute on a page load.
onunload	JavaScript code to execute on a page unload.
pageTitle	String for output as a page title.
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
selfRendered	if "true", self-render subtree at InvokeApplication ( or Decode, if immediate property set to true ) phase
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component

Table 6.30. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.Page
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxRegion
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlPage
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxPageRenderer

6.14.2. Creating on a page

This component should be defined as a child component for <f:view>:


<f:view>

     <a4j:page>

          <f:facet name="head">

              <!--...Head Content here-->

          </f:facet>

          <!--...Page Content here-->

      </a4j:page>

</f:view>

6.14.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The component is mostly used to solve the following problem with MyFaces for erlier Ajax4jsf versions: in MyFaces <f:view> doesn't get control over the RENDER_RESPONSE phase, thus Ajax can't get control and make a response also. To avoid this problem it was necessary to use <a4j:page> on a page round the Ajax updatable area. In the last versions of both frameworks the problem is successfully fixed and no <a4j:page> usage is required.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlPage;

...

HtmlPage myPage = new HtmlPage();

...

6.14.4. Facets

Table 6.31. Facets

Facet name	Description
head	Defines a head content

6.14.5. Key attributes and ways of usage

The component is rendered as a full HTML page template as it is shown in the example. The head section is defined with the help of the corresponding "head" facet. You do not need to use "body" facet in order to define first body section. The second and more body sections is defined with the help of the corresponding "body" facet.

The attribute "format" defines page layout format for encoding DOCTYPE.

The attribute "pageTitle" is rendered as title section.

Example:


<a4j:page format="xhtml" pageTitle="myPage">

    <f:facet name="head">

        <!--Head Content here-->

    </f:facet>

   <!--Page Content Here-->

</a4j:page>

This structure is rendered as:

The <a4j:form> component is very similar to the same component from the JSF HTML library, the only slight difference is in generation of links inside and possibility of Ajax by-default submission.


<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">

<html>

    <head> 

        <title>myPage</title>

        <!--Head Content here-->

    </head> 

    <body>

        <!--Page Content Here-->

    </body> 

</html>

6.14.6. Relevant resources links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information for <a4j:page> component usage.

6.15. < a4j:form >

6.15.1. Description

Table 6.32. a4j : form attributes

Attribute Name	Description
accept	This attribute specifies a comma-separated list of content types that a server processing this form will handle correctly. User agents may use this information to filter out non-conforming files when prompting you to select files to be sent to the server (cf. the INPUT element when type="file")
acceptCharset	This attribute specifies the list of character encodings for input data that is accepted by the server processing this form. The value is a space- and/or comma-delimited list of charset values. The client must interpret this list as an exclusive-or list, i.e., the server is able to accept any single character encoding per entity received. The default value for this attribute is the reserved string "UNKNOWN". User agents may interpret this value as the character encoding that was used to transmit the document containing this FORM element
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
ajaxSubmit	If "true", it becomes possible to set AJAX submission way for any components inside .
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
enctype	This attribute specifies the content type used to submit the form to the server (when the value of method is "post"). The default value for this attribute is "application/x-www-form-urlencoded". The value "multipart/form-data" should be used in combination with the INPUT element, type="file"
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
onreset	HTML: script expression; a form is reseted. It only applies to the FORM element
onsubmit	HTML: script expression; a form is submitted. It only applies to the FORM element
prependId	The flag indicating whether or not this form should prepend its id to its descendent id during the clientId generation process. If this flag is not set, the default value is "true".
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
target	This attribute specifies the name of a frame where a document is to be opened. By assigning a name to a frame via the name attribute, authors can refer to it as the "target" of links defined by other elements
timeout	Timeout ( in ms ) for request.

Table 6.33. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Form
component-family	javax.faces.Form
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.AjaxForm
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.FormRenderer

6.15.2. Creating on a page

Component definition on a page is similar to definition of the original component from JSF HTML library.


<a4j:form>

       <h:panelGrid>

                    <h:commandButton value="Button" action="#{userBean.nameItMark}" />

       </h:panelGrid>

</a4j:form>

6.15.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The difference with the original component is that all hidden fields required for command links are always rendered and it doesn't depend on links rendering on the initial page. It solves the problem with invalid links that weren't rendered on a page immediately, but after some Ajax request.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.AjaxForm;

...

AjaxForm myForm = new AjaxForm();

...

6.15.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

Beginning with release 1.0.5 additional attributes that make this form variant universal have appeared.

If "ajaxSubmit" attribute is true, it becomes possible to set Ajax submission way for any components inside with the help of the javascript A4J.AJAX.Submit(...)call. In this case, the "reRender" attribute contains a list of Ids of components defined for re-rendering. If you have <h:commandButton> or <h:commandLink> inside the form, they work as <a4j:commandButton> .

This example shows that in order to make <t:datascroller> submissions to be Ajax ones it's required only to place this <t:datascroller> into <a4j:form> . In the other case it is necessary to redefine renders for its child links elements that are defined as <h:commandLink> and can't be made Ajax ones with using e.g. <a4j:support> .


<a4j:form id="helloForm" ajaxSubmit="true" reRender="table">

    ...

    <t:dataTable id="table"... >

        ...

    </t:dataTable>

    ...

    <t:datascroller for="table"... >

        ...

    </t:datascroller>

    ...

</a4j:form>

With the help of "limitToList" attribute you can limit areas, which are updated after the responses. If "limitToList" is true, only the reRender attribute is taken in account. Therefore, if you use blocks of text wrapped with <a4j:outputPanel> and ajaxRendered= "true", blocks of text are ignored.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find in the "Decide what to process" guide section.

6.15.5. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:form> usage and sources for the given example.

6.16. < a4j:htmlCommandLink >

6.16.1. Description

The <a4j:htmlCommandLink> component is very similar to the same component from the JSF HTML library, the only slight difference is in links generation and problem solving that occurs when an original component is used.

Table 6.34. a4j : htmlCommandLink attributes

Attribute Name	Description
accesskey	This attribute assigns an access key to an element. An access key is a single character from the document character set. Note: Authors should consider the input method of the expected reader when specifying an accesskey
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
charset	The character encoding of a resource designated by this hyperlink
coords	This attribute specifies the position and shape on the screen. The number and order of values depends on the shape being defined. Possible combinations: * rect: left-x, top-y, right-x, bottom-y. * circle: center-x, center-y, radius. Note. When the radius value is percentage value, user agents should calculate the final radius value based on the associated object's width and height. The radius should be the smaller value of the two. * poly: x1, y1, x2, y2, ..., xN, yN. The first x and y coordinate pair and the last should be the same to close the polygon. When these coordinate values are not the same, user agents should infer an additional coordinate pair to close the polygon. Coordinates are relative to the top, left corner of the object. All values are lengths. All values are separated by commas
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
disabled	When set for a form control, this boolean attribute disables the control for your input.
hreflang	Base language of a resource specified with the href attribute; hreflang may only be used with href
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
onblur	JavaScript code. The onblur event occurs when an element loses focus either by the pointing device or by tabbing navigation. It may be used with the same elements as onfocus
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onfocus	JavaScript code. The onfocus event occurs when an element gets focus
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rel	The relationship from the current document to the anchor specified by this hyperlink. The value of this attribute is a space-separated list of link types
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
rev	A reverse link from the anchor specified by this hyperlink to the current document. The value of this attribute is a space-separated list of link types
shape	This attribute specifies the shape of a region. The possible values are "default", "rect", "circle" and "poly".
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tabindex	This attribute specifies the position of the current element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767. User agents should ignore leading zeros
target	This attribute specifies the name of a frame where a document is to be opened. By assigning a name to a frame via the name attribute, authors can refer to it as the "target" of links defined by other elements
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
type	The content type of the resource designated by this hyperlink
value	The current value for this component

Table 6.35. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	javax.faces.HtmlCommandLink
component-family	javax.faces.Command
component-class	javax.faces.component.html.HtmlCommandLink
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.HtmlCommandLinkRenderer

6.16.2. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Component definition on a page is the same as for the original component from the JSF HTML library.


<a4j:htmlCommandLink value="value" action="action"/>

6.16.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The difference with the original component is that all hidden fields required for command links with the child <f:param> elements are always rendered and it doesn't depend on links rendering on the initial page. It solves the problem with invalid links that weren't rendered on a page immediately, but after some Ajax request.

import javax.faces.component.html.HtmlCommandLink;

...

HtmlCommandLink myCommandLink = new HtmlCommandLink();

...

6.16.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

In this example <a4j:htmlCommandLink> works as standard <h:commandLink> , but here hidden fields required for correct functionality are rendered before the first downloading of a page, though it doesn't happen if its attribute isn't set to "false".


<a4j:form>

    ...

    <a4j:htmlComandLink action="action" value="link" rendered="#{bean.rendered}">

        <f:param .../>

    <a4j:htmlComandLink>

    ...

</a4j:form>

6.16.5. Relevant resources links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information for <a4j:htmlCommandLink> component usage.

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information about <f:param> component.

6.17. < a4j:support >

6.17.1. Description

The <a4j:support> component adds an Ajax support to any existing JSF component. It allows a component to generate asynchronous requests on the necessary event demand and with partial update of page content after a response incoming from the server.

Table 6.36. a4j : support attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
disabled	If "true", disable this component on page.
disableDefault	Disables default action for target event ( append "return false;" to JavaScript ). Default value is "false"
event	Name of JavaScript event property ( onclick, onchange, etc.) of parent component, for which we will build AJAX submission code
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
onsubmit	JavaScript code for call before submission of ajax event
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
timeout	Timeout (in ms) for request

Table 6.37. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Support
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.AjaxSupport
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxSupport
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxSupportRenderer

6.17.2. Creating on a page

To use a component, place <a4j:support> as nested to the component requesting Ajax functionality and specify an event of a parent component that generates Ajax request and the components to be rerendered after a response from the server.

On every keyup event generated by an input field, a form is submitted on the server with the help of Ajax and on a response coming from the server, element with repeater id, founded in a DOM tree is redrawn according to a new data from the response.


<h:inputText value="#{bean.text}">

    <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="repeater"/>

</h:inputText>

<h:outputText id="repeater" value="#{bean.text}"/>

6.17.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

In order to add <a4j:support> in Java code you should add it as facet , not children:

<a4j:support> addition is very similar to correspondent event redefinition of a component, i.e.

HtmlInputText inputText = new HtmlInputText();

...

HtmlAjaxSupport ajaxSupport = new HtmlAjaxSupport();

      ajaxSupport.setActionExpression(FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getApplication().getExpressionFactory().createMethodExpression(

          FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getELContext(), "#{bean.action}", String.class, new Class[] {}));

      ajaxSupport.setEvent("onkeyup");

      ajaxSupport.setReRender("output");

      inputText.getFacets().put("a4jsupport", ajaxSupport);

6.17.4. Key attributes and ways of usage


...

<h:inputText value="#{bean.text}">

    <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="output" action="#{bean.action}"/>

</h:inputText>

...

Is decoded on a page as:

As you see from the code, the "onkeyup" event calls a utility RichFaces method that submit a form creating a special marks for a filter informing that it is an Ajax request. Thus, any supports quantity could be added to every component, the supports define component behavior on these events.




<input  onkeyup="A4J.AJAX.Submit( Some request parameters )"/>

Note

The components: <a4j:commandLink> , <a4j:commandButton> , <a4j:poll> and others from RichFaces library are already supplied with <a4j:support> functionality and there is no necessity to add the support to them.

With the help of "onsubmit" and "oncomplete" attributes the component allows using JavaScript before (for request sending conditions checking) and after an Ajax response processing termination (for performance of user-defined activities on the client)

In example there is the condition checking (confirm) is used before request sending and message printing after the request processing is over.


<h:selectOneMenu value="#{bean.text}">

    <f:selectItem itemValue="First Item" itemLabel="First Item"/>

    <f:selectItem itemValue=" Second Item" itemLabel="Second Item"/>

    <f:selectItem itemValue=" Third Item" itemLabel="Third Item"/>

        <a4j:support event="onblur" reRender="panel" onsubmit="if(!confirm('Are you sure to change the option ?')) {form.reset(); return false;}" oncomplete="alert('Value succesfully stored')"/>

</h:selectOneMenu>

The components allows different Ajax request managing ways for its various optimization in particular conditions such as:

Limitation of the submit area and updating area for the request.
"ajaxSingle" is an attribute that allows submission on the server only component sending a request, as if the component presented on a separate form.
"limitToList" is an attribute that allows to limit areas, which are updated after the responses. Only these components defined in the "reRender" attribute are updated.

Example 1:


<h:form>

    <h:inputText value="#{person.name}">

        <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="test" ajaxSingle="true"/>

    </h:inputText>

    <h:inputText value="#{person.middleName}"/>

</form>

In this example the request contains only the input component causes the request generation, not all the components contained on a form, because of ajaxSingle="true" usage.

Example 2:


<h:form>

    <a4j:outputPanel ajaxRendered="true">

        <h:messages/>

    </a4j:outputPanel>

    <h:inputText value="#{person.name}">

        <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="test" limitToList="true"/>

    </h:inputText>

    <h:outputText value="#{person.name}" id="test"/>

</form>

In this example the component <h:messages> is always updated (as it capturing all Ajax requests, located in ajaxRendered <a4j:outputPanel> ), except the case when a response is sent from the input component from the example. On sending this component marks that updating area is limited to the defined in it components, it means that on its usage with limitToList="true" the only component updated is the one with id="test".

Limitation of requests frequency and updates quantity after the responses.
"requestDelay" is an attribute that defines a time interval in seconds minimally permissible between responses.
"eventsQueue" is an attribute for naming of the queue where the next response is kept in till its processing, but if the next event comes in till this time is over, the waiting event is taken away, replacing with a new one.
"ignoreDupResponces" is an attribute that allows to disable any updates on the client after an Ajax request if another Ajax request is already sent.
"timeout" is an attribute that allows to set a time interval in millisecond to define a maximum time period of response wait time. In case of the interval interaction, a new request is sent and the previous one is canceled. Postprocessing of a response isn't performed.
Example:
```
<h:form>

    <h:inputText value="#{person.name}">

              <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="test" requestDelay="1000" ignoreDupResponces="true" eventsQueue="myQueue"/>

    </h:inputText>

    <h:outputText value="#{person.name}" id="test"/>

</form>
```
This example clearly shows mentioned above attributes. If quick typing in a text field happens, every next requests sending is delayed for a second and requests quantity is reduced. The requests are kept in the queue till its the sending. Moreover, if the next request is already sent, the rerendering after the previous request is banned, and it helps to avoid unnecessary processing on the client.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find in the "Decide what to process" guide section.

6.17.5. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:support> usage and sources for the given example.

6.18. < a4j:region >

6.18.1. Description

The <a4j:region> component defines an area that is decoded on the server after Ajax submission.

Table 6.38. a4j : region attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxListener	MethodExpression representing an action listener method that will be notified when this component is activated by the ajax Request and handle it. The expression must evaluate to a public method that takes an AjaxEvent parameter, with a return type of void
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	Flag indicating that, if this component is activated by ajaxrequest, notifications should be delivered to interested listeners and actions immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase) rather than waiting until Invoke Application phase
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
renderRegionOnly	Flag to disable rendering in AJAX responses content outside of active region. If this attribute set to "true" , no one of the components outside of region will be included to AJAX response. If set to "false", search for components to include in response will be performed on all tree. Default value is "false".
selfRendered	if "true", self-render subtree at InvokeApplication ( or Decode, if immediate property set to true ) phase

Table 6.39. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.AjaxRegion
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.AjaxRegion
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxRegion
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxRegionRenderer

6.18.2. Creating on a page

Here is an example of the region decoding on a page.


<a4j:region>

      <h:inputText value="#{userBean.name}">

            <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="outname" />

      </h:inputText>

</a4j:region>

6.18.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The region is a component used for manipulation with components sent to the server. It sets particular processing parameters for an area on the server, i.e. the region deals with data input on the server and has no direct impact on output. To read more on the components responsible for out, see Sun official documentation.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxRegion;

...

HtmlAjaxRegion newRegion = new HtmlAjaxRegion();

...

6.18.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

The region marks an area page that is decoded on the server. In most cases it is not necessary to use the region, as ViewRoot is a default region. This component helps to reduce data quantity processed by the server, but the region doesn't influence on the standard submission rules. It means that:

The area that is to be submitted onto the server should be embedded in <h:form>/<a4j:form> component.
The whole form is submitted on Ajax response and not a region that request is performed from.

Example:


<h:form id="form1">

      <a4j:region>

            <a4j:commandLink reRender="someID" value="Link" id="link1"/>

            <!--..Some content that will be decoded on server after Ajax request.-->

        </a4j:region>

<h:form>

Hence, the <a4j:commandLink> request generation causes full form1 form submission onto the server, the only difference is that a component tree part decoded on the serve is the part included into the region.

The regions could be nested in any order, the server picks out and decodes only the region, which contains a particular component that sends a request.

Example:


<a4j:region>

      <a4j:commandLink reRender="someID" value="Link" id="link1"/>

      <a4j:region>

          <a4j:commandLink reRender="someID" value="Link" id="link2"/>

          <!--..Some content that will be decoded on server after Ajax request.-->

      </a4j:region >

      <!--..Some content that will be decoded on server after Ajax request.-->

</a4j:region >

Therefore, the external region is decoded for the "link1" and the internal one is decoded for the "link2".

RichFaces allows setting Ajax responses rendering directly basing on component tree nodes without referring to the JSP (XHTML) page code. It could be defined by "selfRendered" attribute setting to "true" on <a4j:region> and could help considerably speed up a response output. However, this rapid processing could cause missing of transient components that present on view and don't come into a component tree as well as omitting of <a4j:outputPanel> usage described below.

Example:


<a4j:region selfRendered ="true">

      <a4j:commandLink reRender="someID" value="Link" id="link1"/>

      <!--..Some content with HTML used ("br","h1" and other tags used)-->

</a4j:region >

In this case, the processing is quicker and going on without referring to a page code, but the HTML code that isn't saved in a component tree could be lost. Thus, this optimization should be very carefully performed and a usage of the additional components RichFaces ( <a4j:outputPanel> ) is required.

The processing could be also accelerated if a region decoded for the processing passes straight away into Encode. But to update some data out of the region or on another region, use the "renderRegionOnly" attribute set to "false" ("true" on default) to change this behaviour.

Example:


<a4j:region renderRegionOnly="true">

      <a4j:commandLink reRender="someID2" value="Link1" id="link1"/>

      <h:panelGroup id="someId1" />

</a4j:region>

<a4j:region renderRegionOnly="false">

      <a4j:commandLink reRender="someID1" value="Link2" id="link2"/>

        <h:panelGroup  id="someId1" />

</a4j:region>

This example shows that one of the regions is decoded when a link is used inside. Nevertheless, if after processing the "link1" is clicked, the first region passes into Encode as a root region and encode performance time is reduced. This optimization doesn't allow data update out of the region and should be implemented very carefully. The data out of the region described with renderRegionOnly="false" is updated successfully.

Starting from version 3.2.0 <a4j:region> can be used inside any iterative component (e.g. <rich:column> , <rich:scrollableDataTable> ) and just re-render the components from the same row without updating the whole table and without any additional listeners.

Example:


<rich:column>

       <a4j:region>

              <a4j:commandLink reRender="out"/>

       </a4j:region>

</rich:column>

<rich:column>

        <h:outputText id="out">

</rich:column>

6.18.5. Relevant resources links

Visit <a4j:region> demo page at RichFaces live demo for examples of component usage and their sources.

Useful articles:

<a4j:region> and two <h:inputTexts> in RichFaces cookbook at JBoss portal.

6.19. < a4j:push >

6.19.1. Description

The <a4j:push> periodically perform Ajax request to server, to simulate 'push' data.

The main difference between <a4j:push> and <a4j:poll> components is that <a4j:push> makes request to minimal code only (not to JSF tree) in order to check the presence of messages in the queue. If the message exists the complete request is performed. The component doesn't poll registered beans but registers EventListener which receives messages about events.

Table 6.40. a4j : push attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
enabled	Enables/disables pushing. Default value is "true".
eventProducer	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an PushEventListener with return type void. User bean must register this listener and send EventObject to this listener on ready.
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
interval	Interval (in ms) for call push requests. Default value is "1000"ms (1 second).
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
timeout	Timeout (in ms) for request

Table 6.41. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Push
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxPush
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.AjaxPush
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxPushRenderer

6.19.2. Creating on a page


<a4j:push reRender="msg" eventProducer="#{messageBean.addListener}" interval="3000"/>

6.19.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.AjaxPush;

...

AjaxPush myPush = new AjaxPush();

...

6.19.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

The <a4j:push> implements reverse Ajax technique.

The bean, for example, could be subscribed to Java Messaging Service (JMS) topic or it could be implemented as Message Driven Bean (MDB) in order to send a message to the <a4j:push> component about an event presence. In the presence of the event some action occurs.

Thus, a work paradigm with the <a4j:push> component corresponds to an anisochronous model, but not to pools as for <a4j:poll> component. See the simplest example below:

Example:

...

class MyPushEventListener implements PushEventListener {

    public void onEvent(EventObject evt) {

        System.out.println(evt.getSource());

            //Some action

    }

}    

...

Code for EventListener registration in the bean is placed below:

Example:

...

public void addListener(EventListener listener) {

synchronized (listener) {

                  if (this.listener != listener) {

                            this.listener = (PushEventListener) listener;

                  }

          }

}

...

A page code for this example is placed below.

Example:


...

<a4j:status startText="in progress" stopText="done"/>

     <a4j:form>

          <a4j:region>

                <a4j:push reRender="msg" eventProducer="#{pushBean.addListener}" interval="2000"/>

          </a4j:region>

          <a4j:outputPanel id="msg" >

                    <h:outputText value="#{pushBean.date}">

                         <f:convertDateTime type="time"/>

                    </h:outputText>

         </a4j:outputPanel>

         <a4j:commandButton value="Push!!" action="#{pushBean.push}" ajaxSingle="true"/>

</a4j:form>

...

The example shows how date is updated on a page in compliance with data taken from a server. In the example "interval" attribute has value "2000". This attribute defines an interval in milliseconds between the previous response and the next request. Default value is set to "1000" milliseconds (1 second). It's possible to set value equal to "0". In this case connection is permanent.

The "timeout" attribute defines response waiting time in milliseconds. If a response isn't received during this period a connection is aborted and the next request is sent. Default value for "timeout" attribute isn't set. Usage of "interval" and "timeout" attributes gives an opportunity to set short polls of queue state or long connections.

Note:

The form around the <a4j:push> component is required.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find " Decide what to process " guide section.

6.19.5. Relevant resources links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information for <a4j:push> component usage.

6.20. < a4j:repeat >

6.20.1. Description

The <a4j:repeat> component implements a basic iteration component allowing to update a set of its children with AJAX.

Table 6.42. a4j : repeat attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxKeys	This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an AJAX request.
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition.
first	A zero-relative row number of the first row to display
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a row key object
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope.
rows	A number of rows to display, or zero for all remaining rows in the table
stateVar	The attribute provides access to a component state on the client side.
value	The current value for this component.
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current row will be used when iterating

Table 6.43. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Repeat
component-family	javax.faces.Data
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxRepeat
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.RepeatRenderer

6.20.2. Creating on a page

The component definition on a page is the same as for the facelets component:


<a4j:repeat id="detail" value="#{bean.props}" var="detail">

    <h:outputText value="#{detail.someProperty}"/>

</a4j:repeat>

The output is generated according to a collection contained in bean.props with the detail key passed to child components.

6.20.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The main difference of this component from iterative components of other libraries is a special "ajaxKeys" attribute. This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an Ajax request. As a result it becomes easier to update several child components separately without updating the whole page.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxRepeat;

...

HtmlAjaxRepeat repeater = new HtmlAjaxRepeat ();

...

6.20.4. Key attributes and ways of usage


...

<table>

    <tbody>

        <a4j:repeat value="#{repeatBean.items}" var="item"

                    ajaxKeys="#{updateBean.updatedRow}">

            <tr>

                <td><h:outputText value="#{item.code}" id="item1" /></td>

                <td><h:outputText value="#{item.price}" id="item2" /></td>

            </tr>

        </a4j:repeat>

    </tbody>

</table>

...

Note:

The <a4j:repeat> component is defined as fully updated, but really updated there are only the row keys which defined in the "ajaxKeys" attribute.

The set could be defined during the action method processing using data on a model from the property repeater.myRepeat

One more benefit of this component is absence of strictly defined markup as JSF HTML DataTable and TOMAHAWK DataTable has, hence the components could be used more flexibly anywhere where it's necessary to output the results of selection from some collection.

The next example shows collection output as a plain HTML list:


<ul>

      <a4j:repeat ...>

        <li>...<li/>

                   ...

        <li>...<li/>

      </a4j:repeat>

</ul>

All other general attributes are defined according to the similar attributes of iterative components ( <h:dataTable> or <ui:repeat> ) and are used in the same way.

6.20.5. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:repeat> usage and sources for the given example.

6.21. < a4j:commandButton >

6.21.1. Description

The <a4j:commandButton> component is very similar to the <h:commandButton> component, the only difference is that an Ajax form submit is generated on a click and it allows dynamic rerendering after a response comes back. It's not necessary to plug any support into the component, as Ajax support is already built in.

Table 6.44. a4j : commandButton attributes

Attribute Name	Description
accesskey	This attribute assigns an access key to an element. An access key is a single character from the document character set. Note: Authors should consider the input method of the expected reader when specifying an accesskey
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
alt	Alternate textual description of the element rendered by this component.
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
disabled	If "true", disable this component on page.
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now.
image	Absolute or relative URL of the image to be displayed for this button. If specified, this "input" element will be of type "image". Otherwise, it will be of the type specified by the "type" property with a label specified by the "value" property.
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onblur	The client side script method to be called when the element loses the focus
onchange	The client side script method to be called when the element value is changed
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onfocus	The client side script method to be called when the element gets the focus
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
size	This attribute tells the user agent the initial width of the control. The width is given in pixels except when type attribute has the value "text" or "password". In that case, its value refers to the (integer) number of characters
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tabindex	This attribute specifies the position of the current element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767. User agents should ignore leading zeros
timeout	Timeout ( in ms ) for request.
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
type	This attribute specifies a type of control to create. The possible values are "submit", "reset", "image" and "button". The default value for this attribute is "submit"
value	The current value for this component

Table 6.45. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.CommandButton
component-family	javax.faces.Command
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxCommandButton
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxCommandButtonRenderer

6.21.2. Creating on a page

The simplest tag usage example:


...

<a4j:commandButton reRender="someData" action="#{bean.action1}" value="Link"/>

...

6.21.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<a4j:commandButton> is used in the same way as <h:commandButton> , but with definition of the area that is updated after the response comes back from the server.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlAjaxCommandButton;

...

HtmlAjaxCommandButton myButton = new HtmlAjaxCommandButton();

...

6.21.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

This definition of the component provides a link, a click on the link causes an Ajax form submit on the server, action1 method performance, and rendering of the component with someData id after the response comes back from the server.

The component <a4j:commandButton> placed on a page generates the following HTML code:


...

<input type="submit" onclick="A4J.AJAX.Submit(...request parameters);return false;" value="sort"/>

...

Hence, the utility method A4J.AJAX.Submit is called on a click, the method performs Ajax request as the <a4j:support> component

Note:

AJAX support is built in and it's not necessary to add nested <a4j:support> to the component.

The usage of the keyword 'this' in JavaScript code in the "oncomplete" attribute depends on the location of <a4j:commandButton> . If the commandButton is situated outside the re-rendered region you can use keyword 'this' as in the following example:


...

<h:form id="form"> 

  <a4j:commandButton id="cbutton" action="director.rollCamera" onclick="this.disabled=true" oncomplete="this.disabled=false" /> 

</h:form>

...

Otherwise if the commandButton contained in re-rendered region the "oncomplete" attribute has a problem obtaining a reference of the commandButton object when using the keyword 'this'. In this case you can use the "oncomplete" attribute as in the following example:


...

<h:form id="form"> 

     <a4j:commandButton id="cbutton" action="director.rollCamera" 

         onclick="this.disabled=true" 

         oncomplete="document.getElementById('form:cbutton').disabled=false" /> 

</h:form>

...

Common JSF navigation could be performed after an Ajax submit and partial rendering, but Navigation Case must be defined as <redirect/> in order to avoid problems with some browsers.

As any Core Ajax component sending Ajax requests and processing server responses <a4j:commandButton> has all attributes described above (see <a4j:support> chapter) that provide the required behavior of requests sending (delay, limitation of submit area and rendering, and etc.)

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find " Decide what to process " guide section.

6.21.5. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:commandButton> usage and sources for the given example.

6.22. < a4j:include >

6.22.1. Description

The <a4j:include> component is used for page areas update after an Ajax request according to the faces-config Navigation Rules and for implementation of wizard-like parts work in Ajax mode.

Table 6.46. a4j : include attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxRendered	Defines, whether the content of this component must be (or not) included in AJAX response created by parent AJAX Container, even if it is not forced by reRender list of ajax action. Ignored if component marked to output by some Ajax action component. Default value is "true".
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
keepTransient	Flag for mark all child components to non-transient. If true, all children components will be set to non-transient state and keep in saved components tree. For output in self-renderer region all content ( By default, all content in <f:verbatim> tags and non-jsf elements in facelets, marked as transient - since, self-rendered ajax regions don't plain output for ajax processing ).
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
layout	HTML layout for generated markup. Possible values: "block" for generating an HTML <div> element, "inline" for generating an HTML <span> element, and "none" for generating no HTML element. There is a minor exception for the "none" case where a child element has the property "rendered" set to "false". In this case, we create an empty <span> element with same ID as the child element to use as a placeholder for later processing. Default value is "inline"
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
viewId	viewId for included page.

Table 6.47. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Include
component-family	javax.faces.Output
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.Include
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.AjaxIncludeRenderer

6.22.2. Creating on a page

To use the component, it's necessary to place the following strings on a page:

For navigation inside a page defined in viewId any components responsible for Ajax requests to the server generation are used.


<h:panelGroup id="wizard">

        <a4j:include  viewId="/pages/include/first.xhtml" />

</h:panelGroup>

For example, the following component on a page "/pages/include/first.xhtml"

And in faces-config it's defined:


...

<a4j:commandButton action="next" reRender="wizard"/>

...

In this case after a click on a button defined inside "first.xhtml" view, navigation is performed after an Ajax request (the same as standard JSF one) only inside this view.


<navigation-rule>

     <from-view-id>/pages/include/first.xhtml</from-view-id>

     <navigation-case>

          <from-outcome>next</from-outcome>

          <to-view-id>/pages/include/second.xhtml</to-view-id>

     </navigation-case>

</navigation-rule>

6.22.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

This component cannot be created dynamically.

6.22.4. Relevant resources links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <a4j:include> usage and sources for the given example.

Some additional information can be found on the Ajax4Jsf Users Forum.

6.23. < a4j:jsFunction >

6.23.1. Description

The <a4j:jsFunction> component allows to invoke the server side data and return it in a JSON format to use in a client JavaScript calls.

Table 6.48. a4j : jsFunction attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
name	Name of generated JavaScript function definition
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted

Table 6.49. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Function
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.components.ajaxFunction
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlajaxFunction
renderer-type	org.ajax4jsf.components.ajaxFunctionRenderer

6.23.2. Creating on a page

Simple component definition example:

The script "myScript" is called after bean.someProperty data is returned from server(e.g. It'll be object with two subproperties).


...

<head>

    <script>

        <!--There is some script named "myScript" that uses parameters which will be taken from server-->

    </script>

</head>

<body>

     ...

     <a4j:jsFunction data="#{bean.someProperty}" name="callScript" oncomplete="myScript(data.subProperty1, data.subProperty2)"/>

     ...

</body>

...

6.23.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

As the component uses Ajax request to get data from server - it has all common Ajax Action attributes. Hence, "action" and "actionListener" can be invoked, and reRendering some parts of the page fired after calling function.

import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlajaxFunction;

...

HtmlajaxFunction myFunction = new HtmlajaxFunction();

...

6.23.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

When using the <a4j:jsFunction> it's possible to initiate the Ajax request from the JavaScript and perform partial update of a page and/or invoke the JavaScript function with data returned by Ajax response.


...

<body onload="callScript()">

    ...

    <h:form>

      ...

        <a4j:jsFunction name="callScript" data="#{bean.someProperty1}"

            reRender="someComponent" oncomplete="myScript(data.subProperty1, data.subProperty2)">

             <a4j:actionparam name="param_name" assignTo="#{bean.someProperty2}"/>

        </a4j:jsFunction>

        ...

    </h:form>

    ...

</body>

...

The <a4j:jsFunction> allows to use <a4j:actionparam> or pure <f:param> for passing any number of parameters of the JavaScript function into Ajax request. <a4j:jsFunction> is similar to <a4j:commandButton> , but it could be activated from the JavaScript code. It allows to invoke some server side functionality and use the returned data in the JavaScript function invoked from "oncomplete" attribute. Hence it's possible to use <a4j:jsFunction> instead of <a4j:commandButton> . You can put it anywhere, just don't forget to use <h:form> ... </h:form> around it.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find " Decide what to process " guide section.

6.23.5. Relevant resources links

Here you can find additional information and example on how to use <a4j:jsFunction> with JSON.

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <a4j:jsFunction> usage and sources for the given example.

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information about <f:param> component.

6.24. < a4j:portlet >

6.24.1. Description

The <a4j:portlet> component is DEPRECATED as far as JSR-301 was defined a same functionality for a UIViewRoot component. Thus, it is implicitly defined by mandatory <f:view> component.

Table 6.50. a4j : portlet attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered

Table 6.51. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.ajax4jsf.Portlet
component-family	org.ajax4jsf.component.Portlet
component-class	org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlPortlet

6.24.2. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


<f:view>

     <a4j:portlet>

            ...

       </a4j:portlet>

</f:view>

6.24.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java



import org.ajax4jsf.component.html.HtmlPortlet;

...

HtmlPortlet myPortlet = new HtmlPortlet();

...

6.24.4. Key attributes and ways of usage

The main component purpose is realization of possibility to create several instances the same portlet on one page. But clientId of elements should be different for each window. In that case namespace is used for each portlet. The <a4j:portlet> implemets NaimingContainer interface and adds namespace to all componets on a page. All portlet content should be wrapped by <a4j:portlet> for resolving problems mentioned before.

6.24.5. Relevant resources links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information for <a4j:portlet> component usage.

The additional information about component usage you can find here: Ajax4Jsf Users Forum.

Portlet Sample could be checked out from JBoss SVN: portal-echo application.

Usage instructions for this demo could be found at the corresponding: portal-echo application.

6.25. < rich:ajaxValidator >

6.25.1. Description

The <rich:ajaxValidator> is a component designed to provide ajax validation inside for JSF inputs.

6.25.2. Key Features

Skips all JSF processing except validation
Possibility to use both standard and custom validation
Possibility to use Hibernate Validation
Event based validation triggering

Table 6.52. rich : ajaxValidator attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxListener	MethodExpression representing an action listener method that will be notified when this component is activated by the ajax Request and handle it. The expression must evaluate to a public method that takes an AjaxEvent parameter, with a return type of void. Default value is "null"
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
disableDefault	Disables default action for target event ( append "return false;" to JavaScript ). Default value is "false"
event	Name of JavaScript event property ( onclick, onchange, etc.) of parent component by which validation will be triggered. Default value is "onblur"
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
onsubmit	JavaScript code for call before submission of ajax event
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
summary	Summary message for a validation errors.
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted

Table 6.53. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ajaxValidator
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlajaxValidator
component-family	org.richfaces.ajaxValidator
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ajaxValidatorRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ajaxValidatorTag

6.25.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<h:outputText value="Name:" />

<h:inputText value="#{userBean.name}" id="name" required="true">

          <f:validateLength minimum="3" maximum="12"/>

          <rich:ajaxValidator event="onblur"/>

</h:inputText>

...

6.25.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:ajaxValidator> component should be added as a child component to an input JSF tag which data should be validated and an event that triggers validation should be specified as well. The component is ajaxSingle by default so only the current field will be validated.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlCalendar;   

...

HtmlAjaxValidator myAjaxValidator= new HtmlAjaxValidator();

...

6.25.5. Details of Usage

The following example demonstrates how the <rich:ajaxValidator> adds AJAX functionality to standard JSF validators. The request is sent when the input field loses focus, the action is determined by the "event" attribute that is set to "onblur".


...

<rich:panel>

       <f:facet name="header">

              <h:outputText value="User Info:" />

       </f:facet>

       <h:panelGrid columns="3">

              <h:outputText value="Name:" />

              <h:inputText value="#{userBean.name}" id="name" required="true">

                     <f:validateLength minimum="3" maximum="12"/>

                     <rich:ajaxValidator event="onblur"/>

              </h:inputText>

              <rich:message for="name" />

       </h:panelGrid>

</rich:panel>

...

This is the result of the snippet.

Figure 6.1. Simple example of <rich:ajaxValidator> with

In the example above it's show how to work with standard JSF validators. The <rich:ajaxValidator> component also works perfectly with custom validators enhancing their usage with AJAX.

Custom validation can be performed in two ways:

Using JSF Validation API is available in javax.faces.validator package

Using Hibernate Validator, specifying a constraint for the data to be validated. A reference on Hibernate Validator can be found in Hibernated documentation.

The following example shows how the data entered by user can be validated using Hibernate Validator.


...

<rich:panel>

       <f:facet name="header">

              <h:outputText value="User Info:" />

       </f:facet>

       <h:panelGrid columns="3">

              <h:outputText value="Name:" />

              <h:inputText value="#{validationBean.name}" id="name" required="true">

                     <rich:ajaxValidator event="onblur" />

              </h:inputText>

              <rich:message for="name" />

       </h:panelGrid>

</rich:panel>

...

Here is the source code of the managed bean.

...

package org.richfaces.demo.validation;


import org.hibernate.validator.NotEmpty;

import org.hibernate.validator.Email;

import org.hibernate.validator.Length;


public class ValidationBean {


    @NotEmpty

    @Length(min=3,max=12)

    private String name;

    @Email (message="wrong email format")

    @NotEmpty

    private String email;

        

    public ValidationBean() {

    }

    public String getName() {

        return name;

    }

    public void setName(String name) {

        this.name = name;

    }

    public String getEmail() {

        return email;

    }

    public void setEmail(String email) {

        this.email = email;

    }

}

...

By default the Hibernate Validator generates an error message in 10 language, though you can redefine the messages that are displayed to a user when validation fails. In the shows example it was done by adding (message="wrong email format") to the @Email annotation.

This is how it looks.

Figure 6.2. Validation using Hibernate validator

6.25.6. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:ajaxValidator> usage and sources for the given example.

6.26. < rich:graphValidator >

6.26.1. Description

The <rich:graphValidator> component allows to register Hibernate Validators for multiple input components.

6.26.2. Key Features

Skips all JSF processing except validation

Table 6.54. rich : graphValidator attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
profile	This attribute is reserved till the implementation of JavaBean Validation feature (JSR-303).
summary	Summary message for a validation errors.
type	JSF Validator type, that implements GraphValidator interface.This validator is used for the Graph and input fields validation.
value	The current value for this component.

Table 6.55. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.graphValidator
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlgraphValidator
component-family	org.richfaces.graphValidator
renderer-type	org.richfaces.graphValidatorRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.graphValidatorTag

6.26.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<h:outputText value="Name:" />

<h:inputText value="#{userBean.name}" id="name" required="true">

          <f:validateLength minimum="3" maximum="12"/>

          <rich:graphValidator event="onblur"/>

</h:inputText>

...

6.26.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:graphValidator> component behaves basically the same way as the <rich:beanValidator> The deference between these two components is that in order to validate some input data with a <rich:beanValidator> component, it should be a nested element of an input component, whereas <rich:graphValidator> wraps multiple input components and validates the data received from them.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlCalendar;   

...

HtmlgraphValidator mygraphValidator= new HtmlgraphValidator();

...

The following example demonstrates a pattern of how the <rich:graphValidator> can be used:


...

<rich:graphValidator>

       <h:panelGrid columns="3">

              <h:outputText value="Name:" />

              <h:inputText value="#{validationBean.name}" id="name">

                     <f:validateLength minimum="2" />

              </h:inputText>

              <rich:message for="name" />

              <h:outputText value="Email:" />

              <h:inputText value="#{validationBean.email}" id="email" />

              <rich:message for="email" />

       </h:panelGrid>

</rich:graphValidator>

...

The data validation can be also performed using Hibernate Validator, the same way as it is done with <rich:beanValidator> .

The components's architecture provides an option to bind the component to a managed bean, which is done with the "value" attribute. The attribute ensures that the entered data is valid after the model is updated by revalidating the bean properties.

Please look at the example below.


...

<rich:graphValidator summary="Invalid values: " value="#{dayStatistics}">

          <a4j:repeat value="#{dayStatistics.dayPasstimes}" var="pt" id="table">

                    <h:outputText value="#{pt.title}" />

                    <rich:inputNumberSpinner minValue="0" maxValue="24" value="#{pt.time}" id="time" />

                    <rich:message for="time" />

          </a4j:repeat>

</rich:graphValidator>

...

Hence, the given above code will provide the functionality that is illustrated on the images below.

Figure 6.3. "Games" field did not pass validation

As you can see from the picture the "Games" field did not pass validation, as <rich:graphValidator> can be used to perform validation of a single input item.

Figure 6.4. Total sum of all input values is incorrect

The figure above shows that the entered data was revalidated after all fields were completed, and the data did not pass revalidation since the total sum was incorrect.

6.26.5. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:graphValidator> usage and sources for the given example.

6.27. < rich:beanValidator >

6.27.1. Description

The <rich:beanValidator> is a component designed to provide validation using Hibernate model-based constraints

6.27.2. Key Features

Validation using Hibernate constraints

Table 6.56. rich : beanValidator attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	A ValueExpression that evaluates to an instance of FacesBeanValidator.
summary	Summary message for a validation errors.

Table 6.57. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.beanValidator
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlbeanValidator
component-family	org.richfaces.beanValidator
renderer-type	org.richfaces.beanValidatorRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.beanValidatorTag

6.27.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant of the component on a page use the following syntax:


...

<h:inputText value="#{validationBean.email}" id="email">

       <rich:beanValidator summary="Invalid email"/>

</h:inputText>

...

6.27.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

Starting from 3.2.2 GA version Rich Faces provides support for model-based constraints defined using Hibernate Validator. Thus it's possible to use Hibernate Validators the same as for Seam based applications.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlCalendar;   

...

HtmlbeanValidator mybeanValidator= new HtmlbeanValidator();

...

6.27.5. Details of Usage

The <rich:beanValidator> component is defined in the same way as any JSF validator. Look at the example below.


...

<rich:panel>

       <f:facet name="header">

              <h:outputText value="#{validationBean.progressString}" id="progress"/>

       </f:facet>

       <h:panelGrid columns="3">

              <h:outputText value="Name:" />

              <h:inputText value="#{validationBean.name}" id="name">

                     <rich:beanValidator summary="Invalid name"/>

              </h:inputText>

              <rich:message for="name" />

              <h:outputText value="Email:" />

              <h:inputText value="#{validationBean.email}" id="email">

                     <rich:beanValidator summary="Invalid email"/>

              </h:inputText>

              <rich:message for="email" />

              <f:facet name="footer">

                     <a4j:commandButton value="Submit" action="#{validationBean.success}" reRender="progress"/>

              </f:facet>

       </h:panelGrid>

</rich:panel>

...

Please play close attention on the bean code that contains the constraints defined with Hibernate annotation which perform validation of the input data.



package org.richfaces.demo.validation;


import org.hibernate.validator.Email;

import org.hibernate.validator.Length;

import org.hibernate.validator.NotEmpty;


public class ValidationBean {


    @NotEmpty

    @Length(min=3,max=12)

    private String name;

    @Email

    @NotEmpty

    private String email;

    

    public ValidationBean() {

    }


    public String getName() {

        return name;

    }


    public void setName(String name) {

        this.name = name;

    }


    public String getEmail() {

        return email;

    }


    public void setEmail(String email) {

        this.email = email;

    }

}

The following figure shows what happens if validation fails

Figure 6.5. <rich:beanValidator> usage

As you can see from the example that in order to validate the <rich:beanValidator> should be nested into a input JSF or RichFaces component.

The component has the only attribute - "summary" which displays validation messages about validation errors.

6.27.6. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:beanValidator> usage and sources for the given example.

6.28. < rich:calendar >

6.28.1. Description

The <rich:calendar> component is used for creating monthly calendar elements on a page.

Figure 6.6. <rich:calendar> component

6.28.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Popup representation
Disablement support
Smart and user-defined positioning
Cells customization
Macro substitution based on tool bars customization

Table 6.58. rich : calendar attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only. Default value is "true"
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
boundaryDatesMode	This attribute is responsible for behaviour of dates from the previous and next months which are displayed in the current month. Valid values are "inactive" (Default) dates inactive and gray colored, "scroll" boundaries work as month scrolling controls, and "select" boundaries work in the same way as "scroll" but with the date clicked selection. Default value is "inactive".
buttonClass	Style Class attribute for the popup button
buttonIcon	Defines icon for the popup button element. The attribute is ignored if the "buttonLabel" is set
buttonIconDisabled	Defines disabled icon for the popup button element. The attribute is ignored if the "buttonLabel" is set
buttonLabel	Defines label for the popup button element. If the attribute is set "buttonIcon" and "buttonIconDisabled" are ignored
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
cellHeight	attribute to set fixed cells height
cellWidth	attribute to set fixed cells width
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
currentDate	Defines current date
currentDateChangeListener	MethodExpression representing an action listener method that will be notified after date selection
dataModel	Used to provide data for calendar elements. If data is not provided, all Data Model related functions are disabled
datePattern	Defines date pattern. Default value is "MMM d, yyyy".
dayStyleClass	Should be binded to some JS function that will provide style classes for special sets of days highlighting.
defaultTime	Defines time that will be used: 1) to set time when the value is empty 2) to set time when date changes and flag "resetTimeOnDateSelect" is true. Default value is "getDefaultValueOfDefaultTime()"
direction	Defines direction of the calendar popup ("top-left", "top-right", "bottom-left", "bottom-right" (Default), "auto"). Default value is "bottom-right".
disabled	If "true", rendered is disabled. In "popup" mode both controls are disabled. Default value is "false".
enableManualInput	If "true" calendar input will be editable and it will be possible to change the date manualy. If "false" value for this attribute makes a text field "read-only", so the value can be changed only from a handle. Default value is "false".
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
firstWeekDay	Gets what the first day of the week is; e.g., SUNDAY in the U.S., MONDAY in France. Default value is "getDefaultFirstWeekDay()". Possible values should be integers from 0 to 6, 0 corresponds to Sunday
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
horizontalOffset	Sets the horizontal offset between button and calendar element conjunction point. Default value is "0".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
inputClass	Style Class attribute for the text field
inputSize	Defines the size of an input field. Similar to the "size" attribute of <h:inputText/>
inputStyle	Style attribute for text field
isDayEnabled	Should be binded to some JS function that returns day state.
jointPoint	Set the corner of the button for the popup to be connected with (top-left, top-right, bottom-left (Default), bottom-right, auto). Default value is "bottom-left".
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
locale	Used for locale definition. Default value is "getDefaultLocale()".
minDaysInFirstWeek	Gets what the minimal days required in the first week of the year are; e.g., if the first week is defined as one that contains the first day of the first month of a year, this method returns 1. If the minimal days required must be a full week, this method returns 7. Default value is "getDefaultMinDaysInFirstWeek()".
mode	Valid values: ajax or client. Default value is "client".
monthLabels	Attribute that allows to customize names of the months. Should accept list with the month names
monthLabelsShort	Attribute that allows to customize short names of the months. Should accept list with the month names
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onchanged	The client side script method to be called when the date or time is changed and applied to input
oncollapse	The client side script method to be called before the calendar popup is closed
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
oncurrentdateselect	The client side script method to be called when the current month or year is changed
oncurrentdateselected	The client side script method to be called after the current month or year is changed
ondatemouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the date cell
ondatemouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the date cell
ondateselect	The client side script method to be called when some date cell is selected
ondateselected	The client side script method to be called after some date cell is selected
onexpand	The client side script method to be called before the calendar popup is opened
oninputblur	The client side script method to be called when the input field loses the focus
oninputchange	The client side script method to be called when the input field value is changed manually
oninputclick	The client side script method to be called when the input field is clicked
oninputfocus	The client side script method to be called when the input field gets the focus
oninputkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down in the input field
oninputkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed and released in the input field
oninputkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released in the input field
oninputmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the input field
oninputmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the input field
oninputselect	The client side script method to be called when the input field value is selected
ontimeselect	The client side script method to be called before new time is selected
ontimeselected	The client side script method to be called after time is selected
popup	If "true", the calendar will be rendered initially as hidden with additional elements for calling as popup. Default value is "true".
preloadDateRangeBegin	Define the initial range of date which will be loaded to client from dataModel under rendering. Default value is "getDefaultPreloadBegin(getCurrentDateOrDefault())".
preloadDateRangeEnd	Defines the last range of date which will be loaded to client from dataModel under rendering. Default value is "getDefaultPreloadEnd(getCurrentDateOrDefault())".
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
readonly	If "true". Date and time are not selectable. In "popup" mode input is disabled and button is enabled. Default value is "false".
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
resetTimeOnDateSelect	If value is true then calendar should change time to defaultTime for newly-selected dates. Default value is "false"
showApplyButton	If false ApplyButton should not be shown. Default value is "false".
showFooter	If false Calendar's footer should not be shown. Default value is "true".
showHeader	If false Calendar's header should not be shown. Default value is "true".
showInput	"false" value for this attribute makes text field invisible. It works only if popupMode="true" If showInput is "true" - input field will be shown. Default value is "true".
showWeekDaysBar	If false this bar should not be shown. Default value is "true".
showWeeksBar	If false this bar should not be shown. Default value is "true".
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tabindex	This attribute specifies the position of the current element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767. User agents should ignore leading zeros
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
timeZone	Used for current date calculations. Default value is "getDefaultTimeZone()".
todayControlMode	This attribute defines the mode for "today" control. Possible values are "scroll", "select", "hidden". Default value is "select".
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
verticalOffset	Sets the vertical offset between button and calendar element conjunction point. Default value is "0".
weekDayLabels	List of the day names displays on the days bar in the following way "Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, "
weekDayLabelsShort	Attribute that allows to customize short names of the weeks. Should accept list with the weeks names.
zindex	Attribute is similar to the standard HTML attribute and can specify window placement relative to the content. Default value is "3".

Table 6.59. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.Calendar
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlCalendar
component-family	org.richfaces.Calendar
renderer-type	org.richfaces.CalendarRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.CalendarTag

6.28.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

      <rich:calendar popup="false"/>

...

6.28.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The "popup" attribute defines calendar representation mode on a page. If it's "true" the calendar is represented on a page as an input field and a button. Clicking on the button calls the calendar popup as it's shown on the picture below.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlCalendar;

...

HtmlCalendar myCalendar = new HtmlCalendar();

...

6.28.5. Details of Usage

Figure 6.7. Using the "popup" attribute: calendar calls after you click on the button.

Usage "currentDate" attribute isn't available in the popup mode.

The "value" attribute stores selected date currently.

With help of the "currentDate" attribute you can define month and year which will be displayed currently.

The "todayControlMode" attribute defines the mode for "today" control. Possible values are:

"hidden" - in this mode "Today" button will not be displayed
"select" - (default) in this state "Today" button activation will scroll the calendar to the current date and it become selected date
"scroll" - in this mode "Today" activation will simply scroll the calendar to current month without changing selected day.

With the help of the "readonly" attribute you can make date, time and input field unavailable, but you can look through the next/previous month or the next/previous year.

In order to disable the component, use the "disabled" attribute. With its help both controls are disabled in the "popup" mode.

Figure 6.8. Using the "disabled" attribute.

The <rich:calendar> component can render pages of days in two modes. A mode could be defined with the "mode" attribute with two possible parameters: "ajax" and "client". Default value is "client".

Ajax

Calendar requests portions of data from Data Model for a page rendering. If "dataModel" attribute has "null" value, data requests are not sent. In this case the "ajax" mode is equal to the "client".

Client

Calendar loads an initial portion of data in a specified range and use this data to render months. Additional data requests are not sent.

Note:

"preloadDateRangeBegin" and "preloadDateRangeEnd" attributes were designed only for the "client" mode to load some data initially.

Refer to Section 5.4, “Limitations and Rules” for limitations on serializing data.

"ondateselect" attribute is used to define an event that is triggered before date selection.

The "ondateselected" attribute is used to define an event that is triggered after date selection.

For example, to fire some event after date selection you should use <a4j:support> . And it should be bound to "ondateselected" event as it's shown in the example below:


...

<rich:calendar id="date" value="#{bean.dateTest}">

          <a4j:support event="ondateselected" reRender="mainTable"/>

</rich:calendar>

...

Note:

When a timePicker was fulfilled, the "ondateselected" attribute does not allow you to submit a selected date. It happens because this event rose when the date is selected but the input hasn't been updated with new value yet.

"ondateselect" could be used for possibility of date selection canceling. See an example below:


...

<rich:calendar id="date" value="#{bean.dateTest}" ondateselect="if (!confirm('Are you sure to change date?')){return false;}"/>

...

"oncurrentdateselected" event is fired when the "next/previous month" or "next/previous year" button is pressed, and the value is applied.

"oncurrentdateselect" event is fired when the "next/previous month" or "next/previous year" button is pressed, but the value is not applied yet (you can change the logic of applying the value). Also this event could be used for possibility of "next/previous month" or "next/previous year" selection canceling. See an example below:

Example:


...

<rich:calendar id="date" value="#{bean.dateTest}" oncurrentdateselect="if (!confirm('Are you sure to change month(year)?')){return false;}"

          oncurrentdateselected="alert('month(year) select:'+event.rich.date.toString());"/>

...

How to use these attributes see also on the RichFaces Users Forum.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find in the corresponding section .

There are three button-related attributes:

"buttonLabel" defines a label for the button. If the attribute is set "buttonIcon" and "buttonIconDisabled" are ignored
"buttonIcon" defines an icon for the button
"buttonIconDisabled" defines an icon for the disabled state of the button

The "direction" and "jointPoint" attributes are used for defining aspects of calendar appearance.

The possible values for the "direction" are:

"top-left" - a calendar drops to the top and left
"top-right" - a calendar drops to the top and right
"bottom-left" - a calendar drops to the bottom and left
"bottom-right" - a calendar drops to the bottom and right
"auto" - smart positioning activation

By default, the "direction" attribute is set to "bottom-right".

The possible values for the "jointPoint" are:

"top-left" - a calendar docked to the top-left point of the button element
"top-right" - a calendar docked to the top-right point of the button element
"bottom-left" - a calendar docked to the bottom-left point of the button element
"bottom-right" - a calendar docked to the bottom-right point of the button element
"auto" - smart positioning activation

By default, the "jointPoint" attribute is set to "bottom-left".

The "label" attribute is a generic attribute. The "label" attribute provides an association between a component, and the message that the component (indirectly) produced. This attribute defines the parameters of localized error and informational messages that occur as a result of conversion, validation, or other application actions during the request processing lifecycle. With the help of this attribute you can replace the last parameter substitution token shown in the messages. For example, {1} for "DoubleRangeValidator.MAXIMUM", {2} for "ShortConverter.SHORT".

The "defaultTime" attribute to set the default time value for the current date in two cases:

If time is not set
If another date is selected and the value of the "resetTimeOnDateSelect" attribute is set to "true"

The "enableManualInput" attribute enables/disables input field, so when enableManualInput = "false", user can only pick the date manually and has no possibility to type in the date (default value is "false").

The <rich:calendar> component allows to use "header" , "footer" , "optionalHeader" , "optionalFooter" facets. The following elements are available in these facets: {currentMonthControl}, {nextMonthControl}, {nextYearControl}, {previousYearControl}, {previousMonthControl}, {todayControl}, {selectedDateControl}. These elements could be used for labels output.

Also you can use "weekNumber" facet with available {weekNumber}, {elementId} elements and "weekDay" facet with {weekDayLabel}, {weekDayLabelShort}, {weekDayNumber}, {isWeekend}, {elementId} elements. {weekNumber}, {weekDayLabel}, {weekDayLabelShort}, {weekDayNumber} elements could be used for labels output, {isWeekend}, {elementId} - for additional processing in JavaScript code.

These elements are shown on the picture below.

Figure 6.9. Available elements

Simple example of usage is placed below.

Example:


...

<!-- Styles for cells -->

<style>

    .width100{

        width:100%;

    }

    .talign{

        text-align:center;

    }

</style>

 ...


...

<rich:calendar id="myCalendar" popup="true" locale="#{calendarBean.locale}" value="#{bean.date}"

                            preloadRangeBegin="#{bean.date}" preloadRangeEnd="#{bean.date}" cellWidth="40px" cellHeight="40px">



<!-- Customization with usage of facets and accessible elements -->

    <f:facet name="header">

        <h:panelGrid columns="2" width="100%" columnClasses="width100, fake">

            <h:outputText value="{selectedDateControl}" />

            <h:outputText value="{todayControl}"  style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left"/>

        </h:panelGrid>

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="weekDay">

        <h:panelGroup style="width:60px; overflow:hidden;" layout="block">

            <h:outputText value="{weekDayLabelShort}"/>

        </h:panelGroup>

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="weekNumber">

         <h:panelGroup>

            <h:outputText value="{weekNumber}" style="color:red"/>

        </h:panelGroup>

     </f:facet>

     <f:facet name="footer">

        <h:panelGrid columns="3" width="100%" columnClasses="fake, width100 talign">

            <h:outputText value="{previousMonthControl}" style="font-weight:bold;"/>

            <h:outputText value="{currentMonthControl}" style="font-weight:bold;"/>

            <h:outputText value="{nextMonthControl}" style="font-weight:bold;"/>

        </h:panelGrid>

    </f:facet>

    <h:outputText value="{day}"></h:outputText>

</rich:calendar>

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.10. Facets usage

As it's shown on the picture above {selectedDateControl}, {todayControl} elements are placed in the "header" facet, {previousMonthControl}, {currentMonthControl}, {nextMonthControl} - in the "footer" facet, {weekDayLabelShort} - in the "weekDay" facet, {nextYearControl}, {previousYearControl} are absent. Numbers of weeks are red colored.

It is possible to show and manage date. Except scrolling controls you can use quick month and year selection feature. It's necessary to click on its field, i.e. current month control, and choose required month and year.

Figure 6.11. Quick month and year selection

Also the <rich:calendar> component allows to show and manage time. It's necessary to define time in a pattern (for example, it could be defined as "d/M/yy HH:mm"). Then after you choose some data in the calendar, it becomes possible to manage time for this date. For time editing it's necessary to click on its field (see a picture below). To clean the field click on the "Clean".

Figure 6.12. Timing

It's possible to handle events for calendar from JavaScript code. A simplest example of usage JavaScript API is placed below:

Example:


...

         <rich:calendar value="#{calendarBean.selectedDate}" id="calendarID"

                        locale="#{calendarBean.locale}"

                        popup="#{calendarBean.popup}"

                        datePattern="#{calendarBean.pattern}"

                        showApplyButton="#{calendarBean.showApply}" style="width:200px"/>

     <a4j:commandLink onclick="$('formID:calendarID').component.doExpand(event)" value="Expand"/>

...

Also the discussion about this problem can be found on the RichFaces Users Forum.

The <rich:calendar> component provides the possibility to use a special Data Model to define data for element rendering. Data Model includes two major interfaces:

CalendarDataModel provides the following function:

CalendarDataModelItem[] getData(Date[]);

This method is called when it's necessary to represent the next block of CalendarDataModelItem. It happens during navigation to the next (previous) month or in any other case when calendar renders. This method is called in "Ajax" mode when the calendar renders a new page.

CalendarDataModelItem provides the following function:

Date getDate() - returns date from the item. Default implementation returns date.
Boolean isEnabled() - returns "true" if date is "selectable" on the calendar. Default implementation returns "true".
String getStyleClass() - returns string appended to the style class for the date span. For example it could be "relevant holyday". It means that the class could be defined like the "rich-cal-day-relevant-holyday" one. Default implementation returns empty string.
Object getData() - returns any additional payload that must be JSON-serializable object. It could be used in the custom date representation on the calendar (inside the custom facet).

The <rich:calendar> component provides the possibility to use internationalization method to redefine and localize the labels. You could use application resource bundle and define RICH_CALENDAR_APPLY_LABEL, RICH_CALENDAR_TODAY_LABEL, RICH_CALENDAR_CLOSE_LABEL, RICH_CALENDAR_OK_LABEL, RICH_CALENDAR_CLEAN_LABEL, RICH_CALENDAR_CANCEL_LABEL there.

You could also pack org.richfaces.renderkit.calendar resource bundle with your JARs defining the same properties.

Note:

Only for Internet Explorer 6 and later. To make <rich:calendar> inside <rich:modalPanel> rendered properly, enable the standards-compliant mode. Explore !DOCTYPE reference at MSDN to find out how to do this.

6.28.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.60. JavaScript API

Function	Description
selectDate(date)	Selects the date specified. If the date isn't in current month - performs request to select
isDateEnabled(date)	Checks if given date is selectable (to be implemented)
enableDate(date)	Enables date cell control on the calendar (to be implemented)
disableDate(date)	Disables date cell control on the calendar (to be implemented)
enableDates(date[])	Enables dates cell controls set on the calendar (to be implemented)
disableDates(date[])	Disables dates cell controls set on the calendar (to be implemented)
nextMonth()	Navigates to next month
nextYear()	Navigates to next year
prevMonth()	Navigates to previous month
prevYear()	Navigates to previous year
today()	Selects today date
getSelectedDate()	Returns currently selected date
Object getData()	Returns additional data for the date
getCurrentMonth()	Returns number of the month currently being viewed
getCurrentYear()	Returns number of the year currently being viewed
doCollapse()	Collapses calendar element
doExpand()	Expands calendar element
resetSelectedDate()	Clears a selected day value
doSwitch()	Inverts a state for the popup calendar

6.28.7. Facets

Table 6.61. Facets

Facet	Description
header	Redefines calendar header. Related attribute is "showHeader"
footer	Redefines calendar footer. Related attribute is "showFooter"
optionalHeader	Defines calendar's optional header
optionalFooter	Defines calendar's optional footer
weekNumber	Redefines week number
weekDay	Redefines names of the week days. Related attributes are "weekDayLabels" and "weekDayLabelsShort"

6.28.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:calendar> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:calendar> component

6.28.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.62. Skin parameters redefinition for a popup element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.63. Skin parameters redefinition for headers (header, optional header)

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.64. Skin parameters redefinition for footers (footer, optional footer) and names of working days

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-top-color
panelBorderColor	border-right-color
additionalBackgroundColor	background
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.65. Skin parameters redefinition for weeks numbers

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color
panelBorderColor	border-right-color
additionalBackgroundColor	background
calendarWeekBackgroundColor	background-color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.66. Skin parameters redefinition for a toolBar and names of months

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerSizeFont	font-size
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerWeightFont	font-weight
headerTextColor	color

Table 6.67. Skin parameters redefinition for cells with days

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color
panelBorderColor	border-right-color
generalBackgroundColor	background-color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.68. Skin parameters redefinition for holiday

Skin parameters	CSS properties
calendarHolidaysBackgroundColor	background-color
calendarHolidaysTextColor	color

Table 6.69. Skin parameters redefinition for cell with a current date

Skin parameters	CSS properties
calendarCurrentBackgroundColor	background-color
calendarCurrentTextColor	color

Table 6.70. Skin parameters redefinition for a selected day

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerTextColor	color
headerWeightFont	font-weight

Table 6.71. Skin parameters redefinition for a popup element during quick month and year selection

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.72. Skin parameters redefinition for a shadow

Skin parameters	CSS properties
shadowBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.73. Skin parameters redefinition for a selected month and year

Skin parameters	CSS properties
calendarCurrentBackgroundColor	background-color
calendarCurrentTextColor	color

Table 6.74. Skin parameters redefinition for a hovered month and year

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
calendarSpecBackgroundColor	background

Table 6.75. Skin parameters redefinition for a month items near split line

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-right-color

Table 6.76. Skin parameters redefinition for a hovered toolbar items

Skin parameters	CSS properties
calendarWeekBackgroundColor	background-color
generalTextColor	color
tableBackgroundColor	border-color
panelBorderColor	border-right-color
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color

Table 6.77. Skin parameters redefinition for a pressed toolbar items

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
tableBackgroundColor	border-right-color
tableBackgroundColor	border-bottom-color

Table 6.78. Skin parameters redefinition for "ok" and "cancel" buttons

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background
panelBorderColor	border-top-color

Table 6.79. Skin parameters redefinition for a popup element during time selection

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.80. Skin parameters redefinition for a wrapper <td> element for an input field

Skin parameters	CSS properties
controlBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color
subBorderColor	border-bottom-color
subBorderColor	border-right-color

Table 6.81. Skin parameters redefinition for an input field

Skin parameters	CSS properties
buttonSizeFont	font-size
buttonFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.82. Skin parameters redefinition for a wrapper <td> element for spinner buttons

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerBackgroundColor	border-color

6.28.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.13. Style classes

Figure 6.14. Style classes

Figure 6.15. Style classes

Figure 6.16. Style classes

Table 6.83. Classes names that define an input field and a button appearance

Class name	Description
rich-calendar-input	Defines styles for an input field
rich-calendar-button	Defines styles for a popup button

Table 6.84. Classes names that define a days appearance

Class name	Description
rich-calendar-days	Defines styles for names of working days in a header
rich-calendar-weekends	Defines styles for names of weekend in a header
rich-calendar-week	Defines styles for weeks numbers
rich-calendar-today	Defines styles for cell with a current date
rich-calendar-cell	Defines styles for cells with days
rich-calendar-holly	Defines styles for holiday
rich-calendar-select	Defines styles for a selected day
rich-calendar-hover	Defines styles for a hovered day

Table 6.85. Classes names that define a popup element

Class name	Description
rich-calendar-popup	Defines styles for a popup element
rich-calendar-exterior	Defines styles for a popup element exterior
rich-calendar-tool	Defines styles for toolbars
rich-calendar-month	Defines styles for names of months
rich-calendar-header-optional	Defines styles for an optional header
rich-calendar-footer-optional	Defines styles for an optional footer
rich-calendar-header	Defines styles for a header
rich-calendar-footer	Defines styles for a footer
rich-calendar-boundary-dates	Defines styles for an active boundary button
rich-calendar-btn	Defines styles for an inactive boundary date
rich-calendar-toolfooter	Defines styles for a today control date

Table 6.86. Classes names that define a popup element during quick month and year selection

Class name	Description
rich-calendar-date-layout	Defines styles for a popup element during quick year selection
rich-calendar-editor-layout-shadow	Defines styles for a shadow
rich-calendar-editor-btn	Defines styles for an inactive boundary date
rich-calendar-date-layout-split	Defines styles for a wrapper <td> element for month items near split line
rich-calendar-editor-btn-selected	Defines styles for an selected boundary date
rich-calendar-editor-btn-over	Defines styles for a boundary date when pointer was moved onto
rich-calendar-editor-tool-over	Defines styles for a hovered toolbar items
rich-calendar-editor-tool-press	Defines styles for a pressed toolbar items
rich-calendar-date-layout-ok	Defines styles for a "ok" button
rich-calendar-date-layout-cancel	Defines styles for a "cancel" button

Table 6.87. Classes names that define a popup element during time selection

Class name	Description
rich-calendar-time-layout	Defines styles for a popup element during time selection
rich-calendar-editor-layout-shadow	Defines styles for a shadow
rich-calendar-time-layout-fields	Defines styles for a wrapper <td> element for input fields and buttons
rich-calendar-spinner-input-container	Defines styles for a wrapper <td> element for an input field
rich-calendar-spinner-input	Defines styles for an input field
rich-calendar-spinner-buttons	Defines styles for a wrapper <td> element for spinner buttons
rich-calendar-spinner-up	Defines styles for a "up" button
rich-calendar-spinner-down	Defines styles for a "down" button
rich-calendar-time-layout-ok	Defines styles for a "ok" button
rich-calendar-time-layout-cancel	Defines styles for a "cancel" button

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:calendar> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-calendar-today {

    background-color: #FF0000;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.17. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example an active cell background color was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:calendar> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:calendar> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myFontClass{

    font-style: italic;

}

...

The "inputClass" attribute for <rich:calendar> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:calendar ... inputClass="myFontClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.18. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style for output text was changed.

6.28.11. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:calendar> usage and sources for the given example.

How to use JavaScript API see on the RichFaces Users Forum.

6.29. < rich:colorPicker >

6.29.1. Description

The <rich:colorPicker> component lets you visually choose a color or define it in hex, RGB, or HSB input fields.

Figure 6.19. Simple <rich:colorPicker> component

6.29.2. Key Features

Possibility to get color in hex, or RGB color models
Flat/inline representation
Highly customizable look and feel

Table 6.88. rich : colorPicker attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
colorMode	Defines a color mode for the component input. Possible values are hex, rgb.
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
flat	Defines whether the component will be rendered flat.
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
onbeforeshow	The client side script method to be called before the component widget is opened
onchange	The client side script method to be called when the element value was changed
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onhide	The client side script method to be called before the component widget is hidden
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselect	The client side script method to be called when the color is selected
onshow	The client side script method to be called when the component widget is displayed
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
showEvent	Defines the event that triggers the colorPicker. Default value is "onclick".
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes

Table 6.89. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ColorPicker
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlColorPicker
component-family	org.richfaces.ColorPicker
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ColorPickerRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ColorPickerTag

6.29.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example of how the component can be used on a page:




...

<rich:colorPicker value="#{bean.color}" />

...

6.29.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:colorPicker> component allows you easily select a color or define it in hex, RGB, or HSB input fields. There are two squares in the widget that help you to compare the currently selected color and the already selected color.



import org.richfaces.component.html.colorPicker;

... 

HtmlColorPicker myColorPicker = new ColorPicker();

...

6.29.5. Details of Usage

The "value" attribute stores the selected color.

The value of the <rich:colorPicker> component could be saved in hex or RGB color models. You can explicitly define a color model in the "colorMode" attribute.




...

<rich:colorPicker value="#{bean.color}" colorMode="rgb" />

...

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Figure 6.20. Usage of the "colorMode" attribute.

The <rich:colorPicker> component has two representation states: flat and inline. With the help of the "flat" attribute you can define whether the component is rendered flat.

Example:




...

<rich:colorPicker value="#{bean.color}" flat="true" />

...

The component specific event handler "onbeforeshow" captures the event which occurs before the <rich:colorPicker> widget is opened. The "onbeforeshow" attribute could be used in order to cancel this event. See the example below:




...

<rich:colorPicker value="#{bean.color}" onbeforeshow="if (!confirm('Are you sure you want to change a color?')){return false;}" />

...

The "showEvent" attribute defines the event that shows <rich:colorPicker> widget. The default value is "onclick".

The <rich:colorPicker> component allows to use the "icon" facet.

You can also customize <rich:colorPicker> rainbow slider ( ) with the help of the "arrows" facet.




...

<rich:colorPicker value="#{bean.color}">

    <f:facet name="icon">

        <h:graphicImage value="/pages/colorPicker_ico.png" />

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="arrows">

        <f:verbatim>        

            <div style="width: 33px; height: 5px; border: 1px solid #bed6f8; background:none;" />

        </f:verbatim>

    </f:facet>

</rich:colorPicker>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.21. Usage of the "icon" , and "arrows" facets

6.29.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:colorPicker> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add style classes used by a <rich:colorPicker> component to your style sheets

6.29.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.90. Skin parameters redefinition for the input field that contains selected color

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.91. Skin parameters redefinition for the wrapper <div> element of a widget

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
generalBackgroundColor	background-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.92. Skin parameters redefinition for the icon, color palette, current color, and new color

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.93. Skin parameters redefinition for the hex, RGB, and HSB input fileds

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color
panelBorderColor	border-color
controlBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.94. Skin parameters redefinition for the "Apply" and "Cancel" button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
buttonFontSize	font-size
buttonFamilyFont	font-family
headerTextColor	color
headerBackgroundColor	border-color
panelBorderColor	border-color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family
headerBackgroundColor	background-color

6.29.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.22. Classes names

Table 6.95. Classes names for the representation of the input field and icon containing selected color

Selector name	Description
.rich-colorPicker-span input	Defines styles for the input field that contains selected color
.rich-colorPicker-icon	Defines styles for the icon

Table 6.96. Classes names for the widget

Class name	Description
.rich-colorPicker-ext	Defines styles for the wrapper <div> element of a widget
.rich-colorPicker-color	Defines styles for the color palette
.rich-colorPicker-current-color	Defines styles for the currently selected color
.rich-colorPicker-new-color	Defines styles for the already selected color
.rich-colorPicker-colors-input	Defines styles for the hex, RGB, and HSB input fileds

Table 6.97. Classes names for the buttons representation

Class name	Description
.rich-colorPicker-submit	Defines styles for the "Apply" button
.rich-colorPicker-cancel	Defines styles for the "Cancel" button

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:colorPicker> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-colorPicker-ext{

    background-color: #ecf4fe;

}                     

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.23. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the shown example the background color for the widget is changed.

6.29.9. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:colorPicker> component usage and sources for the given example.

6.30. < rich:comboBox >

6.30.1. Description

The <rich:comboBox> is a component, that provides editable combo box element on a page.

Figure 6.24. <rich:comboBox> component

Table 6.98. rich : comboBox attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
buttonClass	Style Class attribute for the button
buttonDisabledClass	Style Class attribute for the disabled button
buttonDisabledStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to disabled button
buttonIcon	Defines icon for the button element
buttonIconDisabled	Defines disabled icon for the button element
buttonIconInactive	Defines inactive icon for the button element
buttonInactiveClass	Style Class attribute for the inactive button
buttonInactiveStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to inactive button
buttonStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to button
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
defaultLabel	Defines default label for the input field element
directInputSuggestions	Defines the first value from the suggested in input field. Default value is "false".
disabled	When set for a form control, this boolean attribute disables the control for your input
enableManualInput	Enables keyboard input, if "false" keyboard input will be locked. Default value is "true"
filterNewValues	Defines the appearance of values in the list. Default value is "true".
hideDelay	Delay between losing focus and pop-up list closing. Default value is "0".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
inputClass	Style Class attribute for the input field
inputDisabledClass	Style Class attribute for the disabled input
inputDisabledStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to disabled input
inputInactiveClass	Style Class attribute for the inactive input
inputInactiveStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to inactive input
inputStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to input field
itemClass	Style Class attribute for the items
itemSelectedClass	Style Class attribute for the selected item
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
listClass	Style Class attribute for the popup list
listHeight	Defines height of file pop-up list. Default value is "200px".
listStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to popup list
listWidth	Defines width of file popup list
onblur	The client side script method to be called when the element loses the focus
onchange	The client side script method to be called when the element value is changed
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onfocus	The client side script method to be called when the element gets the focus
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onlistcall	The clientside script method to be called when the list is called
onlistclose	The clientside script method to be called when the list is closed
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselect	The client side script method to be called when some text is selected in the text field. This attribute can be used with the INPUT and TEXTAREA elements.
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
selectFirstOnUpdate	Defines if the first value from suggested is selected in pop-up list. Default value is "true".
showDelay	Delay between event and pop-up list showing. Default value is "0".
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
suggestionValues	Defines the suggestion collection
tabindex	This attribute specifies the position of the current element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767. User agents should ignore leading zeros
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
width	Width of the component. Default value is "150".

Table 6.99. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ComboBox
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlComboBox
component-family	org.richfaces.ComboBox
renderer-type	org.richfaces.renderkit.ComboBoxRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ComboBoxTag

6.30.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

<rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" />

...

6.30.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:comboBox> is a simplified suggestion box component, that provides input with client side suggestions. The component could be in two states:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlComboBox;

... 

HtmlComboBox myComboBox = new HtmlComboBox();

...

6.30.5. Details of Usage

Default - only input and button is shown
Input, button and a popup list of suggestions attached to input is shown

There are two ways to get values for the popup list of suggestions:

Using the "suggestionValues" attribute, that defines the suggestion collection

Using the <f:selectItem /> or <f:selectItems /> JSF components.


...

<rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" />    

...

These JSF components consider only the "value" attribute for this component.


...

<rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" valueChangeListener="#{bean.selectionChanged}">

        <f:selectItems  value="#{bean.selectItems}"/>

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Oregon"/>            

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Pennsylvania"/>

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Rhode Island"/>

        <f:selectItem itemValue="South Carolina"/>

</rich:comboBox>            

...

Note:

Popup list content loads at page render time. No additional requests could be performed on the popup calling.

The "value" attribute stores value from input after submit.

The "directInputSuggestions" attribute defines, how the first value from the suggested one appears in an input field. If it's "true" the first value appears with the suggested part highlighted.


...

<rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" directInputSuggestions="true" />            

...

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Figure 6.25. <rich:comboBox> with "directInputSuggestions" attribute.

The "selectFirstOnUpdate" attribute defines if the first value from suggested is selected in a popup list. If it's "false" nothing is selected in the list before a user hovers some item with the mouse.

Example:


...

<rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" selectFirstOnUpdate="false" />           

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.26. <rich:comboBox> with "selectFirstOnUpdate" attribute.

The "defaultLabel" attribute defines the default label of the input element. Simple example is placed below.

Example:


...

<rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" defaultLabel="Select a city..." />            

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.27. <rich:comboBox> with "defaultLabel" attribute.

With the help of the "disabled" attribute you can disable the whole <rich:comboBox> component. See the following example.

Example:


...

<rich:comboBox value="#{bean.state}" suggestionValues="#{bean.suggestions}" defaultLabel="Select a city..." disabled="true" />            

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.28. <rich:comboBox> with "disabled" attribute.

The "enableManualInput" attribute enables/disables input field, so when enableManualInput = "false", user can only pick the value manually and has no possibility to type in the value (default value is "false").

The <rich:comboBox> component provides to use specific event attributes:

"onlistcall" which is fired before the list opening and gives you a possibility to cancel list popup/update
"onselect" which gives you a possibility to send AJAX request when item is selected

The <rich:comboBox> component allows to use sizes attributes:

"listWidth" and "listHeight" attributes specify popup list sizes with values in pixels
"width" attribute customizes the size of input element with values in pixels.

6.30.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.100. JavaScript API

Function	Description
showList()	Shows the popup list
hideList()	Hides the popup list
enable()	Enables the control for input
disable()	Disables the control for input

6.30.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:comboBox> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:comboBox> component

6.30.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.101. Skin parameters redefinition for a popup list

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.102. Skin parameters redefinition for a button background, inactive button background, button background in pressed and disabled state

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.103. Skin parameters redefinition for a button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-top-color
panelBorderColor	border-left-color

Table 6.104. Skin parameters redefinition for an inactive button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-top-color
panelBorderColor	border-left-color

Table 6.105. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-top-color
panelBorderColor	border-left-color

Table 6.106. Skin parameters redefinition for a hovered button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
selectControlColor	border-color

Table 6.107. Skin parameters redefinition for a font

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.108. Skin parameters redefinition for a font in inactive state

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.109. Skin parameters redefinition for a font in disabled state

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerFamilyFont	font-size
headerFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.110. Skin parameters redefinition for an input field

Skin parameters	CSS properties
controlBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color
panelBorderColor	border-right-color

Table 6.111. Skin parameters redefinition for an inactive input field

Skin parameters	CSS properties
controlBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color
panelBorderColor	border-right-color

Table 6.112. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled input field

Skin parameters	CSS properties
controlBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color
panelBorderColor	border-right-color

Table 6.113. Skin parameters redefinition for an item

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.114. Skin parameters redefinition for a selected item

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerBackgroundColor	border-color
generalTextColor	color

6.30.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.29. Classes names

Figure 6.30. Classes names

Table 6.115. Classes names that define popup list representation

Class name	Description
rich-combobox-shell	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a list
rich-combobox-list-position	Defines position of a list
rich-combobox-list-decoration	Defines styles for a list
rich-combobox-list-scroll	Defines styles for a list scrolling

Table 6.116. Classes names that define font representation

Class name	Description
rich-combobox-font	Defines styles for a font
rich-combobox-font-inactive	Defines styles for an inactive font
rich-combobox-font-disabled	Defines styles for a disabled font

Table 6.117. Classes names that define input field representation

Class name	Description
rich-combobox-input	Defines styles for an input field
rich-combobox-input-disabled	Defines styles for an input field in disabled state
rich-combobox-input-inactive	Defines styles for an inactive input field

Table 6.118. Classes names that define item representation

Class name	Description
rich-combobox-item	Defines styles for an item
rich-combobox-item-selected	Defines styles for a selected item

Table 6.119. Classes names that define button representation

Class name	Description
rich-combobox-button	Defines styles for a button
rich-combobox-button-inactive	Defines styles for an inactive button
rich-combobox-button-disabled	Defines styles for a button in disabled state
rich-combobox-button-hovered	Defines styles for a hovered button
rich-combobox-button-background	Defines styles for a button background
rich-combobox-button-background-disabled	Defines styles for a disabled button background
rich-combobox-button-background-inactive	Defines styles for an inactive button background
rich-combobox-button-pressed-background	Defines styles for a pressed button background
rich-combobox-button-icon	Defines styles for a button icon
rich-combobox-button-icon-inactive	Defines styles for an inactive button icon
rich-combobox-button-icon-disabled	Defines styles for a disabled button icon

Table 6.120. Classes names that define shadow representation

Class name	Description
rich-combobox-shadow	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a shadow
rich-combobox-shadow-tl	Defines styles for a top-left element of a shadow
rich-combobox-shadow-tr	Defines styles for a top-right element of a shadow
rich-combobox-shadow-bl	Defines styles for a bottom-left element of a shadow
rich-combobox-shadow-br	Defines styles for a bottom-right element of a shadow

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:comboBox> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-combobox-list-decoration{

        background-color:#ecf4fe;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.31. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example background color for popup list was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:comboBox> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:comboBox> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        font-weight:bold;

}

...

The "listClass" attribute for <rich:comboBox> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:comboBox ... listClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.32. Redefinition styles with own classes and "styleClass" attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font weight for items was changed.

6.30.10. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:comboBox> usage and sources for the given example.

6.31. < rich:componentControl >

6.31.1. Description

The <rich:componentControl> allows to call JavaScript API functions on components after defined events.

6.31.2. Key Features

Management of components JavaScript API
Customizable initialization variants
Customizable activation events
Possibility to pass parameters to the target component

Table 6.121. rich : componentControl attributes

Attribute Name	Description
attachTiming	Defines the page loading phase when componentControl is attached to another component. Default value is "onavailable"
attachTo	Client identifier of the component or id of the existing DOM element that is a source for given event. If attachTo is defined, the event is attached on the client according to the attachTiming attribute. If attachTo is not defined, the event is attached on the server to the closest in the component tree parent component.
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
disableDefault	Disable default action for target event ( append "return false;" to JavaScript )
event	The Event that is used to trigger the operation on the target component
for	Client identifier of the target component.
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
name	The optional name of the function that might be used to trigger the operation on the target component
operation	The function of JavaScript API that will be invoked. The API method is attached to the 'component' property of the root DOM element that represents the target component. The function has two parameters - event and params. See: 'params' attribute for details.
params	The set of parameters passed to the function of Javascript API that will be invoked. The JSON syntax is used to define the parameters, but without open and closed curve bracket. As an alternative, the set of f:param can be used to define the parameters passed to the API function. If both way are used to define the parameters, both set are concatenated. if names are equals, the f:param has a priority.
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered

Table 6.122. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ComponentControl
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlComponentControl
component-family	org.richfaces.ComponentControl
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ComponentControlRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ComponentControlTag

6.31.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:componentControl attachTo="doExpandCalendarID" for="ccCalendarID" event="onclick" operation="Expand" />

...

6.31.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<rich:componentControl> is a command component, that allows to call JavaScript API function on some defined event. Look at the example:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlComponentControl;   

...

HtmlComponentControl myComponentControl = new HtmlComponentControl();

...

6.31.5. Details of Usage


...

<rich:componentControl attachTo="doExpandCalendarID" event="onclick" for="ccCalendarID" operation="Expand"/>

...

In other words it means "clicking on the component with ID 'doExpandCalendarID', expands the component with ID 'ccCalendarID'". It can be said, that <rich:componentControl> connects two components with the help of JavaScript API function.

Component ID, to wich the event, that invokes JavaScript API function is applied, is defined with "attachTo" attribute (see the exapmle above). If "attachTo" attribute is not defined, the component will be attached to the parent component.

On the result page the component is rendered to JavaScript code. This means, that it is possible to invoke the <rich:componentControl> handler operation as usual JavaScript function. This function is called by name, specified in the component "name" attribute. The definition of "name" attribute is shown on the example below:


...

<h:commandButton value="Show Modal Panel">

      <rich:componentControl for="ccModalPanelID" event="onclick" operation="show"/> <!--attached to the commandButton-->

</h:commandButton>

...


...

<rich:componentControl name="func" event="onRowClick" for="menu" operation="show" />

...

The generated JavaScript function will look as shown below:


function func (event) {

}

An important <rich:componentControl> feature, is that it allows transferring parameters, with the help of special attribute "params" .

The alternative way for parameters transferring uses <f:param> attribute. As the code above, the following code will represent the same functionality.


...

<rich:componentControl name="func" event="onRowClick" for="menu" operation="show" params=#{car.model}"/>

...

With the help of the "attachTiming" attribute you can define the page loading phase when <rich:componentControl> is attached to source component. Possible values are:


...

<rich:componentControl event="onRowClick" for="menu" operation="show">

      <f:param value="#{car.model}" name="model"/>

</rich:componentControl>

...

"immediate" - attached during execution of <rich:componentControl> script
"onavailable" - attached after the target component is initialized
"onload" - attached after the page is loaded

<rich:componentControl> interacts with such components as: <rich:contextMenu> , <rich:toolTip> , <rich:modalPanel > , <rich:listShuttle> , <rich:orderingList> , <rich:calendar>

In order to use <rich:componentControl> with another component you should place the id of this component into "for" attribute field. All operations with defined component you can find in the JavaScript API section of defined component.


...

<f:view>

    <h:form>

        <br />

        <rich:toolTip id="toolTipFor" followMouse="false" direction="top-right" mode="ajax" value="This is button" 

                      horizontalOffset="5" verticalOffset="5" layout="block" />

    </h:form>

    <h:commandButton id="ButtonID" value="Button">

        <rich:componentControl for="toolTipFor" attachTo="ButtonID" operation="show" event="onclick"/>

    </h:commandButton>

</f:view>

...

<rich:componentControl> has no skin parameters and custom style classes, as the component isn't visual.

Figure 6.33. <rich:toolTip> shows with the help of <rich:componentControl> .

As it could be seen in the picture above, the <rich:toolTip> shows after you click the button.

6.31.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

6.31.7. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:componentControl> usage and sources for the given example.

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information about <f:param> component.

6.32. < rich:contextMenu >

6.32.1. Description

The <rich:contextMenu> component is used for creation multileveled context menus that are activated after a user defines an event ( "onmouseover" , "onclick" , etc.) on any element on the page.

Figure 6.34. <rich:contextMenu> component

6.32.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
"oncontextmenu" event support
Disablement support
Pop-up appearance event customization
Usage of shared instance of a menu on a page

Table 6.123. rich : contextMenu attributes

Attribute Name	Description
attached	If the value of the "attached" attribute is true, the component is attached to the component, specified in the "attachTo" attribute or to the parent component, if "attachTo" is not defined. Default value is "true".
attachTiming	Defines the timing when the menu is attached to the target element. Possible values "onload", "immediate", "onavailable" (default). Default value is "onavailable".
attachTo	Client identifier of the component or id of the existing DOM element that is a source for a given event. If attachTo is defined, the event is attached on the client according to the AttachTiming attribute. If both attached and attachTo attributes are defined, and attribute attached has value 'false', it is considered to have higher priority.
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
disableDefaultMenu	Forbids default handling for adjusted event. Default value "false".
disabledItemClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to disabled item of this component
disabledItemStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to disabled item when this component is rendered.
event	Defines an event on the parent element to display the menu. Default value is "oncontextmenu".
hideDelay	Delay between losing focus and menu closing. Default value is "800".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
itemClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to item of this component
itemStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to item when this component is rendered.
oncollapse	HTML: script expression; a menu is collapsed.
onexpand	HTML: script expression; a menu is expanded.
ongroupactivate	HTML: script expression; some group was activated
onitemselect	HTML: script expression; some item was selected
onmousemove	HTML: script expression; a pointer was moved within
onmouseout	HTML: script expression; a pointer was moved away
onmouseover	HTML: script expression; a pointer was moved onto
popupWidth	Set minimal width for the all of the lists that will appear
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
selectItemClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to selected item of this component.
selectItemStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to selected item when this component is rendered.
showDelay	Delay between event and menu showing. Default value is "50".
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
submitMode	Sets the submission mode for all menu items of the menu except those where this attribute redefined. Possible value are "ajax","server", "none". Default value is "server".

Table 6.124. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ContextMenu
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.ContextMenu
component-family	org.richfaces.ContextMenu
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DropDownMenuRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ContextMenuTagHandler

6.32.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:contextMenu event="oncontextmenu" attached="true">

...

6.32.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<rich:contextMenu> is a support-like component. Context menu itself is an invisible panel that appears after a particular client side event ( "onmouseover" , "onclick" , etc.) occurred on a parent component. The event is defined with an "event" attribute. The component uses "oncontextmenu" event by default to call a context menu by clicking on the right mouse button.

import org.richfaces.component.html.ContextMenu;   

...

html.ContextMenu myContextMenu = new html.ContextMenu();

...

6.32.5. Details of Usage

<rich:menuGroup> , <rich:menuItem> and <rich:menuSeparator> components are used as nested elements for <rich:contextMenu> in the same way as for <rich:dropDownMenu> .

By default, the <rich:contextMenu> completely disables right mouse click on a page in the context menu area only. But if you want to disable browser's context menu completely you should set the "disableDefaultMenu" attribute value to "true".

If "attached" value is "true" (default value), component is attached to the parent component or to the component, which "id" is specified in the "attachTo" attribute. An example is placed below.

Example:


...

        <rich:contextMenu event="oncontextmenu" attachTo="pic1" submitMode="none">

            <rich:menuItem value="Zoom In" onclick="enlarge();" id="zin"/>

            <rich:menuItem value="Zoom Out" onclick="decrease();" id="zout"/>

        </rich:contextMenu>

        <h:panelGrid columns="1" columnClasses="cent">

                <h:panelGroup id="picture">

                        <h:graphicImage value="/richfaces/jQuery/images/pic1.png" id="pic"/>

                </h:panelGroup>

        </h:panelGrid>

        <h:panelGrid columns="1" columnClasses="cent">

                <h:panelGroup id="picture1">

                        <h:graphicImage value="/richfaces/jQuery/images/pic2.png" id="pic1"/>

                </h:panelGroup>

        </h:panelGrid>

...

The "enlarge()" and "decrease()" functions definition is placed below.

...

        <script type="text/javascript">

                function enlarge(){

                        document.getElementById('pic').width=document.getElementById('pic').width*1.1;

                        document.getElementById('pic').height=document.getElementById('pic').height*1.1;

                }

                function decrease(){

                        document.getElementById('pic').width=document.getElementById('pic').width*0.9;

                        document.getElementById('pic').height=document.getElementById('pic').height*0.9;

                }

        </script>

...

In the example a picture zooming possibility with <rich:contextMenu> component usage was shown. The picture is placed on the <h:panelGroup> component. The <rich:contextMenu> component is not nested to <h:panelGroup> and has a value of the "attachTo" attribute defined as "pic1". Thus, the context menu is attached to the component, which "id" is "pic1". The context menu has two items to zoom in (zoom out) a picture by "onclick" event. For earch item corresponding JavaScript function is defined to provide necessary action as a result of the clicking on it. For the menu is defined an "oncontextmenu" event to call the context menu on a right click mouse event.

In the example the context menu is defined for the parent <h:panelGroup> component with a value of "id" attribute equal to "picture" You should be careful with such definition, because a client context menu is looked for a DOM element with a client Id of a parent component on a server. If a parent component doesn't encode an Id on a client, it can't be found by the <rich:contextMenu> and it's attached to its closest parent in a DOM tree.

If the "attached" attribute has "false" value, component activates via JavaScript API with assistance of <rich:componentControl> . An example is placed below.


...

        <h:form id="form">

                <rich:contextMenu attached="false" id="menu" submitMode="ajax">

                        <rich:menuItem ajaxSingle="true">

                                <b>{car} {model}</b> details

                                <a4j:actionparam name="det" assignTo="#{ddmenu.current}" value="{car} {model} details"/>

                        </rich:menuItem>

                        <rich:menuGroup value="Actions">  

                                <rich:menuItem ajaxSingle="true">

                                        Put <b>{car} {model}</b> To Basket

                                        <a4j:actionparam name="bask" assignTo="#{ddmenu.current}" value="Put {car} {model} To Basket"/>

                                </rich:menuItem>

                                <rich:menuItem value="Read Comments" ajaxSingle="true">

                                        <a4j:actionparam name="bask" assignTo="#{ddmenu.current}" value="Read Comments"/>

                                </rich:menuItem>                

                                <rich:menuItem ajaxSingle="true">

                                        Go to <b>{car}</b> site

                                        <a4j:actionparam name="bask" assignTo="#{ddmenu.current}" value="Go to {car} site"/>

                                </rich:menuItem>

                        </rich:menuGroup>

                </rich:contextMenu> 



                <h:panelGrid columns="2">

                        <rich:dataTable value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.tenRandomCars}" var="car" id="table"

                                                        onRowMouseOver="this.style.backgroundColor='#F8F8F8'"

                                                        onRowMouseOut="this.style.backgroundColor='#{a4jSkin.tableBackgroundColor}'" rowClasses="cur">

                                <rich:column>

                                        <f:facet name="header">Make</f:facet>

                                        <h:outputText value="#{car.make}"/>

                                </rich:column>

                                <rich:column>

                                        <f:facet name="header">Model</f:facet>

                                        <h:outputText value="#{car.model}"/>

                                </rich:column>

                                <rich:column>

                                        <f:facet name="header">Price</f:facet>

                                        <h:outputText value="#{car.price}" />

                                </rich:column>



                                <rich:componentControl event="onRowClick" for="menu" operation="show">

                                    <f:param value="#{car.model}" name="model"/>

                                    <f:param value="#{car.make}" name="car"/>

                                </rich:componentControl>

                        </rich:dataTable>



                        <a4j:outputPanel ajaxRendered="true">

                                <rich:panel>

                                        <f:facet name="header">Last Menu Action</f:facet>

                                        <h:outputText value="#{ddmenu.current}"></h:outputText>

                                </rich:panel>       

                        </a4j:outputPanel>

                </h:panelGrid>

        </h:form>           

 ...

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Figure 6.35. The "attached" attribute usage

In the example the context menu is activated (by clicking on the left mouse button) on the table via JavaScript API with assistance of <rich:componentControl> . The attribute "for" contains a value of the <rich:contextMenu> Id. For menu appearance Java Script API function "show()" is used. It is defined with "operation" attribute for the <rich:componentControl> component. Context menu is recreated after the every call on a client and new {car} and {model} values are inserted in it. In the example for a menu customization macrosubstitutions were used.

The <rich:contextMenu> component can be defined once on a page and can be used as shared for different components (this is the main difference from the <rich:dropDownMenu> component). It's necessary to define it once on a page (as it was shown in the example above) and activate it on required components via JavaScript API with assistance of <rich:componentControl> .

The <rich:contextMenu> "submitMode" attribute can be set to three possible parameters:

Server (default)

Regular form submition request is used

Ajax

Ajax submission is used for switching

None

The "action" and "actionListener" item's attributes are ignored. Menu items don't fire any submits themselves. The behavior is fully defined by the components nested inside items.

Note:

As the <rich:contextMenu> component doesn't provide its own form, use it between <h:form> and </h:form> tags.

Note:

When using <rich:contextMenu> component with <h:outputText> JSF component, specify id for <h:outputText> or move <rich:contextMenu> out from <h:outputText> to provide component's correct work.

6.32.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.125. JavaScript API

Function	Description	Apply to
hide()	Hides component or group	Component, group
show(event, context)	Shows component or group	Component, group

6.32.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:contextMenu> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:contextMenu> component

6.32.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.126. Skin parameters redefinition for a border

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.127. Skin parameters redefinition for a background

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	border-top-color
additionalBackgroundColor	border-left-color
additionalBackgroundColor	border-right-color

6.32.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.36. Style classes

Table 6.128. Classes names that define the contextMenu element

Class name	Description
rich-menu-list-border	Defines styles for borders
rich-menu-list-bg	Defines styles for a general background list
rich-menu-list-strut	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element for a strut of a popup list

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:contextMenu> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-menu-item{

        font-style:italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.37. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font style for row items was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:contextMenu> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:contextMenu> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        font-weight:bold;

}

...

The "rowClasses" attribute for <h:panelGrid> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<h:panelGrid ... rowClasses="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.38. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font weight for row items was changed.

6.32.10. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:contextMenu> usage and sources for the given example.

6.33. < rich:dataFilterSlider >

6.33.1. Description

A slider-based action component is used for filtering table data.

Figure 6.39. <rich:dataFilterSlider> component

6.33.2. Key Features

Filter any UIData based component in dependency on its child's values
Fully skinnable control and input elements
Optional value text field with an attribute-managed position
Optional disablement of the component on a page
Optional toolTip to display the current value while a handle is dragged
Dragged state is stable after the mouse moves
Optional manual input possible if a text input field is present
Validation of manual input

Table 6.129. rich : dataFilterSlider attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
clientErrorMessage	An error message to use in client side validation events
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
endRange	A slider end point
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
fieldStyleClass	The styleClass for input that displays the value : manualInput must be "true"
filterBy	A getter of an object member required to compare a slider value to. This is a value that is used in results filtering
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
for	The component using UIData (datatable id)
forValRef	This is a string which is used in a value attribute of the datatable. It is used for resetting the datatable back to the original list provided by a backing bean
handleStyleClass	The handleStyleClass for a handle
handleValue	Current handle value
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
increment	Amount to which a handle on each slide/move should be incremented
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
manualInput	False value for this attribute makes text field "read-only" and "hidden". Hence, the value can be changed only from a handle. Default value is "true"
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onchange	HTML: script expression; a handler's position is changed on sliding
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onerror	HTML: a script expression; event fires whenever an JavaScript error occurs
oninputkeydown	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed down
oninputkeypress	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed and released
oninputkeyup	HTML: a script expression; a key is released
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onslide	HTML: script expression; a handler is moved on sliding
onSlideSubmit	DEPRECATED (use submitOnSlide). If the slider value changes must submit a form. Default value is "true".
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rangeStyleClass	The rangeStyleClass for the background div showing a full range
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
sliderListener	MethodBinding representing an action listener method that will be notified after changing of slider control position
startRange	A slider begin point
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
storeResults	Specifies if the component will store a UIData object (your table rows) in session
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	The styleClass for the container div surrounding the component
submitOnSlide	If the slider value changes must submit a form. Default value is "true".
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
trackStyleClass	The trackStyleClass for a background div
trailer	It shows or hides a trailer following a handle
trailerStyleClass	The trailerStyleClass for a div following a handle
value	The current value for this component
width	Width of the slider control. Default value is "200px".

Table 6.130. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.dataFilterSlider
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataFilterSlider
component-family	org.richfaces.DataFilterSlider
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DataFilterSliderRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.dataFilterSliderTag

6.33.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

    <rich:dataFilterSlider sliderListener="#{mybean.doSlide}" startRange="0"

                                            endRange="50000" increment="10000" handleValue="1" />

...

6.33.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The dataFilterSlider component is bound to some UIData component using a "for" attribute and filters data in a table.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataFilterSlider;   

...

HtmlDataFilterSlider mySlider = new HtmlDataFilterSlider();

...

6.33.5. Details of Usage

In this example other two attributes are used for filtering:


...

    <rich:dataFilterSlider sliderListener="#{mybean.doSlide}"

                        startRange="0"

                        endRange="50000"

                        increment="10000"

                        handleValue="1"

                        for="carIndex"

                        forValRef="inventoryList.carInventory" 

                        filterBy="getMileage" />

...

    <h:dataTable id="carIndex"> 

          ... 

    </h:dataTable>

...

"forValRef" is a string which is used in a value attribute of the target UIData component. It's designed for resetting the UIData component back to the original list provided by a backing bean.
"filterBy" is a getter of an object member that is to be compared to a slider value. It's a value that is used in results filtering.

"handleValue" is an attribute for keeping the current handler position on the dataFilterSlider component. Based on the current value, appropriate values obtained from a getter method defined in "filterBy" are filtered.

One more important attribute is a "storeResults" one that allows the dataFilterSlider component to keep UIData target object in session.

If it's necessary the component submits a form on event of a handler state changing, use the "onSlide" attribute ( "onChange" is its alias). When the attribute definition = "true", submission on this event is defined.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find in the "Decide what to process " guide section.

6.33.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

The <rich:dataFilterSlider> component has no skin parameters and special style classes , as it consists of one element generated with a your method on the server. To define some style properties such as an indent or a border, it's possible to use "style" and "styleClass" attributes on the component.

6.33.7. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:dataFilterSlider> usage and sources for the given example.

6.34. < rich:datascroller >

6.34.1. Description

The component designed for providing the functionality of tables scrolling using Ajax requests.

Figure 6.40. <rich:datascroller> component

6.34.2. Key Features

Provides table scrolling functionality
Built-in Ajax processing
Provides fast controls
Skin support

Table 6.131. rich : datascroller attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	Boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only. Default value is "true"
align	This attribute specifies the position of the table with relatively to the document. Possible values are "left","center","right ". Default value is "center".
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
boundaryControls	The attribute specifies the visibility of boundaryControls. Possible values are: "show" (controls are always visible ). "hide" (controls are hidden. "auto" (unnecessary controls are hidden). Default value is "show".
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
fastControls	The attribute specifies the visibility of fastControls. Possible values are: "show" (controls are always visible ). "hide" (controls are hidden. "auto" (unnecessary controls are hidden). Default value is "show".
fastStep	The attribute indicates pages quantity to switch onto when fast scrolling is used. Default value is "0".
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
for	ID of the table component whose data is scrollled
handleValue	Current handle value
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now. Default value is "true".
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
inactiveStyle	Corresponds to the HTML style attribute for the inactive cell on scroller
inactiveStyleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute for the inactive cell on scroller
lastPageMode	The attribute to control whether last page of datascroller shows "rows" number of items or just the rest. Possible values are "full" and "short". Default value is "short".
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
maxPages	Maximum quantity of pages. Default value is "10".
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onpagechange	HTML: script expression; a page is changed
page	If page >= 1 then it's a page number to show
pageIndexVar	Name of variable in request scope containing index of active page
pagesVar	Name of variable in request scope containing number of pages
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
renderIfSinglePage	If renderIfSinglePage is "true" then datascroller is displayed on condition that the data hold on one page. Default value is "true".
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
scrollerListener	MethodBinding representing an action listener method that will be notified after scrolling
selectedStyle	Corresponds to the HTML style attribute for the selected cell on scroller
selectedStyleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute for the selected cell on scroller
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
stepControls	The attribute specifies the visibility of stepControls. Possible values are: "show" (controls are always visible ). "hide" (controls are hidden. "auto" (unnecessary controls are hidden). Default value is "show".
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tableStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to outside table when this component is rendered
tableStyleClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to outside table of this component
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
value	The current value for this component

Table 6.132. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.Datascroller
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDatascroller
component-family	org.richfaces.Datascroller
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DataScrollerRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DatascrollerTag

6.34.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

<h:dataTable id="table">

          ...

</h:dataTable>

          ...

<rich:datascroller for="table"/>

...

6.34.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:datascroller> component provides table scrolling functionalitity the same as TOMAHAWK scroller but with Ajax requests usage.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDatascroller;

...

HtmlDatascroller myScroll = new HtmlDatascroller();

...

6.34.5. Details of Usage

The <rich:datascroller> component should be reRendered also with <rich:dataTable> when you changing filter in order to be updated according to the <rich:dataTable> current model.

The component should be placed into footer of the parent table or be bound to it with the "for" attribute. Note, that "for" is evaluated on view build, not on view render, that is why it will ignore JSTL tags.

The table should also have the defined "rows" attribute limiting the quantity of inputted table rows.

The scroller could limit the maximum quantity of rendered links on the table pages with the help of the "maxPages" attribute.

Component provides two controllers groups for switching:

Page numbers for switching onto a particular page
The controls of fast switching: "first", "last", "next", "previous", "fastforward", "fastrewind"

The controls of fast switching are created adding the facets component with the corresponding name:

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.


 ...

<rich:datascroller for="table" maxPages="10">

          <f:facet name="first">

                    <h:outputText value="First"/>

          </f:facet>

          <f:facet name="last">

                    <h:outputText value="Last"/>

          </f:facet>

</rich:datascroller>

...

Figure 6.41. <rich:datascroller> controls of fast switching

The screenshot shows one controller from each group.

There are also facets used to create the disabled states: "first_disabled", "last_disabled", "next_disabled", "previous_disabled", "fastforward_disabled", "fastrewind_disabled".

For the "fastforward"/"fastrewind" controls customization the additional "fastStep" attribute is used. The attribute indicates pages quantity to switch onto when fast scrolling is used.

The "page" is a value-binding attribute used to define and save current page number. The example is placed below.

Example:


...

<h:form id="myForm">

    <rich:dataTable id="carList" rows="7" value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" var="category">

        <f:facet name="header">

            <rich:columnGroup>

                <h:column>

                    <h:outputText value="Make" />

                </h:column>

                <h:column>

                    <h:outputText value="Model" />

                </h:column>

                <h:column>

                    <h:outputText value="Price" />

                </h:column>

            </rich:columnGroup>

        </f:facet>

        <h:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{category.make}" />

        </h:column>

        <h:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{category.model}" />

        </h:column>

        <h:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{category.price}" />

        </h:column>

    </rich:dataTable>

    <rich:datascroller id="sc2" for="carList" reRender="sc1" maxPages="7" page="#{dataTableScrollerBean.scrollerPage}" />

    <h:panelGrid>

        <h:panelGroup>

            <h:outputText value="Set current page number:" />

            <h:inputText value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.scrollerPage}" id="sc1" size="1"/>

            <h:commandButton value="Set" />

        </h:panelGroup>

    </h:panelGrid>

</h:form>

...

In the example above you can enter the page number you want and set it by clicking on the <h:commandButton> . By the way, if you use <rich:datascroller> page links the input field rerenders and current page number changes.

This is a result:

Figure 6.42. The "page" attribute usage

The "pageIndexVar" and "pagesVar" attributes define a request scope variables and provide an ability to show the current page and the number of pages in the <rich:datascroller> .

These attributes are used for definition the names of variables, that is used in the facet with name "pages" . An example can be found below:

Example:


...

<h:form>

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" rows="5">

        <rich:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}" />

        </rich:column>

        <f:facet name="footer">

            <rich:datascroller pageIndexVar="pageIndex" pagesVar="pages">

                <f:facet name="pages">

                    <h:outputText value="#{pageIndex} / #{pages}" />

                </f:facet>

            </rich:datascroller>

        </f:facet>

    </rich:dataTable>

</h:form>

...

It's possible to insert optional separators between controls. For this purpose use a "controlsSeparator" facet. An example is placed below.


 ...

<f:facet name="controlsSeparator">

          <h:graphicImage value="/image/sep.png"/>

</f:facet>

...

Starting from 3.2.1 of RichFaces multiple <rich:datascroller> instances behavior and page bindings are corrected. Incorrect page after model changes handling is added. Phase Listener called before RenderResponce scans the page for the <rich:datascroller> and performs the following operations:

Checks if the <rich:datascroller> is rendered. (If the checking generates an exception, the <rich:datascroller> is considered to be not rendered )
If the <rich:datascroller> is rendered - the table to which the <rich:datascroller> is attached gets the value of the page attribute of <rich:datascroller> .

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find in the " Decide what to process " guide section.

Note:

Make sure, that all <rich:datascroller> components, defined for a table, have same values for all "page" attributes. The page, specified in the last "page" , will be rendered in browser.

6.34.6. Facets

Table 6.133. Facets

Facet	Description
controlsSeparator	Redefines optional separators between controls
first	Redefines the "first" button with the content set
first_disabled	Redefines the disabled "first" button with the content set
last	Redefines the "last" button with the content set
last_disabled	Redefines the disabled "last" button with the content set
fastrewind	Redefines the "fastrewind" button with the content set
fastrewind_disabled	Redefines the disabled "fastrewind" button with the content set
fastforward	Redefines the "fastforward" button with the content set
fastforward_disabled	Redefines the disabled "fastforward" button with the content set
previous	Redefines the "previous" button with the content set
previous_disabled	Redefines the disabled "previous" button with the content set
next	Redefines the "next" button with the content set
next_disabled	Redefines the disabled "next" button with the content set
pages	Redefines the pages buttons with the content set

6.34.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:datascroller> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:datascroller> component

6.34.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.134. Skin parameters redefinition for a wrapper element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.135. Skin parameters redefinition for a button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.136. Skin parameters redefinition for an active button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	border-top-color
generalTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.137. Skin parameters redefinition for an inactive button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	border-top-color
headerBackgroundColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

6.34.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.43. Style classes

Table 6.138. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-datascr	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a datascroller
rich-dtascroller-table	Defines styles for a wrapper table element of a datascroller
rich-datascr-button	Defines styles for a button
rich-datascr-ctrls-separator	Defines styles for a separator between buttons

Table 6.139. Classes names that define a buttons appearance

Class name	Description
rich-datascr-act	Defines styles for an active button
rich-datascr-inact	Defines styles for an inactive button
rich-datascr-button-dsbld	Defines styles for a disabled button

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:datascroller> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the table above) and define necessary properties in them. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.rich-datascr-button{

    color: #CD6600;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.44. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example an input text font style was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:datascroller> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:datascroller> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    background-color: #C6E2FF;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:datascroller> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:datascroller ... selectedStyleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.45. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, background color of the selected cell on scroller was changed.

6.34.10. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:datascroller> usage and sources for the given example.

The solution about how to do correct pagination using datascroller (load a part of data from database) can be found on the RichFaces Users Forum.

How to use <rich:dataTable> and <rich:datascroller> in a context of Extended Data Model see on theRichFaces Users Forum.

6.35. < rich:columns >

6.35.1. Description

The <rich:columns> is a component, that allows you to create a dynamic set of columns from your model.

Figure 6.46. <rich:columns> component

6.35.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Dynamic tables creation
Possibility to combine columns with the help of "colspan" and "breakBefore"
Possibility to combine rows with the help of "rowspan"
Sorting column values
Filtering column values

Table 6.140. rich : columns attributes

Attribute Name	Description
begin	The first iteration item
breakBefore	if "true" next column begins from the first row
colspan	Corresponds to the HTML colspan attribute
columns	Number of columns to be rendered
comparator	Defines value binding to the comparator that is used to compare the values
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
end	The last iteration item
filterBy	Defines iterable object property which is used when filtering performed.
filterEvent	Event for filter input that forces the filtration (default value is "onchange")
filterExpression	Attribute defines a bean property which is used for filtering of a column
filterMethod	This attribute is defined with method binding. This method accepts on Object parameter and return boolean value
filterValue	Defines current filtering value
footerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to any footer generated for this table
headerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to any header generated for this table
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
index	The current counter
label	Column label for drag indicator. Usable only for extendedDataTable component
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
rendered	Attribute defines if component should be rendered. Default value is "true".
rowspan	Corresponds to the HTML rowspan attribute
selfSorted	Manages if the header of the column is clickable, icons rendered and sorting is fired after click on the header. You need to define this attribute inside <rich:dataTable> component. Default value is "true"
sortable	Boolean attribute. If "true" it's possible to sort the column content after click on the header. Default value is "true"
sortBy	Defines a bean property which is used for sorting of a column. This attribute used with <rich:dataTable>
sortExpression	Defines a bean property which is used for sorting of a column and used only with <rich:scrollableDataTable>.
sortIcon	Defines sort icon. The value for the attribute is context related.
sortIconAscending	Defines sort icon for ascending order. The value for the attribute is context related.
sortIconDescending	Defines sort icon for descending order. The value for the attribute is context related.
sortOrder	SortOrder is an enumeration of the possible sort orderings. Default value is "UNSORTED"
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
value	The current value for this component
var	The current variable
visible	The attribute is used to define whether the component is visible or not. The default value is "true".
width	Attribute defines width of column.

Table 6.141. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.Column
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ColumnsTagHandler

6.35.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap">

        <rich:columns value="#{capitalsBean.labels}" var="col" index="index">

                <h:outputText value="#{cap[index]}" />

        </rich:columns> 

</rich:dataTable>

...

6.35.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:columns> component gets a list from data model and outputs corresponding set of columns inside <rich:dataTable> on a page. It is possible to use "header" and "footer" facets with <rich:columns> component.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlColumn;

... 

HtmlColumn myColumns = new HtmlColumn();

...

6.35.5. Details of Usage

The "value" and "var" attributes are used to access the values of collection.

The simple example is placed below.

The "columns" attribute defines the count of columns.


...

<rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap">

        <rich:columns value="#{capitalsBean.labels}" var="col" index="index">

                <f:facet name="header">

                        <h:outputText value="#{col.text}" />

                </f:facet>

         <h:outputText value="#{cap[index]}" />

         <f:facet name="footer">

                 <h:outputText value="#{col.text}" />

         </f:facet>

        </rich:columns> 

</rich:dataTable>

...

The "rowspan" attribute defines the number of rows to be displayed. If the value of this attribute is zero, all remaining rows in the table are displayed on a page.

The "begin" attribute contains the first iteration item. Note, that iteration begins from zero.

The "end" attribute contains the last iteration item.

With the help of the attributes described below you can customize the output, i.e. define which columns and how many rows appear on a page.

In the example below, columns from first to second and all rows are shown in the <rich:dataTable> .


...

<rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap">

        <rich:columns value="#{capitalsBean.labels}" var="col" index="index" rowspan="0" columns="3" begin="1" end="2">

                <f:facet name="header">

                        <h:outputText value="#{col.text}" />

                </f:facet>

                <h:outputText value="#{cap[index]}" />

        </rich:columns> 

</rich:dataTable>

...

The result is:

Figure 6.47. Generated <rich:columns> with columns from first to second and all rows

The <rich:columns> component does not prevent to use <rich:column> . In the following example one column renders in any way and another columns could be picked from the model.

Example:


...

<rich:dataTable value="#{rowBean.rows}" var="row">

        <rich:column>

                <h:outputText value ="#{row.columnValue}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:columns value="#{colBean.columns}" var="col">

                <f:facet name="header">

                        <h:outputText value="#{col.header}"/>

                </f:facet>

                <h:outputText value="#{row.columnValue}"/>

                <f:facet name="footer">

                        <h:outputText value="#{col.footer}"/>

                </f:facet>

        </rich:columns>

</rich:dataTable>   

...

Now, you can use a few <rich:columns> together with <rich:column> within the one table:


...

<rich:dataTable value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.model}" var="model" width="500px" rows="5">

          <f:facet name="header">

              <h:outputText value="Cars Available"></h:outputText>

    </f:facet>

    <rich:columns value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.columns}" var="columns" index="ind">

              <f:facet name="header">

                  <h:outputText value="#{columns.header}" />

        </f:facet>

        <h:outputText value="#{model[ind].model} " />

    </rich:columns>

    <rich:column>

        <f:facet name="header">

                  <h:outputText value="Price" />

        </f:facet>

                    <h:outputText value="Price" />

    </rich:column>

    <rich:columns value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.columns}" var="columns" index="ind">

              <f:facet name="header">

                  <h:outputText value="#{columns.header}" />

        </f:facet>

        <h:outputText value="#{model[ind].mileage}$" />

    </rich:columns>

</rich:dataTable>

...

In order to group columns with text information into one row, use the "colspan" attribute, which is similar to an HTML one. In the following example the third column contains 3 columns. In addition, it's necessary to specify that the next column begins from the first row with the help of the breakBefore = "true" .

Example:


...

<rich:dataTable value="#{columns.data1}" var="data">

        <rich:column>

                <h:outputText value="#{column.Item1}" />

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column>

                <h:outputText value="#{column.Item2}" />

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column>

                <h:outputText value="#{column.Item3}" />

        </rich:column>

        <rich:columns columns="3" colspan="3" breakBefore="true">   

                <h:outputText value="#{data.str0}" />

        </rich:columns>

</rich:dataTable>

...

The same way is used for columns grouping with the "rowspan" attribute that is similar to an HTML. The only thing to add in the example is an instruction to move onto the next row for each next after the second column.

Example:


...

<rich:dataTable value="#{columns.data1}" var="data">

        <rich:columns columns="2" rowspan="3">  

                <h:outputText value="#{data.str0}" />

        </rich:columns>

        <rich:column>

                <h:outputText value="#{column.Item1}" />

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column  breakBefore="true">

                <h:outputText value="#{column.Item2}" />

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column  breakBefore="true">

                <h:outputText value="#{column.Item3}" />

        </rich:column>

</rich:dataTable>

...

Note:

The <rich:columns> tag is initialized during components tree building process. This process precedes page rendering at "Render Response" JSF phase. To be rendered properly the component needs all it variables to be initialized while the components tree is being building. A javax.servlet.jsp.JspTagException occurs if <rich:columns> uses variables passed from other components, if these variables are initialized during rendering. Thus, when <rich:columns> is asking for such variables they do not already exist. Use <c:forEach> JSP standard tag as workaround. Compare two examples below.

This code calls the exception:


...

<rich:dataTable value="#{bean.data}" var="var">

          <rich:columns value="#{var.columns}">

                    ...

          </rich:columns>

</rich:dataTable>

...

This code works properly:


...

<c:forEach items="#{bean.data}" var="var">

          <rich:columns value="#{var.columns}">

                    ...

          </rich:columns>

</c:forEach>

...

Note:

Since 3.3.0GA <rich:columns> requires explicit definition of "id" for children components to ensure that decode process works properly. The example of how you can define unique "id" for children component:


...

<rich:columns value="#{bean.columns}" var="col" index="ind" ....>

<h:inputText id="input#{ind}" value="">

<a4j:support id="support#{ind}" event="onchange" reRender="someId" />

</h:inputText>

</rich:columns> 

...

Only if "id" defined as shown above Ajax after onchange event will be processed as expected.

Information about sorting and filtering you can find in the corresponding section .

6.35.6. Facets

Table 6.142. Facets

Facet name	Description
header	Defines the header content
footer	Defines the footer content

6.35.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:columns> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:columns> component

6.35.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Skin parameters redefinition for <rich:columns> are the same as for the <rich:dataTable> component .

6.35.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Custom style classes for <rich:columns> are the same as for the <rich:dataTable> component .

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:columns> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above ) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-table-subheadercell{

        color: #a0a0a0;

}    

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.48. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example column header cells color was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:columns> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:columns> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass {

        font-style: oblique;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:columns> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:columns  styleClass="myClass">

This is a result:

Figure 6.49. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style for columns was changed.

6.35.10. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can found some additional information for <rich:columns> component usage.

6.36. < rich:subTable >

6.36.1. Description

The component is used for inserting subtables into tables with opportunity to choose data from a model and built-in Ajax updates support.

Figure 6.50. <rich:subTable> element

6.36.2. Key Features

Completely skinned table rows and child elements
Possibility to insert complex columnGroup subcomponents
Possibility to combine rows and columns inside
Possibility to update a limited set of rows with AJAX

Table 6.143. rich : subTable attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxKeys	This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an AJAX request
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
columnClasses	Comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that are be applied to the columns of this table. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual column. If the number of elements in this list is less than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, no "class" attribute is output for each column greater than the number of elements in the list. If the number of elements in the list is greater than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, the elements at the position in the list after the value of the "columns" attribute are ignored
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition
first	A zero-relative row number of the first row to display
footerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to any footer generated for this table
headerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to any header generated for this table
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onRowClick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked on row
onRowDblClick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked on row
onRowMouseDown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down on row
onRowMouseMove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within of row
onRowMouseOut	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away of row
onRowMouseOver	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto of row
onRowMouseUp	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released on row
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
rowClasses	A comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that is applied to popup table rows. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual row. The styles are applied, in turn, to each row in the table. For example, if the list has two elements, the first style class in the list is applied to the first row, the second to the second row, the first to the third row, the second to the fourth row, etc. In other words, we keep iterating through the list until we reach the end, and then we start at the beginning again
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a row key object
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope
rows	A number of rows to display, or zero for all remaining rows in the table
stateVar	The attribute provides access to a component state on the client side
value	The current value for this component
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current row will be used when iterating

Table 6.144. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.SubTable
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlSubTable
component-family	org.richfaces.SubTable
renderer-type	org.richfaces.SubTableRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.SubTableTag

6.36.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

     <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="capitals">

        <rich:column>

            ...

        </rich:column>

        <rich:subTable value=#{capitals.details} var="detail">

            <rich:column>

                ...

            </rich:column>

        </rich:subTable>

    </rich:dataTable>

...

6.36.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:subTable> component is similar to the <h:dataTable> one, except Ajax support and skinnability. One more difference is that the component doesn't add the wrapping <table> and <tbody> tags. Ajax support is possible, because the component was created basing on the <a4j:repeat> component and as a result it could be partially updated with Ajax. "ajaxKeys" attribute allows to define row keys that is updated after an Ajax request.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlSubTable;

...

HtmlSubTable mySubTable = new HtmlSubTable();

...

6.36.5. Details of Usage

In the example "reRender" attribute contains value of "id" attribute for <rich:subTable> component. As a result the component is updated after an Ajax request.


...

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="capitals">

        <rich:column>

            ...

        </rich:column>

        <rich:subTable value="#{capitals.details}" var="detail" ajaxKeys="#{bean.ajaxSet}" binding="#{bean.subtable}" id="subtable">

            <rich:column>

                ...

            </rich:column>

        </rich:subTable>

    </rich:dataTable>

...

    <a4j:commandButton action="#{tableBean.action}" reRender="subtable"/>

...

The component allows to use "header" and "footer" facets for output. See an example for <rich:dataTable> component.

6.36.6. Facets

Table 6.145. Facets

Facet name	Description
header	Defines the header content
footer	Defines the footer content

6.36.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:subTable> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:subTable> component

6.36.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Skin parameters redefinition for <rich:subTable> are the same as for the <rich:dataTable> component.

6.36.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Table 6.146. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-subtable	Defines styles for all subtable
rich-subtable-caption	Defines styles for a "caption" facet element

Table 6.147. Classes names that define header and footer elements

Class name	Description
rich-subtable-header	Defines styles for a subtable header row
rich-subtable-header-continue	Defines styles for all subtable header lines after the first
rich-subtable-subheader	Defines styles for a column header of subtable
rich-subtable-subfooter	Defines styles for a column footer of subtable
rich-subtable-footer	Defines styles for a subtable footer row
rich-subtable-footer-continue	Defines styles for all subtable footer lines after the first

Table 6.148. Classes names that define rows and cells

Class name	Description
rich-subtable-headercell	Defines styles for a subtable header cell
rich-subtable-subheadercell	Defines styles for a column header cell of subtable
rich-subtable-cell	Defines styles for a subtable cell
rich-subtable-row	Defines styles for a subtable row
rich-subtable-firstrow	Defines styles for a subtable start row
rich-subtable-subfootercell	Defines styles for a column footer cell of subtable
rich-subtable-footercell	Defines styles for a subtable footer cell

Figure 6.51. Style classes

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:subTable> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-subtable-footer{

        font-weight: bold;

} 

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.52. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a footer font weight was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:subTable> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:subTable> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

  background-color: #fff5ec;

}

...

The "columnClasses" attribute for <rich:subTable> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:subTable ... columnClasses="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.53. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the background color for columns was changed.

6.37. < rich:column >

6.37.1. Description

The component for row rendering for a UIData component.

Figure 6.54. <rich:column> component

6.37.2. Key Features

Completely skinned table rows and child elements
Possibility to combine columns with the help of "colspan"
Possibility to combine rows with the help of "rowspan" and "breakBefore"
Sorting column values
Filtering column values

Table 6.149. rich : column attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
breakBefore	if "true" next column begins from the first row
colspan	Corresponds to the HTML colspan attribute
comparator	Defines value binding to the comparator that is used to compare the values
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
filterBy	Defines iterable object property which is used when filtering performed.
filterEvent	Event for filter input that forces the filtration (default value is "onchange")
filterExpression	Attribute defines a bean property which is used for filtering of a column
filterMethod	This attribute is defined with method binding. This method accepts on Object parameter and return boolean value
filterValue	Defines current filtering value
footerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to any footer generated for this table
headerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to any header generated for this table
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
label	Column label for drag indicator. Usable only for extendedDataTable component
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
rowspan	Corresponds to the HTML rowspan attribute
selfSorted	Manages if the header of the column is clickable, icons rendered and sorting is fired after click on the header. You need to define this attribute inside <rich:dataTable> component. Default value is "true"
sortable	Boolean attribute. If "true" it's possible to sort the column content after click on the header. Default value is "true"
sortBy	Defines a bean property which is used for sorting of a column. This attribute used with <rich:dataTable>
sortExpression	Defines a bean property which is used for sorting of a column and used only with <rich:scrollableDataTable>.
sortIcon	Defines sort icon. The value for the attribute is context related.
sortIconAscending	Defines sort icon for ascending order. The value for the attribute is context related.
sortIconDescending	Defines sort icon for descending order. The value for the attribute is context related.
sortOrder	SortOrder is an enumeration of the possible sort orderings. Default value is "UNSORTED"
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
visible	The attribute is used to define whether the component is visible or not. The default value is "true".
width	Attribute defines width of column.

Table 6.150. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.Column
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlColumn
component-family	org.richfaces.Column
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ColumnRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ColumnTag

6.37.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant of column on a page, use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:dataTable var="set">

        <rich:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{set.property1}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <!--Set of another columns and header/footer facets-->

    </rich:dataTable>

...

6.37.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

To output a simple table, the <rich:column> component is used the same way as the standard <h:column> , i.e. the following code on a page is used:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlColumn;

...

HtmlColumn myColumn = new HtmlColumn();

...

6.37.5. Details of Usage

The columns also could be grouped in a particular way with the help of the <h:columnGroup> component that is described in the following chapter.


...

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" rows="5"> 

        <rich:column>

            <f:facet name="header">State Flag</f:facet>

            <h:graphicImage value="#{cap.stateFlag}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column>

            <f:facet name="header">State Name</f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column >

            <f:facet name="header">State Capital</f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column>

        <f:facet name="header">Time Zone</f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.timeZone}"/>

        </rich:column>

    </rich:dataTable>

...

The result is:

Figure 6.55. Generated <rich:column> component

Now, in order to group columns with text information into one row in one column with a flag, use the "colspan" attribute, which is similar to an HTML one, specifying that the first column contains 3 columns. In addition, it's necessary to specify that the next column begins from the first row with the help of the breakBefore="true".

Example:


...

     <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" rows="5"> 

        <rich:column colspan="3">

            <h:graphicImage value="#{cap.stateFlag}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column breakBefore="true"> 

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column >

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.timeZone}"/>

        </rich:column>

    </rich:dataTable>

...

As a result the following structure is rendered:

Figure 6.56. <rich:column> modified with "colspan" and "breakbefore" attributes

The same way is used for columns grouping with the "rowspan" attribute that is similar to an HTML one responsible for rows quantity definition occupied with the current one. The only thing to add in the example is an instruction to move onto the next row for each next after the second column.

Example:


...

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" rows="5"> 

        <rich:column rowspan="3">

            <f:facet name="header">State Flag</f:facet>

            <h:graphicImage value="#{cap.stateFlag}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column> 

            <f:facet name="header">State Info</f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column breakBefore="true">

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column breakBefore="true">

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.timeZone}"/>

        </rich:column>

    </rich:dataTable>

...

As a result:

Figure 6.57. <rich:column> generated with "rowspan" attribute

Hence, additionally to a standard output of a particular row provided with the <h:column> component, it becomes possible to group easily the rows with special HTML attribute.

In the Dynamic Columns Wiki article you can find additional information about dynamic columns.

6.37.6. Sorting and Filtering

6.37.6.1. Sorting

In order to sort the columns you should use "sortBy" attribute that indicates what values to be sorted.This attribute can be used only with the <rich:dataTable> component. In order to sort the column you should click on its header. See the following example.

There are two ways to filter the column value:


...

<h:form>

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" width="300px">

        <f:facet name="header">

            <h:outputText value="Sorting Example"/>

        </f:facet>

        <rich:column sortBy="#{cap.state}">

            <f:facet name="header">

                <h:outputText value="State Name"/>

            </f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}"/>

        </rich:column> 

        <rich:column sortBy="#{cap.name}">

            <f:facet name="header">

                <h:outputText value="State Capital"/>

            </f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}"/> 

        </rich:column>

    </rich:dataTable>

</h:form>

...

This is result:

Figure 6.58. <rich:column> with "sortBy" attribute

The "sortExpression" attribute defines a bean property which is used for sorting of a column. This attribute can be used only with the <rich:scrollableDataTable> component. The following example is a example of the attribute usage.

Example:


...

<rich:scrollableDataTable id="carList"

        value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" sortMode="single"

        binding="#{dataTableScrollerBean.table}">

        <rich:column id="make" sortExpression="#{cap.make}">

            <f:facet name="header">

                <h:outputText styleClass="headerText" value="Make" />

            </f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{category.make}" />

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column id="model">

            <f:facet name="header">

                <h:outputText styleClass="headerText" value="Model" />

            </f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{category.model}" />

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column id="price">

            <f:facet name="header">

                <h:outputText styleClass="headerText" value="Price" />

            </f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{category.price}" />

        </rich:column>

</rich:scrollableDataTable>

...

The "selfSorted" attribute that would add the possibility of automatic sorting by clicking the column header. Default value is "true". In the example below the second column is unavailable for sorting.

Example:


...

<rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap">

        <rich:column>

                <f:facet name="header">

                        <h:outputText value="State Flag"/>

                </f:facet>

                <h:graphicImage value="#{cap.stateFlag}"/> 

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column sortBy="#{cap.state}" selfSorted="false"> 

                <f:facet name="header">

                        <h:outputText value="State Name"/>

                </f:facet>

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}"/>

        </rich:column> 

</rich:dataTable>

...

"sortOrder" attribute is used for changing the sorting of columns by means of external controls.

Possible values are:

"ASCENDING" - column is sorted in ascending
"DESCENDING" - column is sorted in descending
"UNSORTED" - column isn't sorted

Example:


...

<h:form>

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" width="300px">

        <f:facet name="header">

            <h:outputText value="Sorting Example"/>

        </f:facet>

        <rich:column sortBy="#{cap.state}" sortOrder="ASCENDING">

            <f:facet name="header">

                <h:outputText value="State Name"/>

            </f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}"/>

        </rich:column> 

        <rich:column sortBy="#{cap.name}" sortOrder="DESCENDING">

            <f:facet name="header">

                <h:outputText value="State Capital"/>

            </f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}"/> 

        </rich:column>

    </rich:dataTable>

</h:form>

...

Below you can see the result:

Figure 6.59. <rich:column> with "sortOrder" attribute

In the example above the first column is sorted in descending order. But if recurring rows appear in the table the relative second column are sorted in ascending order.

You can customize the sorting's icon element using "rich-sort-icon" class.

Note

In order to sort a column with the values not in English you can add the org.richfaces.datatableUsesViewLocale context parameter in your web.xml. Its value should be "true".

Note:

The "sortBy" and the "selfSorted" attributes used with the <rich:dataTable> component. Also the "selfSorted" can be used with the <rich:extendedDataTable> .

The "sortable" and the "sortExpression" attributes used with the <rich:scrollableDataTable> component.

6.37.6.2. Filtering

Using built-in filtering. It uses startsWith() function to make filtering. In this case you need to define "filterBy" attribute at column you want to be filterable. This attribute defines iterable object property which is used when filtering performed.
The "filterValue" attribute is used to get or change current filtering value. It could be defined with initial filtering value on the page or as value binding to get/change it on server. If the "filterValue" attribute isn't empty from the beginning table is filtered on the first rendering.
You can customize the input form using "rich-filter-input" CSS class.
In order to change filter event you could use "filterEvent" attribute on column, e.g. "onblur"(default value).
Below you can see the example:
Example:
```
...

<rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" width="500px">

        <rich:column filterBy="#{cap.state}" filterValue="#{filterName.filterBean}" filterEvent="onkeyup">

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}"/>

        </rich:column> 

        <rich:column filterBy="#{cap.name}" filterEvent="onkeyup">

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}"/> 

        </rich:column>

</rich:dataTable>

...
```
This is the result:
Figure 6.60. Built-in filtering feature usage

Using external filtering. In this case you need to write your custom filtering function or expression and define controls.

The "filterExpression" attribute is used to define expression evaluated to boolean value. This expression checks if the object satisfies filtering condition.

The "filterMethod" attribute is defined with method binding. This method accepts on Object parameter and return boolean value. So, this method also could be used to check if the object satisfies filtering condition. The usage of this attribute is the best way for implementing your own complex business logic.

See the following example:

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.


...

<rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" id="table">

        <rich:column filterMethod="#{filteringBean.filterStates}">

                <f:facet name="header">

                        <h:inputText value="#{filteringBean.filterValue}" id="input">

                                <a4j:support event="onkeyup" reRender="table"

                                                     ignoreDupResponses="true" requestDelay="700" focus="input" />

                        </h:inputText>

                </f:facet>

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}" />

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column filterExpression="#{fn:containsIgnoreCase(cap.timeZone, filteringBean.filterZone)}">

                <f:facet name="header">

                        <h:selectOneMenu value="#{filteringBean.filterZone}">

                                <f:selectItems value="#{filteringBean.filterZones}" />

                                <a4j:support event="onchange" reRender="table" />

                        </h:selectOneMenu>

                </f:facet>

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.timeZone}" />

        </rich:column>

</rich:dataTable>

...

6.37.7. Facets

Table 6.151. Facets

Facet name	Description
header	Defines the header content
footer	Defines the footer content

6.37.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:column> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:column> component

6.37.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Skin parameters redefinition for <rich:column> are the same as for the <rich:dataTable> component.

6.37.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Custom style classes for <rich:column> are the same as for the <rich:dataTable> component.

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:column> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-table-cell{

        font-style: italic; 

}    

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.61. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example cells font style was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:column> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:column> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        font-weight: bolder;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:column> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:column styleClass="myClass">

This is a result:

Figure 6.62. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font weight for second column was changed.

6.37.11. Relevant Resources Links

Vizit Column page at RichFaces live demo for examples of component usage and their sources.

" Using the "rendered" attribute of <rich:column>" article in RichFaces cookbook at JBoss portal gives an example of code of the component usage case.

6.38. < rich:dataGrid >

6.38.1. Description

The component to render data as a grid that allows choosing data from a model and obtains built-in support of Ajax updates.

Figure 6.63. <rich:dataGrid> component

6.38.2. Key Features

A completely skinned table and child elements
Possibility to update a limited set of rows with AJAX
Possibility to receive values dynamically from a model

Table 6.152. rich : dataGrid attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxKeys	This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an AJAX request
align	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the position of the table with respect to the document. The possible values are "left", "center" and "right". The default value is "left".
bgcolor	Deprecated. This attribute sets the background color for the document body or table cells. This attribute sets the background color of the canvas for the document body (the BODY element) or for tables (the TABLE, TR, TH, and TD elements). Additional attributes for specifying text color can be used with the BODY element. This attribute has been deprecated in favor of style sheets for specifying background color information
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
border	This attributes specifies the width of the frame around a component. Default value is "0".
captionClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to caption for this component
captionStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to caption when this component is rendered
cellpadding	This attribute specifies the amount of space between the border of the cell and its contents. Default value is "0".
cellspacing	This attribute specifies the amount of space between the border of the cell and its contents. The attribute also specifies the amount of space to leave between cells. Default value is "0".
columnClasses	Comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that are be applied to the columns of this table. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual column. If the number of elements in this list is less than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, no "class" attribute is output for each column greater than the number of elements in the list. If the number of elements in the list is greater than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, the elements at the position in the list after the value of the "columns" attribute are ignored
columns	Number of columns
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
elements	Number of elements in grid
first	A zero-relative row number of the first row to display
footerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to footer for this component
frame	This attribute specifies which sides of the frame surrounding a table will be visible. Possible values: "void", "above", "below", "hsides", "lhs", "rhs", "vsides", "box" and "border". The default value is "void".
headerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to header for this component
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onRowClick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked on row
onRowDblClick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked on row
onRowMouseDown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down on row
onRowMouseMove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within of row
onRowMouseOut	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away of row
onRowMouseOver	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto of row
onRowMouseUp	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released on row
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
rowClasses	A comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that is applied to popup table rows. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual row. The styles are applied, in turn, to each row in the table. For example, if the list has two elements, the first style class in the list is applied to the first row, the second to the second row, the first to the third row, the second to the fourth row, etc. In other words, we keep iterating through the list until we reach the end, and then we start at the beginning again
rowKey	RowKey is a representation of an identifier for a specific data row
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a row key object
rowKeyVar	Request scoped variable for client access to rowKey
rules	This attribute specifies which rules will appear between cells within a table. The rendering of rules is user agent dependent. Possible values: * none: No rules. This is the default value. * groups: Rules will appear between row groups (see THEAD, TFOOT, and TBODY) and column groups (see COLGROUP and COL) only. * rows: Rules will appear between rows only. * cols: Rules will appear between columns only. * all: Rules will appear between all rows and columns
stateVar	The attribute provides access to a component state on the client side
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
summary	This attribute provides a summary of the table's purpose and structure for user agents rendering to non-visual media such as speech and Braille
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
value	The current value for this component
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current row will be used when iterating
width	This attribute specifies the desired width of the entire table and is intended for visual user agents. When the value is percentage value, the value is relative to the user agent's available horizontal space. In the absence of any width specification, table width is determined by the user agent

Table 6.153. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.DataGrid
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataGrid
component-family	org.richfaces.DataGrid
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DataGridRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DataGridTag

6.38.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant of dataGrid on a page, use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:dataGrid value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" var="car">

        <h:outputText value="#{car.model}"/>

    </rich:dataGrid>

...

6.38.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The component takes a list from a model and outputs it the same way as with <h:panelGrid> for inline data. To define grid properties and styles, use the same definitions as for <h:panelGrid>.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataGrid;

...

HtmlDataGrid myList = new HtmlDataGrid();

...

6.38.5. Details of Usage

The component allows to:

Use "header" and "footer" facets for output
Limit number of output elements ( "elements" attribute) and define first element for output ( "first" attribute)
Bind pages with <rich:datascroller> component


...

    <rich:panel style="width:150px;height:200px;">

        <h:form>

              <rich:dataGrid value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" var="car" columns="2" elements="4" first="1">

                  <f:facet name="header">

                      <h:outputText value="Car Store"></h:outputText>

                  </f:facet>

                  <rich:panel>

                      <f:facet name="header">

                          <h:outputText value="#{car.make} #{car.model}"></h:outputText>

                      </f:facet>

                      <h:panelGrid columns="2">

                           <h:outputText value="Price:" styleClass="label"></h:outputText>

                           <h:outputText value="#{car.price}"/>

                           <h:outputText value="Mileage:" styleClass="label"></h:outputText>

                           <h:outputText value="#{car.mileage}"/>

                      </h:panelGrid>

                  </rich:panel>

                  <f:facet name="footer">

                      <rich:datascroller></rich:datascroller>

                  </f:facet>

              </rich:dataGrid>

        </h:form>

    </rich:panel>       

...

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Figure 6.64. Component usage

The component was created basing on the <a4j:repeat> component and as a result it could be partially updated with Ajax. "ajaxKeys" attribute allows to define row keys that are updated after an Ajax request.

Here is an example:

Example:


...

    <rich:dataGrid value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" var="car" ajaxKeys="#{listBean.list}" 

                        binding="#{listBean.dataGrid}" id="grid" elements="4" columns="2">

        ...

    </rich:dataGrid>

...

    <a4j:commandButton action="#{listBean.action}" reRender="grid" value="Submit"/>

...

In the example "reRender" attribute contains value of "id" attribute for <rich:dataGrid> component. As a result the component is updated after an Ajax request.

6.38.6. Facets

Table 6.154. Facets

Facet name	Description
header	Defines the header content
footer	Defines the footer content
caption	Defines the caption content

6.38.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:dataGrid> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:dataGrid> component

6.38.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Skin parameters redefinition for <rich:dataGrid> are the same as for the <rich:dataTable> component.

6.38.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Custom style classes for <rich:dataGrid> are the same as for the <rich:dataTable> component.

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:dataGrid> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes are the same as for the <rich:dataTable> ) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-table-footercell{

    color:#ff7800;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.65. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example color of footercell was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:dataGrid> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:dataGrid> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

The "columnClasses" attribute for <rich:dataGrid> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:dataGrid ... columnClasses="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.66. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style for columns was changed.

6.38.10. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:dataGrid> usage and sources for the given example.

6.39. < rich:dataList >

6.39.1. Description

The component for unordered lists rendering that allows choosing data from a model and obtains built-in support of Ajax updates.

Figure 6.67. <rich:dataList> component

6.39.2. Key Features

A completely skinned list and child elements
Possibility to update a limited set of rows with AJAX
Possibility to receive values dynamically from a model

Table 6.155. rich : dataList attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxKeys	This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an AJAX request
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
first	A zero-relative row number of the first row to display
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
rowClasses	A comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that is applied to popup table rows. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual row. The styles are applied, in turn, to each row in the table. For example, if the list has two elements, the first style class in the list is applied to the first row, the second to the second row, the first to the third row, the second to the fourth row, etc. In other words, we keep iterating through the list until we reach the end, and then we start at the beginning again
rowKey	RowKey is a representation of an identifier for a specific data row
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a row key object
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope
rows	A number of rows to display, or zero for all remaining rows in the table
stateVar	The attribute provides access to a component state on the client side
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
type	Corresponds to the HTML DL type attribute
value	The current value for this component
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current row will be used when iterating

Table 6.156. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.DataList
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataList
component-family	org.richfaces.DataList
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DataListRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DataListTag

6.39.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant of dataList on a page, use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:dataList var="car" value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" >

        <h:outputText value="#{car.model}"/>

    </rich:dataList>

...

6.39.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:dataList> component allows to generate a list from a model.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataList;

...

HtmlDataList myList = new HtmlDataList();

...

6.39.5. Details of Usage

The component has the "type" attribute, which corresponds to the "type" parameter for the <UL> HTML element and defines a marker type. Possible values for "type" attribute are: "disc", "circle", "square".


...

    <h:form>

        <rich:dataList var="car" value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" rows="5" type="disc" title="Car Store">

            <h:outputText value="#{car.make} #{car.model}"/><br/>

            <h:outputText value="Price:" styleClass="label"></h:outputText>

            <h:outputText value="#{car.price} "/><br/>

            <h:outputText value="Mileage:" styleClass="label"></h:outputText>

            <h:outputText value="#{car.mileage} "/><br/>

        </rich:dataList>

</h:form>

...

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Figure 6.68. <rich:dataList> component with "type" attribute

In the example the "rows" attribute limits number of output elements of the list.

"first" attribute defines first element for output. "title" are used for popup title. See picture below:

Figure 6.69. <rich:dataList> component with "title" attribute

Here is an example:

Example:


...

    <rich:dataList value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" var="car" ajaxKeys="#{listBean.list}" 

                        binding="#{listBean.dataList}" id="list" rows="5" type="disc">

        ...

    </rich:dataList>

...

    <a4j:commandButton action="#{listBean.action}" reRender="list" value="Submit"/>

...

In the example "reRender" attribute contains value of "id" attribute for <rich:dataList> component. As a result the component is updated after an Ajax request.

6.39.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:dataList> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:dataList> component

6.39.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.70. Style classes

Table 6.157. Classes names that define a list appearance

Class name	Description
rich-datalist	Defines styles for an html <ul> element
rich-list-item	Defines styles for an html <li> element

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:dataList> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-list-item{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.71. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font style for list item text was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:dataList> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:dataList> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    background-color:#ffead9;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:dataList> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:dataList ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.72. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, background color for <rich:dataList> was changed.

6.39.8. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:dataList> usage and sources for the given example.

6.40. < rich:dataOrderedList >

6.40.1. Description

The component for ordered lists rendering that allows choosing data from a model and obtains built-in support of Ajax updates.

Figure 6.73. <rich:dataOderedList> component

6.40.2. Key Features

A completely skinned list and child elements
Possibility to update a limited set of rows with AJAX
Possibility to receive values dynamically from a model

Table 6.158. rich : dataOrderedList attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxKeys	This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an AJAX request
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
first	A zero-relative row number of the first row to display
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
rowClasses	A comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that is applied to popup table rows. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual row. The styles are applied, in turn, to each row in the table. For example, if the list has two elements, the first style class in the list is applied to the first row, the second to the second row, the first to the third row, the second to the fourth row, etc. In other words, we keep iterating through the list until we reach the end, and then we start at the beginning again
rowKey	RowKey is a representation of an identifier for a specific data row
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a RowKey object.
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope
rows	A number of rows to display, or zero for all remaining rows in the table
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
type	Corresponds to the HTML OL type attribute
value	The current value for this component
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current row will be used when iterating

Table 6.159. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.DataOrderedList
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataOrderedList
component-family	org.richfaces.DataOrderedList
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DataOrderedListRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DataOrderedListTag

6.40.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant of dataOrderedList on a page, use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:dataOrderedList var="car" value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" >

        <h:outputText value="#{car.model}"/>

    </rich:dataOrderedList>

...

6.40.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:dataOrderedList> component allows to generate an ordered list from a model.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataOrderedList; 

...  

HtmlDataOrderedList myList = new HtmlDataOrderedList();

...

6.40.5. Details of Usage

The component has the "type" attribute, which corresponds to the "type" parameter for the <OL> HTML element and defines a marker type. Possible values for "type" attribute are: "A", "a", "I", "i", "1".


...

    <h:form>

        <rich:dataOrderedList var="car" value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" rows="5" type="1"  title="Car Store">

            <h:outputText value="#{car.make} #{car.model}"/><br/>

            <h:outputText value="Price:" styleClass="label"></h:outputText>

            <h:outputText value="#{car.price}" /><br/>

            <h:outputText value="Mileage:" styleClass="label"></h:outputText>

            <h:outputText value="#{car.mileage}" /><br/>

        </rich:dataOrderedList>

    </h:form>

...

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Figure 6.74. <rich:dataOrderedList> component with "type" attribute

In the example the "rows" attribute limits number of output elements of the list.

"first" attribute defines first element for output. "title" are used for popup title.

Here is an example:

Example:


...

    <rich:dataOrderedList value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" var="car" ajaxKeys="#{listBean.list}" 

                        binding="#{listBean.dataList}" id="list">

        ...

    </rich:dataOrderedList>

...

    <a4j:commandButton action="#{listBean.action}" reRender="list" value="Submit"/>

...

In the example "reRender" attribute contains value of "id" attribute for <rich:dataOrderedList> component. As a result the component is updated after an Ajax request.

6.40.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:dataOrderedList> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:dataOrderedList> component

6.40.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.75. Style classes

Table 6.160. Classes names that define a list appearance

Class name	Description
rich-orderedlist	Defines styles for an html <ol> element
rich-list-item	Defines styles for an html <li> element

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:dataOrderedList> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above ) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-orderedlist{

 background-color: #ebf3fd;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.76. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example background color was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:dataOrderedList> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:dataOrderedList> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

  font-style: italic;

}

...

Example:


<rich:dataOrderedList ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.77. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style was changed.

6.40.8. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:dataOrderedList > usage and sources for the given example.

6.41. < rich:dataDefinitionList >

6.41.1. Description

The component for definition lists rendering that allows choosing data from a model and obtains built-in support of Ajax updates.

Figure 6.78. <rich:dataDefinitionList> component

6.41.2. Key Features

Completely skinned table rows and child elements
Possibility to update a limited set of rows with AJAX
Possibility to receive values dynamically from a model

Table 6.161. rich : dataDefinitionList attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxKeys	This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an AJAX request
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
columnClasses	Comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that are be applied to the columns of this table. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual column. If the number of elements in this list is less than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, no "class" attribute is output for each column greater than the number of elements in the list. If the number of elements in the list is greater than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, the elements at the position in the list after the value of the "columns" attribute are ignored
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
first	A zero-relative row number of the first row to display
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
rowClasses	A comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that is applied to popup table rows. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual row. The styles are applied, in turn, to each row in the table. For example, if the list has two elements, the first style class in the list is applied to the first row, the second to the second row, the first to the third row, the second to the fourth row, etc. In other words, we keep iterating through the list until we reach the end, and then we start at the beginning again
rowKey	RowKey is a representation of an identifier for a specific data row
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a RowKey object.
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope
rows	A number of rows to display, or zero for all remaining rows in the table
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
value	The current value for this component
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current row will be used when iterating

Table 6.162. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.DataDefinitionList
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataDefinitionList
component-family	org.richfaces.DataDefinitionList
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DataDefinitionListRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DataDefinitionListTag

6.41.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant of dataDefinitionList on a page, use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:dataDefinitionList value="#{bean.capitals}" var="caps">

        <f:facet name="term">Cars</f:facet>

        <h:outputText value="#{car.model}"/>

    </rich:dataDefinitionList>

...

6.41.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:dataDefinitionList> component allows to generate an definition list from a model.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataDefinitionList;

...

HtmlDataDefinitionList myList = new HtmlDataDefinitionList();

...

6.41.5. Details of Usage

The component has the "term" facet, which corresponds to the "type" parameter for the <DT> HTML element.


...

    <h:form>

        <rich:dataDefinitionList var="car" value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" rows="5" first="4" title="Cars">

            <f:facet name="term">

                <h:outputText value="#{car.make} #{car.model}"></h:outputText>

            </f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="Price:" styleClass="label"></h:outputText>

            <h:outputText value="#{car.price}" /><br/>

            <h:outputText value="Mileage:" styleClass="label"></h:outputText>

            <h:outputText value="#{car.mileage}" /><br/>

        </rich:dataDefinitionList>

    </h:form>

...

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Figure 6.79. <rich:dataDefinitionList> component with "term" facet

In the example the "rows" attribute limits number of output elements of the list.

"first" attribute defines first element for output. "title" are used for popup title.

The component was created basing on the <a4j:repeat> component and as a result it could be partially updated with Ajax. The "ajaxKeys" attribute allows to define row keys that are updated after an Ajax request, you need to pass an array with key (lines) of the list that you want to be updated after the Ajax request is executed.

Here is an example:

Example:


...

    <rich:dataDefinitionList value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" var="car" ajaxKeys="#{listBean.list}" 

                        binding="#{listBean.dataList}" id="list">

        ...

    </rich:dataDefinitionList>

...

    <a4j:commandButton action="#{listBean.action}" reRender="list" value="Submit"/>

...

In the example "reRender" attribute contains value of "id" attribute for <rich:dataDefinitionList> component. As a result the component is updated after an Ajax request.

6.41.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:dataDefinitionList> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:dataDefinitionList> component

6.41.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.80. Style classes

Table 6.163. Classes names that define a list appearance

Class name	Description
rich-deflist	Defines styles for an html <dl> element
rich-definition	Defines styles for an html <dd> element
rich-definition-term	Defines styles for an html <dt> element

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:dataDefinitionList> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-definition-term{

 font-weight:bold;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.81. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a term font weight was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:dataDefinitionList> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:dataDefinitionList> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

  font-style: italic;

}

...

Example:


<rich:dataDefinitionList ... rowClasses="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.82. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style for rows was changed.

6.41.8. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:dataDefinitionList> usage and sources for the given example.

6.42. < rich:columnGroup >

6.42.1. Description

The component combines columns in one row to organize complex subparts of a table.

Figure 6.83. <rich:columnGroup> component

6.42.2. Key Features

Completely skinned table columns and child elements
Possibility to combine columns and rows inside
Possibility to update a limited set of strings with Ajax

Table 6.164. rich : columnGroup attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
columnClasses	Comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that are be applied to the columns of this table. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual column. If the number of elements in this list is less than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, no "class" attribute is output for each column greater than the number of elements in the list. If the number of elements in the list is greater than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, the elements at the position in the list after the value of the "columns" attribute are ignored
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
rowClasses	A comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that is applied to popup table rows. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual row. The styles are applied, in turn, to each row in the table. For example, if the list has two elements, the first style class in the list is applied to the first row, the second to the second row, the first to the third row, the second to the fourth row, etc. In other words, we keep iterating through the list until we reach the end, and then we start at the beginning again
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component

Table 6.165. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ColumnGroup
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlColumnGroup
component-family	org.richfaces.ColumnGroup
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ColumnGroupRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ColumnGroupTag

6.42.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant of columnGroup on a page, use the following syntax:


...

        <rich:columnGroup>

                <rich:column>

                        <h:outputText value="Column1"/>

                </rich:column>

                <rich:column>

                        <h:outputText value="Column2"/>

                </rich:column>

        </rich:columnGroup>

...

6.42.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:columnGroup> component combines columns set wrapping them into the <tr> element and outputting them into one row. Columns are combined in a group the same way as when the "breakBefore" attribute is used for columns to add a moving to the next rows, but the first variant is clearer from a source code. Hence, the following simple examples are very same.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlColumnGroup;

... 

HtmlColumnGroup myRow = new HtmlColumnGroup();

...

6.42.5. Details of Usage

And representation without a grouping:


...

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" rows="5" id="sublist"> 

        <rich:column colspan="3">

            <f:facet name="header">State Flag</f:facet>

            <h:graphicImage value="#{cap.stateFlag}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:columnGroup>

            <rich:column> 

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}"/>

            </rich:column>

            <rich:column >

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}"/>

            </rich:column>

            <rich:column >

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.timeZone}"/>

            </rich:column>

        </rich:columnGroup> 

    </rich:dataTable>

...

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.


...

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" rows="5" id="sublist"> 

        <rich:column colspan="3">

            <f:facet name="header">State Flag</f:facet>

            <h:graphicImage value="#{cap.stateFlag}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column breakBefore="true">

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column breakBefore="true">

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}"/>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column >

                <h:outputText value="#{cap.timeZone}"/>

        </rich:column>

    </rich:dataTable>

....

The result is:

Figure 6.84. Generated <rich:columnGroup> component with "breakBefore" attribute

It's also possible to use the component for output of complex headers in a table. For example adding of a complex header to a facet for the whole table looks the following way:

Example:


...

    <f:facet name="header">

        <rich:columnGroup>

            <rich:column rowspan="2">

                <h:outputText value="State Flag"/>

            </rich:column>

            <rich:column colspan="3">

                <h:outputText value="State Info"/>

            </rich:column>

            <rich:column breakBefore="true">

                <h:outputText value="State Name"/>

            </rich:column>

            <rich:column>

                <h:outputText value="State Capital"/>

            </rich:column>

            <rich:column>

                <h:outputText value="Time Zone"/>

            </rich:column>

        </rich:columnGroup>

    </f:facet>

...

Generated on a page as:

Figure 6.85. <rich:columnGroup> with complex headers

6.42.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:columnGroup> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:columnGroup> component

6.42.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Skin parameters redefinition for <rich:columnGroup> are the same as for the <rich:dataTable> component.

6.42.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Custom style classes for <rich:columnGroup> are the same as for the <rich:dataTable> component.

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:columnGroup> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-table-cell{

        color:  #316ac5;

}    

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.86. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example cells color was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:columnGroup> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:columnGroup> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        background-color: #c0c0c0; 

}

...

The "columnClasses" attribute for <rich:columnGroup> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:columnGroup  columnClasses="myClass">

This is a result:

Figure 6.87. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the background color for columns was changed.

6.42.9. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:columnGroup> usage and sources for the given example.

6.43. < rich:dataTable >

6.43.1. Description

The component for tables rendering that allows choosing data from a model and obtains built-in support of Ajax updates.

Figure 6.88. <rich:dataTable> component

6.43.2. Key Features

A completely skinned table and child elements
Possibility to insert the complex subcomponents "colGroup" and "subTable"
Possibility to update a limited set of strings with AJAX
Possibility to sort and to filter of columns
Sorting column values
Filtering column values

Table 6.166. rich : dataTable attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxKeys	This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an AJAX request
align	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the position of the table with respect to the document. The possible values are "left", "center" and "right". The default value is "left".
bgcolor	Deprecated. This attribute sets the background color for the document body or table cells. This attribute sets the background color of the canvas for the document body (the BODY element) or for tables (the TABLE, TR, TH, and TD elements). Additional attributes for specifying text color can be used with the BODY element. This attribute has been deprecated in favor of style sheets for specifying background color information
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
border	This attributes specifies the width of the frame around a component. Default value is "0".
captionClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to caption for this component
captionStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to caption when this component is rendered
cellpadding	This attribute specifies the amount of space between the border of the cell and its contents. Default value is "0".
cellspacing	This attribute specifies the amount of space between the border of the cell and its contents. The attribute also specifies the amount of space to leave between cells. Default value is "0".
columnClasses	Comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that are be applied to the columns of this table. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual column. If the number of elements in this list is less than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, no "class" attribute is output for each column greater than the number of elements in the list. If the number of elements in the list is greater than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, the elements at the position in the list after the value of the "columns" attribute are ignored
columns	Number of columns
columnsWidth	Comma-separated list of width attribute for every column. Specifies a default width for each column in the table. In addition to the standard pixel, percentage, and relative values, this attribute allows the special form "0" (zero asterisk) which means that the width of the each column in the group should be the minimum width necessary to hold the column's contents. This implies that a column's entire contents must be known before its width may be correctly computed. Authors should be aware that specifying "0" will prevent visual user agents from rendering a table incrementally
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
first	A zero-relative row number of the first row to display
footerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to footer for this component
frame	This attribute specifies which sides of the frame surrounding a table will be visible. Possible values: "void", "above", "below", "hsides", "lhs", "rhs", "vsides", "box" and "border". The default value is "void".
headerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to header for this component
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onRowClick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked on row
onRowContextMenu	JavaScript handler to be called on right click. Returning false prevents default browser context menu from being displayed
onRowDblClick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked on row
onRowMouseDown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down on row
onRowMouseMove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within of row
onRowMouseOut	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away of row
onRowMouseOver	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto of row
onRowMouseUp	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released on row
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rowClasses	A comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that is applied to popup table rows. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual row. The styles are applied, in turn, to each row in the table. For example, if the list has two elements, the first style class in the list is applied to the first row, the second to the second row, the first to the third row, the second to the fourth row, etc. In other words, we keep iterating through the list until we reach the end, and then we start at the beginning again
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a RowKey object.
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope
rows	A number of rows to display, or zero for all remaining rows in the table
rules	This attribute specifies which rules will appear between cells within a table. The rendering of rules is user agent dependent. Possible values: * none: No rules. This is the default value. * groups: Rules will appear between row groups (see THEAD, TFOOT, and TBODY) and column groups (see COLGROUP and COL) only. * rows: Rules will appear between rows only. * cols: Rules will appear between columns only. * all: Rules will appear between all rows and columns
sortMode	Defines mode of sorting. Possible values are 'single' for sorting of one column and 'multi' for some.
sortPriority	Defines a set of columns ids in the sorting order
stateVar	The attribute provides access to a component state on the client side
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
value	The current value for this component
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current row will be used when iterating
width	This attribute specifies the desired width of the entire table and is intended for visual user agents. When the value is percentage value, the value is relative to the user agent's available horizontal space. In the absence of any width specification, table width is determined by the user agent

Table 6.167. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.DataTable
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataTable
component-family	org.richfaces.DataTable
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DataTableRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DataTableTag

6.43.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="capitals">

       <rich:column>

            ...

        </rich:column>

    </rich:dataTable>

...

6.43.4. Creating the Component Dynamically from Java

The <rich:dataTable> component is similar to the <h:dataTable> one, except Ajax support and skinnability. Ajax support is possible, because the component was created basing on the <a4j:repeat> component and as a result it could be partially updated with Ajax. "ajaxKeys" attribute allows to define row keys that is updated after an Ajax request.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDataTable;

...

HtmlDataTable myTable = new HtmlDataTable();

...

6.43.5. Details of Usage

In the example "reRender" attribute contains value of "id" attribute for <rich:dataTable> component. As a result the component is updated after an Ajax request.


...

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="capitals"

                ajaxKeys="#{bean.ajaxSet}" binding="#{bean.table}" id="table">

        ...

    </rich:dataTable>

...

    <a4j:commandButton action="#{tableBean.action}" reRender="table" value="Submit"/>

...

The component allows to use "header" , "footer" and "caption" facets for output. See an example below:


...

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="cap" rows="5">

        <f:facet name="caption"><h:outputText value="United States Capitals" /></f:facet>

        <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText value="Capitals and States Table" /></f:facet>

        <rich:column>

            <f:facet name="header">State Flag</f:facet>

            <h:graphicImage value="#{cap.stateFlag}"/>

            <f:facet name="footer">State Flag</f:facet>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column>

            <f:facet name="header">State Name</f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.state}"/>

            <f:facet name="footer">State Name</f:facet>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column >

            <f:facet name="header">State Capital</f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}"/>

            <f:facet name="footer">State Capital</f:facet>

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column>

            <f:facet name="header">Time Zone</f:facet>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap.timeZone}"/>

            <f:facet name="footer">Time Zone</f:facet>

        </rich:column>

        <f:facet name="footer"><h:outputText value="Capitals and States Table" /></f:facet>

    </rich:dataTable>

...

Information about sorting and filtering you can find in the corresponding section.

Figure 6.89. <rich:dataTable> component with facets

You can find information how to remove header's gradient in the "How to remove rich:dataTable header background " article.

6.43.6. Facets

Table 6.168. Facets

Facet	Description
header	Redefines the header content
footer	Redefines the footer content
caption	Defines the caption content

6.43.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:dataTable> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:dataTable> component

6.43.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.169. Skin parameters redefinition for a table

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.170. Skin parameters redefinition for a header

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.171. Skin parameters redefinition for a footer

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableFooterBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.172. Skin parameters redefinition for a column header

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.173. Skin parameters redefinition for a column footer

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableSubfooterBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.174. Skin parameters redefinition for cells

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family

6.43.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.90. <rich:dataTable> class names

Table 6.175. Classes names that define a whole component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-table	Defines styles for all table
rich-table-caption	Defines styles for a "caption" facet element

Table 6.176. Classes names that define header and footer elements

Class name	Description
rich-table-header	Defines styles for a table header row
rich-table-header-continue	Defines styles for all header lines after the first
rich-table-subheader	Defines styles for a column header
rich-table-footer	Defines styles for a footer row
rich-table-footer-continue	Defines styles for all footer lines after the first
rich-table-subfooter	Defines styles for a column footer

Table 6.177. Classes names that define rows and cells of a table

Class name	Description
rich-table-headercell	Defines styles for a header cell
rich-table-subheadercell	Defines styles for a column header cell
rich-table-cell	Defines styles for a table cell
rich-table-row	Defines styles for a table row
rich-table-firstrow	Defines styles for a table's first row
rich-table-footercell	Defines styles for a footer cell
rich-table-subfootercell	Defines styles for a column footer cell

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:dataTable> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-table-cell{

    font-weight:bold;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.91. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font weight for table cell was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:dataTable> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:dataTable> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

The "headerClass" attribute for <rich:dataTable> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:dataTable  ... headerClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.92. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style for header was changed.

Detailed information on how to set <rich:dataTable> border to "0px" you can find in the " How to set rich:dataTable border to 0px article " .

6.43.10. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:dataTable> usage and sources for the given example.

The article about <rich:dataTable> flexibility can be found in the "rich:dataTable Flexibility " article .

Article on dataTable skinability provides you a simple example of skinnability.

More information about using <rich:dataTable> and <rich:subTable> could be found on the RichFaces Users Forum.

How to use <rich:dataTable> and <rich:datascroller> in a context of Extended Data Model see on the RichFaces Users Forum.

From "rich:dataTable border to 0px " article you'll figure out how to set rich:dataTable border to 0px

dataTable Background Out tells you how to remove rich:dataTable header background

6.44. < rich:editor >

6.44.1. Description

The <rich:editor> component is used for creating a WYSIWYG editor on a page.

Figure 6.93. <rich:editor> component

6.44.2. Key Features

Seam text support
Manageable global configurations
Possibility to use custom plug-ins
Support of all TinyMCE's parameters through <f:param>

Table 6.178. rich : editor attributes

Attribute Name	Description
autoResize	Attribute enables to get the Editor area to resize to the boundaries of the contents.
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
configuration	Attribute defines configuration properties file name
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
customPlugins	Attribute defines property file name witch contains descriptors of custom plugins
dialogType	Attribute defines how dialogs/popups should be opened. Default value is "modal"
height	Attribute defines height of component.
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
language	Attribute defines Editor language
onchange	HTML: script expression; content is modified by TinyMCE.
oninit	HTML: script expression; initialization of the editor's instances are finished
onsave	HTML: script expression; the contents is extracted/saved.
onsetup	HTML: script expression; to add events to editor instances before they get rendered.
plugins	Attribute defines Editor plugins
readonly	Attribute defines Editor is readonly
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
skin	Attribute defines Editor skin
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tabindex	In visual mode the attribute works the same way as "tab_focus" TinyMCE's property the attribute enables you to specify an element ID to focus, when the TAB key is pressed . You can also use the special ":prev" and ":next" values that will then place the focus on an input element placed before/after the TinyMCE instance in the DOM. While in "source" mode the attribute works like standard HTML tabindex attribute.
theme	Attribute defines Editor theme
useSeamText	Attribute defines if model value should be converted to Seam Text. Default value is "false"
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
viewMode	Attribute defines if tinyMCE WYSIWYG should be disabled. Default value is "visual"
width	Attribute defines width of component.

Table 6.179. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.component.editor
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.Htmleditor
component-family	org.richfaces.component.editor
renderer-type	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.editorRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.editorTag

6.44.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:editor />

...

6.44.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:editor> is fully based on TinyMCE web based Javascript HTML WYSIWYG editor control and supports all of the features it has. The <rich:editor> adapts the TinyMCE editor for JSF environment and adds some functional capabilities.

import org.richfaces.component.html.Htmleditor;

...

Htmleditor myeditor = new Htmleditor();

...

6.44.5. Details of Usage

The easiest way to place the <rich:editor> on a page is as follows:

Implementation of <rich:editor> provides three ways to define the properties of the component:


<rich:editor value="#{bean.editorValue}" />

Using attributes
Using using <f:param> JSF tag
Using configuration files that allow you to set up multiple configurations for all editors in your application and change them in the runtime

The three methods are described in details in the chapter.

The most important properties are implemented as attributes and you can define them as any other attribute. The attributes of the <rich:editor> component match the corresponding properties of TinyMCE editor.

For example, a theme for the editor can be defined using the "theme" attribute like this:

Setting a different skin for the editor can be done using the "skin" attribute.




<rich:editor value="#{bean.editorValue}" theme="advanced" />

Another useful property that is implemented at attribute level is "viewMode" . The attribute switches between "visual" and "source" modes, toggling between modes is performed setting the attribute to "visual" and "source" respectively. Implementation of <rich:editor> also implies that you can change the modes dynamically setting the value of the "viewMode" attribute using EL-expression.

Most configuration options that TinyMCE provides can be applied using <f:param> JSF tag. The syntax is quite simple: the "name" attribute should contain the option, the "value" attribute assigns some value to the option.


...  

<rich:editor value="#{editor.submit}" theme="advanced" viewMode="#{editor.viewMode}" >

    ...

    <h:selectOneRadio value="#{editor.viewMode}" onchange="submit();">

        <f:selectItem itemValue="visual" itemLabel="visual" />

        <f:selectItem itemValue="source" itemLabel="source" />

    </h:selectOneRadio>

    ...

</rich:editor>

...

For example, this code adds some buttons to the editor and positions the toolbar.

This is what you get as a result:


...

<rich:editor value="#{bean.editorValue}" theme="advanced" plugins="save,paste" >

          <f:param name="theme_advanced_buttons1" value="bold,italic,underline, cut,copy,paste,pasteword"/>

          <f:param name="theme_advanced_toolbar_location" value="top"/>                               

          <f:param name="theme_advanced_toolbar_align" value="left"/>

</rich:editor>

...

Figure 6.94. Setting configuration options with <f:param>

The third way to configure the <rich:editor> is to use configuration file (.properties)

This method eases your life if you need to configure multiple instances of the <rich:editor> : you configure the editor once and in one spot and the configuration properties can be applied to any <rich:editor> in your application.

To implement this type of configuration you need to take a few steps:

Create a configuration file (.properties) in the classpath folder and add some properties to it. Use standard syntax for the .properties files: parameter=value. Here is an example of configuration file:
Example:
```
theme="advanced"

plugins="save,paste"

theme_advanced_buttons1="bold,italic,underline, cut,copy,paste,pasteword"

theme_advanced_toolbar_location="top"

theme_advanced_toolbar_align="left"
```
The properties stored in configuration file are passed to the <rich:editor> via "configuration" attribute which takes the name of the configuration file as a value (with out .properties extension).
For example, if you named the configuration file "editorconfig", you would address it as follows:
Example:
```
...

<rich:editor value="#{bean.editorValue}" configuration="editorconfig"/>

...
```

Alternately, you can use a EL-expression to define a configuration file. This way you can dynamically change the sets of configuration properties.

For example, you have two configuration files "configurationAdvanced" and "configurationSimple" and you want them to be applied under some condition.

To do this you need to bind "configuration" attribute to the appropriate bean property like this.

Example:


...

<rich:editor value="#{bean.editorValue}" configuration="#{editor.configuration}" />

...

Your Java file should look like this.

...

    String configuration;

    if(some condition){//defines some condition

                              configuration = "configurationAdvanced"; //the name on the file with advanced properties  

    }

    else{

         configuration= "configurationSimple"; //the name on the file with simplified properties    

        

    }

...

You also might want to add some custom plug-ins to your editor. You can read about how to create a plugin in TinyMCE Wiki article.

Adding a custom plugin also requires a few steps to take. Though, the procedure is very similar to adding a configuration file.

This is what you need to add a plugin:

Create a .properties file and put the name of the plug-in and a path to it into the file. The file can contain multiple plug-in declarations. Your .properties file should be like this.
Example:
```
...

pluginName=/mytinymceplugins/plugin1Name/editor_plugin.js

...
```
Use the "customPlugins" attribute to specify the .properties file with a plugin name and a path to it.
If your .properties file is named "myPlugins", then your will have this code on the page.
Example:
```
...

<rich:editor theme="advanced" customPlugins="myPlugins" plugins="pluginName" /> 

...
```

Note:

Some plug-ins which available for download might have some dependencies on TinyMCE scripts. For example, dialog pop-ups require tiny_mce_popup.js script file. Assuming that you will not plug custom plugins to the RF jar with editor component (standard TinyMCE plugins creation implies that plugins are put into TinyMCE's corresponding directory) you should manually add required TinyMCE scripts to some project folder and correct the js includes.

The implementation of the <rich:editor> component has two methods for handling events.

The attributes take some function name as a value with is triggered on the appropriate event. You need to use standard JavaScript function calling syntax.

Using attributes ( "onchange" , "oninit" , "onsave" , "onsetup" )

Example:


...

<rich:editor value="#{bean.editorValue}" onchange="myCustomOnChangeHandler()" />

...

Using <f:param> as a child element defining the "name" attribute with one of the TinyMCE's callbacks and the "value" attribute takes the function name you want to be called on the corresponding event as the value. Note, that the syntax in this case is a bit different: parentheses are not required.
Example:
```
...

<rich:editor value="#{bean.editorValue}">

        <f:param name="onchange" value="myCustomOnChangeHandler" />

</rich:editor>

...
```

The <rich:editor> component has a build-in converter that renders HTML code generated by the editor to Seam text (you can read more on Seam in Seam guide.), it also interprets Seam text passed to the <rich:editor> and renders it to HTML. The converter can be enable with the "useSeamText" attribute.

Example:

This HTML code generated by editor


...

<p><a href="http://mysite.com">Lorem ipsum</a> <i>dolor sit</i> amet, ea <u>commodo</u> consequat.</p>

...

will be parsed to the following Seam text:


...

[Lorem ipsum=>http://mysite.com] *dolor sit* amet, ea _commodo_ consequat.

...

Accordingly, if the Seam text is passed to the component it will be parsed to HTML code.

<rich:editor> in Internet Explorer

When used in conjunction with a <base> HTML element containing an href attribute, the <rich:editor> will not be rendered correctly. Avoid using the <base> element and href attribute on pages containing a <rich:editor> component.

6.44.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:editor> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:editor> component

6.44.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.180. Skin parameters redefinition for containers

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background

Table 6.181. Skin parameters redefinition for external controls

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.182. Skin parameters redefinition for layout

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-left-color
panelBorderColor	border-right-color
panelBorderColor	border-top-color
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color
headerBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.183. Skin parameters redefinition for buttons

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.184. Skin parameters redefinition for list box

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background
panelBorderColor	border-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.185. Skin parameters redefinition for color split button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background
panelBorderColor	border-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.186. Skin parameters redefinition for hovered color split button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	border-color

Table 6.187. Skin parameters redefinition for menu

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
tableBackgroundColor	background
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.188. Skin parameters redefinition for menu item

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color
generalTextColor	color
generalTextColor	color
tabDisabledTextColor	color

Table 6.189. Skin parameters redefinition for progress and resize states

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background
tableBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.190. Skin parameters redefinition for dialog box

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalBackgroundColor	background

Table 6.191. Skin parameters redefinition for link in dialog box

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color
hoverLinkColor	color

Table 6.192. Skin parameters redefinition for link in dialog box

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color
hoverLinkColor	color

Table 6.193. Skin parameters redefinition for fieldset in dialog box

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.194. Skin parameters redefinition for fieldset legend in dialog box

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalLinkColor	color

Table 6.195. Skin parameters redefinition for input elements in dialog box

Skin parameters	CSS properties
warningColor	color
warningColor	border-color
controlBackgroundColor	background
tableBorderColor	border-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.196. Skin parameters redefinition for panel wrapper in dialog box

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
tableBackgroundColor	background

Table 6.197. Skin parameters redefinition for headers in dialog box

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalLinkColor	color

Table 6.198. Skin parameters redefinition for links in tabs in dialog box

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.199. Skin parameters redefinition for main text area

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color
tableBackgroundColor	background

6.44.8. Definition of Custom Style Selectors

On the screenshot there are CSS selectors that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.95. Classes names

Table 6.200. CSS selectors for the layout of the editor

Selector	Description
.richfacesSkin table.mceToolbar	Defines styles for the rows of icons within toolbar
.richfacesSkin .mceButton	Defines styles for the buttons
.richfacesSkin .mceButtonDisabled .mceIcon	Defines styles for the icons
.richfacesSkin .mceListBox	Defines styles for the list box
.richfacesSkin .mceSeparator	Defines styles for the buttons separator
.richfacesSkin .mceIframeContainer	Defines styles for the container
.richfacesSkin table.mceLayout	Defines styles for the table layout
.richfacesSkin .mceToolbar	Defines styles for the toolbar

Table 6.201. CSS selectors for the menus

Selector	Description
.richfacesSkin .mceMenu	Defines styles for the menus
.richfacesSkin .mceMenu .mceMenuItemActive	Defines styles for the active menu items
.richfacesSkin .mceMenu .mceMenuItemActive	Defines styles for the active menu items

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:editor> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.richfacesSkin .mceButton {                                 

    border: 1px solid red;             

}  

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.96. Redefinition styles with predefined selectors

It's also possible to change styles of a particular <rich:editor> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:editor> "styleClass" attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{  

    margin-top: 20px;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:editor> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:editor value="#{bean.text}" styleClass="myClass"/>

6.44.9. Relevant Resources Links

The <rich:editor> is based on TinyMCE editor and supports almost all its features and properties some of which are not described here since you can find more detailed documentation on them on the official web site.

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:editor> usage and sources for the given example.

6.45. < rich:dragIndicator >

6.45.1. Description

This is a component for defining what appears under the mouse cursor during drag-and-drop operations. The displayed drag indicator can show information about the dragged elements.

Figure 6.97. <rich:dragIndicator> component

6.45.2. Key Features

Customizable look and feel
Customizable marker according to the type of dragable elements

Table 6.202. rich : dragIndicator attributes

Attribute Name	Description
acceptClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute and added to an indicator when a drop is accepted
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
rejectClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute and added to an indicator when a drop is rejected
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute

Table 6.203. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.Draggable
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDragIndicator
component-family	org.richfaces.DragIndicator
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DragIndicatorRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DragIndicatorTag

6.45.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


... 

    <rich:dragIndicator  id="indicator">

        <f:facet name="single">

            <f:verbatim>

                <b>Single item</b> {DragInfo}

            </f:verbatim>

        </f:facet>

    </rich:dragIndicator>

    ...

    <rich:dragSupport dragType="text" dragIndicator="indicator">

...

6.45.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

In the simplest way the component could be defined empty - in that case a default indicator is shown like this:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDragIndicator;

...

HtmlDragIndicator myDragIndicator = new HtmlDragIndicator();

...

6.45.5. Details of Usage

Figure 6.98. The simplest <rich:dragIndicator>

For indicator customization you need to define one of the following facets:

"single" — indicator shown when dragging a single item;
"multiple" — indicator shown when dragging several items.

Note:

The current implementation of the <rich:dragIndicator> component does not support multiple items selection. The feature is described for future releases.

Thus for specify a look-and-feel you have to define one of these facets and include into it a content that should be shown in indicator.

6.45.5.1. Macro definitions

To place some data from drag or drop zones into component you can use macro definitions. They are being defining in the following way:

<rich:dndParam> component with a specific name and value is being included into a drag/drop support component (an image can be defined as placed inside <rich:dndParam> without defining a value).
in needed place a parameter value is included into the marking of indicator using syntax (name of parameter)

For instance, this:


... 

    <rich:dropSupport...>

        <rich:dndParam name="testDrop">

            <h:graphicImage value="/images/file-manager.png" />

        </rich:dndParam>

    </rich:dropSupport>

...

Is placed into indicator as follows:


... 

    <f:facet name="single">

        {testDrop}

    </f:facet>

...

6.45.5.2. Predefined macro definitions

Indicator can accept two default macro definitions:

marker
label

Thus including one of these elements in the marking of indicator, in other words after setting up appropriate parameters in DnD components and defining only default indicator - without specifying facets - a developer gets these parameters values displayed in indicator in the order "marker - label".

6.45.5.3. Marker customization

The macro definition "marker" can be customized depending on what a draggable element is located over. For that you should define one of these three parameters (specify a parameter with one of three names):

accept

Parameter will be set instead of {marker} into indicator when a draggable element is positioned over drop zone that accept this type of elements

reject

Parameter is set instead of {marker} into indicator when a draggable element is positioned over drop zone that doesn't accept this type of elements

default

Parameter is set instead of {marker} into indicator when a draggable element is positioned over all the rest of page elements

Note:

If you use <rich:dragIndicator> inside a form do not forget to use id like formId:indicatorID defined in <rich:dragSupport> indicator attribute.

6.45.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

The <rich:dragIndicator> component has no skin parameters and special style classes , as it consists of one element generated with a your method on the server. To define some style properties such as an indent or a border, it's possible to use "style" and "styleClass" attributes on the component.

6.45.7. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:dragIndicator> usage and sources for the given example.

6.46. < rich:dropSupport >

6.46.1. Description

This component transforms a parent component into a target zone for drag-and-drop operations. When a draggable element is moved and dropped onto the area of the parent component, Ajax request processing for this event is started.

Figure 6.99. <rich:dropSupport> component

6.46.2. Key Features

Encodes all necessary JavaScript to perform drop actions
Can be used within any component type that provides the required properties for drop operations
Built-in Ajax processing
Supports drag-and-drop between different forms

Table 6.204. rich : dropSupport attributes

Attribute Name	Description
acceptCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates when acceptable draggable over dropzone
acceptedTypes	A list of drag zones types, which elements are accepted by a drop zone
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
cursorTypeMapping	Mapping between drop types and acceptable cursors
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
disableDefault	Disable default action for target event (append "return false;" to JavaScript)
dropListener	MethodBinding representing an action listener method that will be notified after drop operation.
dropValue	Data to be processed after a drop event
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondragenter	A JavaScript event handler called on enter draggable object to zone
ondragexit	A JavaScript event handler called after a drag object leaves zone
ondrop	A JavaScript event handler called after a drag object is dropped to zone
ondropend	A JavaScript handler for event fired on a drop even the drop for a given type is not available
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rejectCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates when rejectable draggable over dropzone
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
typeMapping	The attribute associates a type of dragable zone (dragType) with <rich:dndParam> defined for <rich:dropSupport> for passing parameter value to <rich:dragIndicator>. It uses JSON format: (drag_type: parameter_name).
value	The current value for this component

Table 6.205. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.DropSupport
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDropSupport
component-family	org.richfaces.DropSupport
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DropSupportRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DropSupportTag

6.46.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

This simple example shows how to make a panel component a potential drop target for drag-and-drop operations using "text" elements as the dragged items.


...

    <rich:panel>

        <rich:dropSupport acceptedTypes="text"/>

    </rich:panel>

...

6.46.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The key attribute for <rich:dropSupport> is "acceptedTypes" . It defines, which types of dragable items (zones) could be accepted by the current drop zone. Check the example below:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDropSupport;

...

HtmlDropSupport myDragZone = new HtmlDropSupport();

...

6.46.5. Details of Usage


...

<rich:panel styleClass="dropTargetPanel">

     <f:facet name="header">

          <h:outputText value="PHP Frameworks" />

     </f:facet>

     

     <rich:dropSupport id="php" acceptedTypes="PHP" dropValue="PHP" dropListener="#{eventBean.processDrop}" reRender="phptable, src">

     </rich:dropSupport>

     ...

</rich:panel>

...

and here is what happens on the page:

Figure 6.100. Drop zone accepts dragable item with "PHP" type only

Using the "typeMapping" attribute. Previous example shows that a drop zone could accept a dragable item or not. Special markers, which are placed at <rich:dragIndicator> , inform user about drop zone’s possible behaviors: "checkmark" appears if drop is accepted and "No" symbol if it is not. Moreover, some extra information (e.g. text message) could be put into the Indicator to reinforce the signal about drop zone’s behavior or pass some other additional sense. This reinforcement could be programmed and attributed to drop zone via "typeMapping" attribute using JSON syntax. The type of dragged zone (dragType) should be passed as "key" and name of <rich:dndParam> that gives needed message to Indicator as "value":


...

<rich:panel styleClass="dropTargetPanel">

     <f:facet name="header">

          <h:outputText value="PHP Frameworks" />

     </f:facet>

     

     <rich:dropSupport id="php" acceptedTypes="PHP" dropValue="PHP" dropListener="#{eventBean.processDrop}" reRender="phptable, src" 

                              typeMapping="{PHP: text_for_accepting, DNET: text_for_rejecting}">

          <rich:dndParam name="text_for_accepting" value="Drop accepted!" />

          <rich:dndParam name="text_for_rejecting" value="Drop is not accepted!" />

     </rich:dropSupport>

     ...

</rich:panel>

...

What happens on the page:

Figure 6.101. "typeMapping" helps to add some extra information to <rich:dragIndicator>

In examples above dropping a dragable item triggers the use a parameter in the event processing; Ajax request is sent and dropListener defined for the component is called.

Here is an example of moving records between tables. The example describes all the pieces for drag-and-drop. (To get extra information on these components, read the sections for these components.)

As draggable items, this table contains a list of such items designated as being of type "text" :

Example:


...

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" var="caps">

        <f:facet name="caption">Capitals List</f:facet>

        <h:column>

        <a4j:outputPanel>

            <rich:dragSupport dragIndicator=":form:ind" dragType="text">

                <a4j:actionparam value="#{caps.name}" name="name"/>

            </rich:dragSupport>

            <h:outputText value="#{caps.name}"/> 

        </a4j:outputPanel>

        </h:column>

    </rich:dataTable>

...

As a drop zone, this panel will accept draggable items of type text and then rerender an element with the ID of box :

Example:


...

    <rich:panel style="width:100px;height:100px;">

        <f:facet name="header">Drop Zone</f:facet>

        <rich:dropSupport acceptedTypes="text" reRender="box" 

                        dropListener="#{capitalsBean.addCapital2}"/>

    </rich:panel>

...

As a part of the page that can be updated in a partial page update, this table has an ID of box :

Example:


...

    <rich:dataTable value="#{capitalsBean.capitals2}" var="cap2" id="box">

        <f:facet name="caption">Capitals chosen</f:facet>

        <h:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{cap2.name}"/>

        </h:column>

    </rich:dataTable>

...

And finally, as a listener, this listener will implement the dropped element:

Example:

...

    public void addCapital2(DropEvent event) {

        FacesContext context = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance();

        Capital cap = new Capital();

        cap.setName(context.getExternalContext().getRequestParameterMap().get("name").toString());

        capitals2.add(cap);

    }

...

Here is the result after a few drops of items from the first table:

Figure 6.102. Results of drop actions

In this example, items are dragged element-by-element from the rendered list in the first table and dropped on a panel in the middle. After each drop, a drop event is generated and a common Ajax request is performed that renders results in the third table.

As with every Ajax action component, <rich:dropSupport> has all the common attributes ( "timeout" , "limitToList" , "reRender" , etc.) for Ajax request customization.

Finally, the component has the following extra attributes for event processing on the client:

"ondragenter"
"ondragexit"
"ondrop"
"ondropend"

Developers can use their own custom JavaScript functions to handle these events.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find in the "Decide what to process" guide section .

6.46.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:dropSupport> has no skin parameters and custom style classes , as the component isn't visual.

6.46.7. Relevant Resources Links

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <rich:dropSupport> usage and sources for the given example.

6.47. < rich:dndParam >

6.47.1. Description

This component is used for passing parameters during drag-and-drop operations.

Table 6.206. rich : dndParam attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
name	A name of this parameter
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
type	This attribute defines parameter functionality. Possible values are "drag", "drop" and "default". Default value is "default".
value	The current value for this component

Table 6.207. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.DndParam
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDndParam
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DndParamTag

6.47.2. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page, nested in one of the drag-and-drop components:


...

    <rich:dragSupport dragType="file">

        <rich:dndParam name="testDrag" value="testDragValue" 

                        type="drag"/>

    </rich:dragSupport>

...

6.47.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

dndParam is used during drag-and-drop operations to pass parameters to an indicator. At first, a parameter type is defined with the type attribute (to specify parameter functionality), then a parameter name could be defined with the name and value attribute. Although, it's possible to use nested content defined inside dndParam for value definition, instead of the attribute.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDndParam;

...

HtmlDndParam myDparam = new HtmlDndParam();

...

6.47.4. Details of Usage

Variants of usage:

Parameters passing for a drag icon when an indicator is in drag.

In this case, dndParam is of a drag type and is defined in the following way:

Here dndParam defines an icon that is used by an indicator when a drag is on the place of a default icon (e.g. a minimized image of a draggable element)


...

    <rich:dragSupport ...> 

        <rich:dndParam type="drag" name="dragging"> 

            <h:graphicImage value="/img/product1_small.png"/> 

        </rich:dndParam> 

        <h:graphicImage value="product1.png"/> 

    </rich:dragSupport>

...

Parameters passing for an indicator informational part during a drag.

In this case dndParam is of a drag type and is defined in the following way:

The parameter is transmitted into an indicator for usage in an informational part of the dragIndicator component (inside an indicator a call to {label} happens)


...

    <rich:dragSupport ...> 

        <rich:dndParam type="drag" name="label" value="#{msg.subj}"/>

        ...

    </rich:dragSupport>

...

Parameters passing happens when dragged content is brought onto some zone with dropSupport

In this case dndParam is of a drop type and is defined in the following way:

Here, dndParam passes icons into an indicator, if dragged content of a comp type is above the given drop zone that processes it on the next drop event.


...

    <rich:dropSupport ...> 

        <rich:dndParam type="drop" name="comp" > 

            <h:graphicImage height="16" width="16" value="/images/comp.png"/> 

        </rich:dndParam>

        ...

    </rich:dropSupport >

...

6.47.5. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:dndParam> has no skin parameters and custom style classes, as the component isn't visual.

6.47.6. Relevan Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:dndParam> usage and sources for the given example.

6.48. < rich:dragSupport >

6.48.1. Description

This component defines a subtree of the component tree as draggable for drag-and-drop operations. Within such a "drag zone," you can click the mouse button on an item and drag it to any component that supports drop operations (a "drop zone"). It encodes all the necessary JavaScript for supporting drag-and-drop operations.

Figure 6.103. <rich:dragSupport> component

6.48.2. Key Features

Encodes all necessary JavaScript to perform drag actions
Can be used within any component type that provides the required properties for drag operations
Supports drag-and-drop between different forms

Table 6.208. rich : dragSupport attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
disableDefault	Disable default action for target event (append "return false;" to JavaScript)
dragIndicator	Id of a component that is used as drag pointer during the drag operation
dragListener	MethodBinding representing an action listener method that will be notified after drag operation
dragType	A drag zone type that is used for zone definition, which elements can be accepted by a drop zone
dragValue	Data to be sent to a drop zone after a drop event
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
grabbingCursors	list of comma separated cursors that indicates then the you has grabbed something
grabCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates then you can grab and drag an object
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondragend	A JavaScript event handler called after a drag operation
ondragstart	A JavaScript event handler called before drag operation
ondropout	A JavaScript event handler called after a out operation
ondropover	A JavaScript event handler called after a drop operation
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
value	The current value for this component

Table 6.209. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.DragSupport
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDragSupport
component-family	org.richfaces.DragSupport
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DragSupportRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DragSupportTag

6.48.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

    <h:panelGrid id="drag1">

        <rich:dragSupport dragType="item"/>

            <!--Some content to be dragged-->

    </h:panelGrid>

...

6.48.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The dragSupport tag inside a component completely specifies the events and JavaScript required to use the component and it's children for dragging as part of a drag-and-drop operation. In order to work, though, dragSupport must be placed inside a wrapper component that outputs child components and that has the right events defined on it. Thus, this example won't work, because the <h:column> tag doesn't provide the necessary properties for redefining events on the client:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDragSupport;

...

HtmlDragSupport myDragZone = new HtmlDragSupport();

...

6.48.5. Details of Usage

However, using a4j:outputPanel as a wrapper inside <h:column> , the following code could be used successfully:


...

    <h:column>

        <rich:dragSupport dragIndicator=":form:iii" dragType="text">

            <a4j:actionparam value="#{caps.name}" name="name"/>

        </rich:dragSupport>

        <h:outputText value="#{caps.name}"/> 

    </h:column>

...

This code makes all rows of this column draggable.


...

    <h:column>

        <a4j:outputPanel>

            <rich:dragSupport dragIndicator=":form:iii" dragType="text">

                <a4j:actionparam value="#{caps.name}" name="name"/>

            </rich:dragSupport>

            <h:outputText value="#{caps.name}"/> 

        </a4j:outputPanel>

    </h:column>

...

One of the main attributes for dragSupport is "dragType" , which associates a name with the drag zone. Only drop zones with this name as an acceptable type can be used in drag-and-drop operations. Here is an example:

In this example, the drop1 panel grid is a drop zone that invokes drag-and-drop for drops of items from the first drag1 panel grid, but not the second drag2 panel grid. In the section about dropSupport , you will find an example that shows more detailed information about moving data between tables with drag and drop.


...

    <h:panelGrid id="drag1">

        <rich:dragSupport dragType="singleItems" .../>

        <!--Some content to be dragged-->

    </h:panelGrid>      

...

    <h:panelGrid id="drag2">

        <rich:dragSupport dragType="groups" .../>

        <!--Some content to be dragged-->

    </h:panelGrid>      

...

    <h:panelGrid id="drop1">

        <rich:dropSupport acceptedTypes="singleItems" .../>

        <!--Drop zone content-->

    </h:panelGrid>

...

The dragSupport component also has a "value" attribute for passing data into the processing after a drop event.

One more important attribute for <rich:dragSupport> is the "dragIndicator" attribute that point to the component id of the <rich:dragIndicator> component to be used for dragged items from this drag zone. If it isn't defined, a default indicator for drag operations is used.

Finally, the component has the following extra attributes for event processing on the client:

"ondragstart"
"ondragend"

You can use your own custom JavaScript functions to handle these events.

Note:

If you define width for a outputPanel, in Internet Explorer 6 you can perform a drag and drop operation, placing the mouse cursor on the text in the outputPanel only.

6.48.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:dragSupport> has no skin parameters and custom style classes , as the component isn't visual.

6.48.7. Relevant Resources Links

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <rich:dragSupport> usage and sources for the given example.

6.49. < rich:dropListener >

6.49.1. Description

The <rich:dropListener> represents an action listener method that is notified after a drop operation.

6.49.2. Key Features

Allows to define some drop listeners for the components with "Drag and Drop" support

Table 6.210. rich : dropListener attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
type	The fully qualified Java class name for the listener

Table 6.211. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
listener-class	org.richfaces.event.DropListener
event-class	org.richfaces.event.DropEvent
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DropListenerTag

6.49.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:dropListener type="demo.Bean"/>

...

6.49.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:dropListener> is used as a nested tag with components like <rich:dropSupport> , <rich:tree> and <rich:treeNode> .

package demo;

      

public class ImplBean implements org.richfaces.event.DropListener{

    ...

}



import demo.ImplBean;

...

ImplBean myListener = new ImplBean();

...

6.49.5. Details of Usage

Attribute "type" defines the fully qualified Java class name for the listener. This class should implement org.richfaces.event.DropListener interface. .

The typical variant of using:


...

<rich:panel style="width:100px;height:100px;">

    <f:facet name="header">Drop Zone</f:facet>

    <rich:dropSupport acceptedTypes="text"> 

        <rich:dropListener type="demo.ListenerBean"/>

    </rich:dropSupport>             

</rich:panel>

...

Java bean source:

package demo;


import org.richfaces.event.DropEvent;


public class ListenerBean implements org.richfaces.event.DropListener{

... 

    public void processDrop(DropEvent arg0){

        //Custom Developer Code 

    }

...

}

6.49.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:dropListener> has no skin parameters and custom style classes , as the component isn't visual.

6.50. < rich:dragListener >

6.50.1. Description

The <rich:dragListener> represents an action listener method that is notified after a drag operation.

6.50.2. Key Features

Allows to define some drag listeners for the components with "Drag and Drop" support

Table 6.212. rich : dragListener attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
type	The fully qualified Java class name for the listener

Table 6.213. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
listener-class	org.richfaces.event.DragListener
event-class	org.richfaces.event.DragEvent
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DragListenerTag

6.50.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:dragListener type="demo.Bean"/>

...

6.50.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:dragListener> is used as a nested tag with components like <rich:dragSupport> , <rich:tree> and <rich:treeNode> .

package demo;

      

public class ImplBean implements org.richfaces.event.DragListener{

    ...

}



import demo.ImplBean;

...

ImplBean myDragListener = new ImplBean();

...

6.50.5. Details of Usage

Attribute "type" defines the fully qualified Java class name for a listener. This class should implement org.richfaces.event.DropListener interface.

The typical variant of using:


...

<h:panelGrid id="dragPanel">

    <rich:dragSupport dragType="item">

        <rich:dragListener type="demo.ListenerBean"/>   

    </rich:dragSupport>

    <!--Some content to be dragged-->

</h:panelGrid>

...

Java bean source:

package demo;


import org.richfaces.event.DragEvent;


public class ListenerBean implements org.richfaces.event.DragListener{

... 

    public void processDrag(DragEvent arg0){

        //Custom Developer Code 

    }

...

}

6.50.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:dragListener> has no skin parameters and custom style classes , as the component isn't visual.

6.51. < rich:dropDownMenu >

6.51.1. Description

The <rich:dropDownMenu> component is used for creating multilevel drop-down menus.

Figure 6.104. <rich:dropDownMenu> component

6.51.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look-and-feel
Pop-up appearance event customization
Different submission modes
Ability to define a complex representation for elements
Support for disabling
Smart user-defined positioning

Table 6.214. rich : dropDownMenu attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
direction	Defines direction of the popup list to appear. Possible values are "top-right", "top-right", "top-left", "bottom-right", "bottom-left", "auto". Default value is "auto".
disabled	Attribute 'disabled' provides possibility to make the whole menu disabled if its value equals to "true". Default value is "false"
disabledItemClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to disabled item of this component
disabledItemStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to disabled item when this component is rendered.
disabledLabelClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) applied to dropdown menu label when it is disabled.
event	Defines the event on the representation element that triggers the menu's appearance.
hideDelay	Delay between losing focus and menu closing. Default value is "800".
horizontalOffset	Sets the horizontal offset between popup list and label element. Default value is "0". conjunction point
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
itemClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to item of this component
itemStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to item when this component is rendered.
jointPoint	Sets the corner of the label for the pop-up to be connected with. Possible values are "tr", "tl", "bl", "br", "bottom-left", "auto". Default value is "auto". "tr" stands for top-right.
labelClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) applied to dropdown menu label in it normal (neither selected nor disabled) sate.
oncollapse	HTML: script expression; a menu is collapsed.
onexpand	HTML: script expression; a menu is expanded.
ongroupactivate	HTML: script expression; some group was activated.
onitemselect	HTML: script expression; some item was selected.
onmousemove	HTML: script expression; a pointer was moved within.
onmouseout	HTML: script expression; a pointer was moved away.
onmouseover	HTML: script expression; a pointer was moved onto.
popupWidth	Sets minimal width for all lists that will appear.
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
selectedLabelClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) applied to dropdown menu label when it is selected.
selectItemClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to selected item of this component.
selectItemStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to selected item when this component is rendered.
showDelay	Delay between event and menu showing. Default value is "50".
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
submitMode	Sets the submission mode for all menu items of the menu except ones where this attribute redefined. Possible values are "ajax","server","none". Default value is "sever".
value	Defines representation text for Label used for menu calls.
verticalOffset	Sets the vertical offset between popup list and label element. Default value is "0". conjunction point

Table 6.215. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.DropDownMenu
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDropDownMenu
component-family	org.richfaces.DropDownMenu
renderer-type	org.richfaces.DropDownMenuRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.DropDownMenuTag

6.51.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

<rich:dropDownMenu value="Item1">

    <!--Nested menu components-->

</rich:dropDownMenu>

...

6.51.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

All attributes except "value" are optional. The "value" attribute defines text to be represented. If you can use the "label" facet, you can even not use the "value" attribute.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlDropDownMenu;   

...

HtmlDropDownMenu myDropDownMenu = new HtmlDropDownMenu();

...

6.51.5. Details of Usage

Use the "event" attribute to define an event for the represented element that triggers a menu appearance. An example of a menu appearance on a click can be seen below.


...

<f:facet name="label">

    <h:graphicImage value="/images/img1.png"/>

</f:facet>

...

The <rich:dropDownMenu> "submitMode" attribute can be set to three possible parameters:


...

<rich:dropDownMenu event="onclick" value="Item1">

    <!--Nested menu components-->

</rich:dropDownMenu>

...

Server (default)

Ajax

The "action" and "actionListener" item's attributes are ignored. Menu items don't fire any submits themselves. The behavior is fully defined by the components nested into items.

None

Note:

As the <rich:dropDownMenu> component doesn't provide its own form, use it between <h:form> and </h:form> tags.

The "direction" and "jointPoint" attributes are used for defining aspects of menu appearance.

Possible values for the "direction" attribute are:

"top-left" - a menu drops to the top and left
"top-right" - a menu drops to the top and right
"bottom-left" - a menu drops to the bottom and left
"bottom-right" - a menu drops to the bottom and right
"auto" - smart positioning activation

Possible values for the "jointPoint" attribute are:

"tr" - a menu is attached to the top-right point of the button element
"tl" - a menu is attached to the top-left point of the button element
"br" - a menu is attached to the bottom-right point of the button element
"bl" - a menu is attached to the bottom-left point of the button element
"auto" - smart positioning activation

By default, the "direction" and "jointPoint" attributes are set to "auto".


...

<rich:dropDownMenu value="File" direction="bottom-right" jointPoint="bl">

    <rich:menuItem submitMode="ajax" value="New" action="#{ddmenu.doNew}"/>

    <rich:menuItem   submitMode="ajax"  value="Open" action="#{ddmenu.doOpen}"/>

    <rich:menuGroup value="Save As...">

        <rich:menuItem   submitMode="ajax" value="Text File"  action="#{ddmenu.doSaveText}"/>

        <rich:menuItem   submitMode="ajax" value="PDF File"  action="#{ddmenu.doSavePDF}"/>

    </rich:menuGroup>

    <rich:menuItem  submitMode="ajax" value="Close" action="#{ddmenu.doClose}"/>

    <rich:menuSeparator id="menuSeparator11"/>

    <rich:menuItem  submitMode="ajax" value="Exit"  action="#{ddmenu.doExit}"/>

</rich:dropDownMenu>

...

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Figure 6.105. Using the "direction" and "joinPoint" attributes

You can correct an offset of the pop-up list relative to the label using the following attributes: "horizontalOffset" and "verticalOffset" .

Here is an example:

Example:


...

<rich:dropDownMenu value="File" direction="bottom-right" jointPoint="tr" horizontalOffset="-15" verticalOffset="0">

    <rich:menuItem submitMode="ajax" value="New" action="#{ddmenu.doNew}"/>

    <rich:menuItem   submitMode="ajax"  value="Open" action="#{ddmenu.doOpen}"/>

    <rich:menuGroup value="Save As...">

        <rich:menuItem   submitMode="ajax" value="Text File"  action="#{ddmenu.doSaveText}"/>

        <rich:menuItem   submitMode="ajax" value="PDF File"  action="#{ddmenu.doSavePDF}"/>

    </rich:menuGroup>

    <rich:menuItem  submitMode="ajax" value="Close" action="#{ddmenu.doClose}"/>

    <rich:menuSeparator id="menuSeparator11"/>

    <rich:menuItem  submitMode="ajax" value="Exit"  action="#{ddmenu.doExit}"/>

</rich:dropDownMenu>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.106. Using the "horizontalOffset" and "verticalOffset" attributes

The "disabled" attribute is used for disabling whole <rich:dropDownMenu> component. In this case it is necessary to define "disabled" attribute as "true". An example is placed below.

Example:


...

<rich:dropDownMenu value="File"  disabled="true">

    ...

</rich:dropDownMenu>

...

6.51.6. Facets

Table 6.216. Facets

Facet	Description
label	Redefines the content set of label
labelDisabled	Redefines the content set of disabled label

6.51.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:dropDownMenu> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:dropDownMenu> component

6.51.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.217. Skin parameters redefinition for a label <div> element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.218. Skin parameters redefinition for a selected label

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
controlBackgroundColor	background-color
generalTextColor	background-colorcolor

Table 6.219. Skin parameters redefinition for a border

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.220. Skin parameters redefinition for a background

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	border-top-color
additionalBackgroundColor	border-left-color
additionalBackgroundColor	border-right-color

6.51.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.107. Classes names

Table 6.221. Classes names that define a label

Class name	Description
rich-label-text-decor	Defines text style for a representation element
rich-ddmenu-label	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a representation element
rich-ddmenu-label-select	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a selected representation element
rich-ddmenu-label-unselect	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of an unselected representation element
rich-ddmenu-label-disabled	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a disabled representation element

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.108. Classes names

Table 6.222. Classes names that define a popup element

Class name	Description
rich-menu-list-border	Defines styles for borders
rich-menu-list-bg	Defines styles for a general background list
rich-menu-list-strut	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element for a strut of a popup list

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:dropDownMenu> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the table above) and define necessary properties in them. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.rich-ddmenu-label-select{

    background-color:  #fae6b0;

    border-color: #e5973e;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.109. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a label select background color and border color were changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:dropDownMenu> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:dropDownMenu> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    font-style: italic;

}

...

The "itemClass" attribute for <rich:dropDownMenu> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:dropDownMenu ... itemClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.110. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style for items was changed.

6.51.10. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:dropDownMenu> usage and sources for the given example.

6.52. < rich:extendedDataTable >

6.52.1. Description

The component for tables extending standard component <rich:dataTable> .

Figure 6.111. <rich:extendedDataTable> component

6.52.2. Key Features

Possibility to scroll data
Possibility to add an attribute to set the kind of selection (none, single line or multiple lines)
Possibility to change the sequence of the displayed columns by dragging the column-header to another position
Possibility to show or hide columns by selecting or deselecting them in a context menu
Possibility to save the current settings (visible columns, column width, sequence of the columns) to be reused the next time the page will be shown
Possibility to combine rows to groups

Table 6.223. rich : extendedDataTable attributes

Attribute Name	Description
activeClass	CSS class for active row
activeRowKey	Request scope attribute under which the activeRowKey will be accessible
ajaxKeys	This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an AJAX request
align	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the position of the table with respect to the document. The possible values are "left", "center" and "right". The default value is "left".
bgcolor	Deprecated. This attribute sets the background color for the document body or table cells. This attribute sets the background color of the canvas for the document body (the BODY element) or for tables (the TABLE, TR, TH, and TD elements). Additional attributes for specifying text color can be used with the BODY element. This attribute has been deprecated in favor of style sheets for specifying background color information
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
border	This attributes specifies the width of the frame around a component. Default value is "0"
captionClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to caption for this component
captionStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to caption when this component is rendered
cellpadding	This attribute specifies the amount of space between the border of the cell and its contents. Default value is "0"
cellspacing	This attribute specifies the amount of space between the border of the cell and its contents. The attribute also specifies the amount of space to leave between cells. Default value is "0"
columnClasses	Comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that are be applied to the columns of this table. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual column. If the number of elements in this list is less than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, no "class" attribute is output for each column greater than the number of elements in the list. If the number of elements in the list is greater than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, the elements at the position in the list after the value of the "columns" attribute are ignored
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
enableContextMenu	If set to true, table header context menu will be enabled
first	A zero-relative row number of the first row to display
footerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to footer for this component
frame	This attribute specifies which sides of the frame surrounding a table will be visible. Possible values: "void", "above", "below", "hsides", "lhs", "rhs", "vsides", "box" and "border". The default value is "void".
groupingColumn	Defines an id of column which the data is grouped by.
headerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to header for this component
height	Defines a height of the component. Default value is "500px"
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
noDataLabel	Defines label to be displayed in case there are no data rows.
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onRowClick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked on row
onRowDblClick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked on row
onRowMouseDown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down on row
onRowMouseMove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within of row
onRowMouseOut	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away of row
onRowMouseOver	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto of row
onRowMouseUp	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released on row
onselectionchange	HTML: script expression to invoke on changing of rows selection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rowClasses	A comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that is applied to popup table rows. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual row. The styles are applied, in turn, to each row in the table. For example, if the list has two elements, the first style class in the list is applied to the first row, the second to the second row, the first to the third row, the second to the fourth row, etc. In other words, we keep iterating through the list until we reach the end, and then we start at the beginning again
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a row key object
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope
rows	A number of rows to display, or zero for all remaining rows in the table
rules	This attribute specifies which rules will appear between cells within a table. The rendering of rules is user agent dependent. Possible values: * none: No rules. This is the default value. * groups: Rules will appear between row groups (see THEAD, TFOOT, and TBODY) and column groups (see COLGROUP and COL) only. * rows: Rules will appear between rows only. * cols: Rules will appear between columns only. * all: Rules will appear between all rows and columns
selectedClass	CSS class for selected rows
selection	Value binding representing selected rows
selectionMode	Single row can be selected. multi: Multiple rows can be selected. none: no rows can be selected. Default value is "single"
sortMode	Defines mode of sorting. Possible values are 'single' for sorting of one column and 'multi' for some.
sortPriority	Defines a set of column ids in the order the columns could be set
stateVar	The attribute provides access to a component state on the client side
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tableState	ValueBinding pointing at a property of a String to hold table state
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
value	The current value for this component
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current row will be used when iterating
width	This attribute specifies the desired width of the entire table and is intended for visual user agents. When the value is percentage value, the value is relative to the user agent's available horizontal space. In the absence of any width specification, table width is determined by the user agent

Table 6.224. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ExtendedDataTable
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlExtendedDataTable
component-family	org.richfaces.ExtendedDataTable
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ExtendedDataTableRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ExtendedDataTableTag

6.52.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

<rich:extendedDataTable value="#{extendedDT.dataModel}" var="edt">

       <rich:column>

         ...

       </rich:column>

</rich:extendedDataTable>

...

6.52.4. Creating the Component Dynamically from Java

The <rich:extendedDataTable> component is similar to the <rich:dataTable> . The data in component is scrollable. You can also set the type of selection ( "none", "single" or "multi" lines). Selection of multiple lines is possible using Shift and Ctrl keys.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlExtendedDataTable;

...

HtmlExtendedDataTable myTable = new HtmlExtendedDataTable();

...

6.52.5. Details of Usage

Information about sorting and filtering can be found in RichFaces Developer Guide section on sorting.


...

<rich:extendedDataTable id="edt" value="#{extendedDT.dataModel}" var="edt" width="500px" height="500px" selectedClass="dataTableSelectedRow" sortMode="single" selectionMode="multi" selection="#{extendedDT.selection}" rowKeyVar="rkvar" tableState="#{extendedDT.tableState}">

       <rich:column id="id" headerClass="dataTableHeader" width="50" label="Id" sortable="true" sortBy="#{edt.id}" sortIconAscending="dataTableAscIcon" sortIconDescending="dataTableDescIcon">

              <f:facet name="header">

                     <h:outputText value="Id" />

              </f:facet>

              <h:outputText value="#{edt.id}" />

       </rich:column>

       <rich:column id="name" width="300" headerClass="dataTableHeader" label="Name" sortable="true" sortBy="#{edt.name}" sortIconAscending="dataTableAscIcon" sortIconDescending="dataTableDescIcon" filterBy="#{edt.name}" filterEvent="onkeyup" visible="false"> 

              <f:facet name="header"> 

                     <h:outputText value="Name" />

              </f:facet>

              <h:outputText value="#{edt.name}" />

       </rich:column>

       <rich:column id="date" width="100" headerClass="dataTableHeader" label="Date" sortable="true" comparator="#{extendedDT.dateComparator}" sortIconAscending="dataTableAscIcon" sortIconDescending="dataTableDescIcon">

              <f:facet name="header">

                     <h:outputText value="Date" />

              </f:facet>

              <h:outputText value="#{edt.date}"><f:convertDateTime pattern="yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss" />

              </h:outputText>

       </rich:column>

       <rich:column id="group" width="50" headerClass="dataTableHeader" label="Group" sortable="true" sortBy="#{edt.group}" sortIconAscending="dataTableAscIcon" sortIconDescending="dataTableDescIcon">

              <f:facet name="header">

                     <h:outputText value="Group" />

              </f:facet>

              <h:outputText value="#{edt.group}" />

       </rich:column>

</rich:extendedDataTable>

...

Figure 6.112. <rich:extendedDataTable> component with selected multiple lines

For external filtering <rich:extendedDataTable> component supports "filter" facet for <rich:column> component. In this facet you can define your own controls for filtering which will be positioned like built-in filter controls. Rest of the filter scenario is the same as described RichFaces Developer Guide section on filtering.

In the example "selection" attribute contains object with selected rows.

Note:

Attribute "height" is mandatory. The default value is "500px" .

Menu on the right side of the column header is used to perform action: sorting, grouping, hiding columns.

This is an example:

Figure 6.113. Column menu

After selecting a "Group by this column" option, you can see the data grouped. You can collapse and expand groups by clicking on a group header.

This is an example:

Figure 6.114. <rich:extendedDataTable> component with grouped data

The "label" attribute in <rich:column> sets the name of the column, which is used when dragging columns (in drag window) and in context menu, in "Columns" submenu.

Example:


...

<rich:column id="name" label="#{msg['name']}"

...

Figure 6.115. <rich:extendedDataTable> component with Drag&Drop column 'Name'

In the component <rich:extendedDataTable> columns can hidden:

Figure 6.116. <rich:extendedDataTable> component with hidden column 'Id' and 'Group'

"tableState" attribute can be used to bind state of the table (column width, column position, visible, sequence, grouping...) to a backing-bean string property, for a later used. This state can be for example saved to a database, and it is different form standard JSF state saving mechanisms.

Example:


...

<rich:extendedDataTable tableState="#{extendedDT.tableState}">

...

6.52.6. Facets

Table 6.225. Facets

Facet	Description
header	Redefines the header content
footer	Redefines the footer content
caption	Redefines the caption content

6.52.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:extendedDataTable> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:extendedDataTable> component

6.52.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.226. Skin parameters redefinition for a table

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.227. Skin parameters redefinition for a header

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.228. Skin parameters redefinition for a footer

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableFooterBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.229. Skin parameters redefinition for a column header

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.230. Skin parameters redefinition for a column footer

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableSubfooterBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.231. Skin parameters redefinition for cells

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family

6.52.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.117. <rich:extendedDataTable> class names

Table 6.232. Classes names that define a whole component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-extdt	Defines styles for all table
rich-extdt-caption	Defines styles for a "caption" facet element

Table 6.233. Classes names that define header and footer elements

Class name	Description
rich-extdt-header	Defines styles for a table header row
rich-extdt-header-continue	Defines styles for all header lines after the first
rich-extdt-subheader	Defines styles for a column header
rich-extdt-footer	Defines styles for a footer row
rich-extdt-footer-continue	Defines styles for all footer lines after the first
rich-extdt-subfooter	Defines styles for a column footer

Table 6.234. Classes names that define rows and cells of a table

Class name	Description
rich-extdt-headercell	Defines styles for a header cell
rich-extdt-subheadercell	Defines styles for a column header cell
rich-extdt-cell	Defines styles for a table cell
rich-extdt-row	Defines styles for a table row
rich-extdt-firstrow	Defines styles for a table start row
rich-extdt-footercell	Defines styles for a footer cell
rich-extdt-subfootercell	Defines styles for a column footer cell
rich-extdt-group-cell	Defines styles for a grouping row cell

An example of use the styles for component <rich:extendedDataTable> is similar to <rich:dataTable>

6.52.10. Relevant resources links

Some additional information about usage of component can be found on its LiveDemo page.

6.53. < rich:menuGroup >

6.53.1. Description

The <rich:menuGroup> component is used to define an expandable group of items inside a pop-up list or another group.

Figure 6.118. <rich:menuGroup> component

6.53.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look-and-feel
Grouping of any menu's items
Pop-up appearance event customization
Support for disabling
Smart user-defined positioning

Table 6.235. rich : menuGroup attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
direction	Defines direction of the popup sublist to appear ("right", "left", "auto"(Default), "left-down", "left-up", "right-down", "right-up")
disabled	If "true" sets state of the item to disabled state. Default value is "false".
event	Defines the event on the representation element that triggers the menu's appearance. Default value is "onmouseover".
icon	Path to the icon to be displayed for the enabled item state
iconClass	Class to be applied to icon element
iconDisabled	Path to the icon to be displayed for the disabled item state
iconFolder	Path to the folder icon to be displayed for the enabled item state
iconFolderDisabled	Path to the folder icon to be displayed for the enabled item state
iconStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to icon element
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
labelClass	Class to be applied to label element
onclose	HTML: script expression; group was closed
onmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within
onmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away
onmouseover	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto
onopen	HTML: script expression; group was opened
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
selectClass	Class to be applied to selected items
selectStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to selected items
showDelay	Delay between event and menu showing. Default value is "300".
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
value	Defines representation text for menuItem

Table 6.236. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.MenuGroup
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlMenuGroup
component-family	org.richfaces.DropDownMenu
renderer-type	org.richfaces.MenuGroupRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.MenuGroupTag

6.53.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

    <rich:dropDownMenu value="Active">

        ...

        <rich:menuGroup value="Active">

            <!--Nested menu components-->

        </rich:menuGroup>

        ...

    </rich:dropDownMenu >

...

6.53.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The "value" attribute defines the text representation of a group element in the page.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlMenuGroup;  

...

HtmlMenuGroup myMenuGroup = new HtmlMenuGroup();

...

6.53.5. Details of Usage

The "icon" attribute defines an icon for the component. The "iconDisabled" attribute defines an icon for when the group is disabled. Also you can use the "icon" and "iconDisabled" facets. If the facets are defined, the corresponding "icon" and "iconDisabled" attributes are ignored and the facets' contents are used as icons. This could be used for an item check box implementation.

The "iconFolder" and "iconFolderDisabled" attributes are defined for using icons as folder icons. The "iconFolder" and "iconFolderDisabled" facets use their contents as folder icon representations in place of the attribute values.


...

    <f:facet name="icon">

        <h:selectBooleanCheckbox value="#{bean.property}"/>

    </f:facet>

...

The "direction" attribute is used to define which way to display the menu as shown in the example below:

Possible values are:

"left - down" - a submenu is attached to the left side of the menu and is dropping down
"left - up" - a submenu is attached to the left side of the menu and is dropping up
"right - down" - a submenu is attached to the right side of the menu and is dropping down
"right - up" - a submenu is attached to the right side of the menu and is dropping up
"auto - smart" positioning activation

By default, the "direction" attribute is set to "auto".

This would be the result:


...

        <rich:menuGroup value="Save As..." direction="left-down">

                <rich:menuItem   submitMode="ajax" value="Text File"  action="#{ddmenu.doSaveText}"/>

                <rich:menuItem   submitMode="ajax" value="PDF File"  action="#{ddmenu.doSavePDF}"/>

        </rich:menuGroup>

...

Figure 6.119. Using the "direction" attribute

Note:

The <rich:menuGroup> component was designed to be used only for pop-up menu list creation.

6.53.6. Facets

Table 6.237. Facets

Facet	Description
icon	Redefines the icon for the enabled item state. Related attribute is "icon"
iconFolder	Redefines the folder icon for the enabled item state. Related attribute is "iconFolder"

6.53.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:menuGroup> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:menuGroup> component

6.53.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.238. Skin parameters redefinition for a group

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.239. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled group

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabDisabledTextColor	color

Table 6.240. Skin parameters redefinition for a label

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color

6.53.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.120. Classes names

Table 6.241. Classes names that define an appearance of group elements

Class name	Description
rich-menu-group	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element for a group
rich-menu-item-label	Defines styles for a label of an item
rich-menu-item-icon	Defines styles for the left icon of an item
rich-menu-item-folder	Defines styles for the right icon of an item

Table 6.242. Classes names that define different states

Class name	Description
rich-menu-item-label-disabled	Defines styles for a label of a disabled item
rich-menu-item-icon-disabled	Defines styles for the left icon of a disabled item
rich-menu-item-folder-disabled	Defines styles for the right icon of a disabled item
rich-menu-group-hover	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a hover group
rich-menu-item-icon-enabled	Defines styles for the left icon of an enabled item
rich-menu-item-icon-selected	Defines styles for the left icon of a selected item

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:menuGroup> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-menu-item-label-disabled{

        font-style: italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.121. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a disabled label font style was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:menuGroup> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:menuGroup> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    background-color: #acbece; 

    border: none;

}

...

The "selectClass" attribute for <rich:menuGroup> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:menuGroup value="Save As..." selectClass="myClass">

This is a result:

Figure 6.122. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the background color for selected class was changed. Also selected class has no border.

6.53.10. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:menuGroup> usage and sources for the given example.

6.54. < rich:menuItem >

6.54.1. Description

The <rich:menuItem> component is used for the definition of a single item inside a pop-up list.

This component can be used not only within <rich:dropDownMenu> and <rich:contextMenu> , but also it can used as a standalone component. For example, you can use it as nested component of the <rich:toolBar> .

Figure 6.123. <rich:menuItem> component

6.54.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look-and-feel
Different submission modes
Support for disabling
Custom content support

Table 6.243. rich : menuItem attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
disabled	If "true" sets state of the item to disabled state. Default value is "false".
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
icon	Path to the icon to be displayed for the enabled item state
iconClass	Class to be applied to icon element
iconDisabled	Path to the icon to be displayed for the disabled item state.
iconStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to icon element
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
labelClass	Class to be applied to label element
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselect	HTML: script expression; The onselect event occurs when you select some menu item
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
selectClass	Class to be applied to selected items
selectStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to selected items
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
submitMode	Sets the submission mode. Possible values are "ajax", "server", "none". Default value is "server".
target	Name of a frame where the resource retrieved via this hyperlink is to be displayed
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
value	The current value for this component

Table 6.244. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.MenuItem
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlMenuItem
component-family	org.richfaces.DropDownMenu
renderer-type	org.richfaces.MenuItemRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.MenuItemTag

6.54.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

    <rich:dropDownMenu>

        ...

        <rich:menuItem value="Active"/>

        ...

    <rich:dropDownMenu>

...

6.54.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The "value" attribute defines the text representation for an item element.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlMenuItem;   

...

HtmlMenuItem myMenuItem = new HtmlMenuItem();

...

6.54.5. Details of Usage

There are two icon-related attributes. The "icon" attribute defines an icon. The "iconDisabled" attribute defines an icon for a disabled item. Also you can use the "icon" and "iconDisabled" facets. If the facets are defined, the corresponding "icon" and "iconDisabled" attributes are ignored and the facets content is shown as an icon. It could be used for an item check box implementation.

The <rich:menuItem> "submitMode" attribute can be set to three possible parameters:


...

    <f:facet name="icon">

        <h:selectBooleanCheckbox value="#{bean.property}"/>

    </f:facet>

...

Server (default)

Ajax

The "action" and "actionListener" item's attributes are ignored. Menu items don' fire any submits themselves. The behavior is fully defined by the components nested into items.

None

For example, you can put any content into an item, but, in this case, you should set the "submitMode" attribute as "none" .

You can use the "disabled" attribute to set the item state.


...

    <rich:dropDownMenu>

        ...

        <rich:menuItem submitMode="none">

            <h:outputLink value="www.jboss.org"/>

        </rich:menuItem>

        ...

    <rich:dropDownMenu>

...

The <rich:menuItem> component was designed to be used only for pop-up menu list creation.


...

    <rich:dropDownMenu>

        <rich:menuItem value="Disable" disabled="true"/>

    <rich:dropDownMenu>

...

Note:

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find RichFaces Developer Guide section about "process" attribute .

6.54.6. Facets

Table 6.245. Facets

Facet	Description
icon	Redefines the icon for the enabled item state. Related attribute is "icon"
iconDisabled	Redefines the folder icon the disabled item state. Related attribute is "iconDisabled"

6.54.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:menuItem> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:menuItem> component

6.54.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.246. Skin parameters redefinition for an item

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.247. Skin parameters redefinition for a hovered item

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tipBorderColor	border-color
tipBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.248. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled item

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabDisabledTextColor	color

Table 6.249. Skin parameters redefinition for a label

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color

6.54.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.124. Classes names

Table 6.250. Classes names that define an appearance of item elements

Class name	Description
rich-menu-item	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element for an item
rich-menu-item-label	Defines styles for a label of an item
rich-menu-item-icon	Defines styles for the left icon of an item

Table 6.251. Classes names that define different states

Class name	Description
rich-menu-item-disabled	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of an item
rich-menu-item-enabled	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of an enabled item
rich-menu-item-hover	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a hover item
rich-menu-item-label-disabled	Defines styles for a label of a disabled item
rich-menu-item-icon-disabled	Defines styles for the left icon of a disabled item
rich-menu-item-label-enabled	Defines styles for a label of an enabled item
rich-menu-item-icon-enabled	Defines styles for the left icon of an enabled item
rich-menu-item-label-selected	Defines styles for a label of a selected item
rich-menu-item-icon-selected	Defines styles for the left icon of a selected item

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:menuItem> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-menu-item-disabled{

        font-style: italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.125. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a disabled item font style was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:menuItem> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:menuItem> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        border-color: #bed6f8;

        background-color: #ffffff;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:menuItem> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:menuItem ... selectStyle="myClass">

This is a result:

Figure 6.126. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the background color and border color for selected item were changed.

6.54.10. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:menuItem> usage and sources for the given example.

6.55. < rich:menuSeparator >

6.55.1. Description

The <rich:menuSeparator> component is used for the definition of a horizontal separator that can be placed between groups or items.

Figure 6.127. <rich:menuSeparator> component

Table 6.252. rich : menuSeparator attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered

Table 6.253. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.MenuSeparator
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlMenuSeparator
component-family	org.richfaces.DropDownMenu
renderer-type	org.richfaces.MenuSeparatorRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.MenuSeparatorTag

6.55.2. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

    <rich:dropDownMenu/>

        ...

        <rich:menuSeparator/>

        ...

    <rich:dropDownMenu/>

...

6.55.3. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlMenuSeparator;  

...

HtmlMenuSeparator myMenuSeparator = new HtmlMenuSeparator();

...

6.55.4. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:menuSeparator> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:menuSeparator> component

6.55.5. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.254. Skin parameters redefinition for an item

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-top-color

6.55.6. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.128. Classes names

Table 6.255. Classes names that define separator element appearance.

Class name	Description
rich-menu-separator	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element for a separator

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:menuSeparator> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-menu-separator{

        border-color: #acbece;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.129. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a menu separator border color was changed.

6.55.7. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:menuSeparator> usage and sources for the given example.

6.56. < rich:effect >

6.56.1. Description

The <rich:effect> utilizes a set of effects provided by the scriptaculous JavaScript library. It allows to attach effects to JSF components and html tags.

6.56.2. Key Features

No developers JavaScript writing needed to use it on pages
Presents scriptaculous JavaScript library functionality

Table 6.256. rich : effect attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
disableDefault	Disable default action for target event ( append "return false;" to JavaScript ). Default value is "false".
event	Event on the component or html tag the effect is attached to
for	Id of the target component.
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
name	Generated JavaScript name.
params	Parameters passed to the effect function. Example params="{duration:0.2,from:1.0,to:0.1}"
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
targetId	The id of the element the effect apply to. Might be component id or client id of jsf component or html tag. If targetId is not defined the value of the attribute 'for' or the 'targetId' option effect play its role
type	Defines the type of effect. Possible values: "Fade", "Blind", "Opacity".

Table 6.257. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.Effect
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlEffect
component-family	org.richfaces.Effect
renderer-type	org.richfaces.EffectRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.EffectTag

6.56.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant of <rich:effect> on a page, use the following syntax:


...

<rich:effect for="componentId" type="Appear"/>

...

6.56.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

It is possible to use <rich:effect> in two modes:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlRichEffect;

...

HtmlRichEffect myEffect = new HtmlRichEffect();

...

6.56.5. Details of Usage

attached to the JSF components or html tags and triggered by a particular event. Wiring effect with JSF components might occur on the server or client. Wiring with html tag is possible only on the client side
invoking from the JavaScript code by an effect name. During the rendering, <rich:effect> generates the JavaScript function with defined name. When the function is called, the effect is applied

Those a the typical variants of using:


...

<!-- attaching by event  -->

<rich:panel>

    <rich:effect event="onmouseout" type="Opacity" params="duration:0.8,from:1.0,to:0.3" />

    .... panel content ....

</rich:panel>

...



<!--  invoking from JavaScript -->

<div id="contentDiv">

  ..... div content ......

</div>



<input type="button" onclick="hideDiv({duration:0.7})" value="Hide" />

<input type="button" onclick="showDiv()" value="Show" />



<rich:effect  name="hideDiv"  for="contentDiv" type="Fade" />

<rich:effect  name="showDiv"  for="contentDiv" type="Appear" />



<!-- attaching to window on load and applying on particular page element -->

<rich:effect for="window" event="onload" type="Appear" params="targetId:'contentDiv',duration:0.8,from:0.3,to:1.0" />

...

Figure 6.130. Initial

Figure 6.131. When the mouse cursor is over

"name" attribute defines a name of the JavaScript function that is be generated on a page when the component is rendered. You can invoke this function to activate the effect. The function accesses one parameter. It is a set of effect options in JSON format.

"type" attribute defines the type of an effect. For example, "Fade", "Blind", "Opacity". Have a look at scriptaculous documentation for set of available effect.

"for" attribute defines the id of the component or html tag, the effect is attached to. RichFaces converts the "for" attribute value to the client id of the component if such component is found. If not, the value is left as is for possible wiring with on the DOM element's id on the client side. By default, the target of the effect is the same element that effect pointed to. However, the target element is might be overridden with "targetId" option passed with "params" attribute of with function paramenter.

"params" attribute allows to define the set of options possible for particurar effect. For example, 'duration', 'delay', 'from', 'to'. Additionally to the options used by the effect itself, there are two option that might override the <rich:effect> attribute. Those are:

"targetId" allows to re-define the target of effect. The option is override the value of "for" attribute.
"type" defines the effect type. The option is override the value of "type" attribute.

You can use a set of effects directly without defining the <rich:effect> component on a page if it's convenient for you. For that, load the scriptaculous library to the page with the following code:

Example:


...

<a4j:loadScript src="resource://scriptaculous/effect.js" />

...

If you do use the <rich:effect> component, there is no need to include this library because it's already here.

For more information look at RichFaces Users Forum.

6.56.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:effect> has no skin parameters and custom style classes, as the component isn't visual.

6.56.7. Relevant Resources Links

Here you can get additional information how to create an image banner using <rich:effect> and <a4j:poll> components and figure out how to create an HTML banner from "Creating HTML Banner Using Effects And Poll RichFaces Wiki" article .

In the RichFaces Cookbook article you can find information how to make a Slide Show with help of the <rich:effect> and <a4j:poll> components.

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:effect> usage.

How to save <rich:effect> status see on the RichFaces Users Forum.

6.57. < rich:fileUpload >

6.57.1. Description

The <rich:fileUpload> component designed to perform Ajax-ed files upload to server.

Figure 6.132. <rich:fileUpload> component

6.57.2. Key Features

ProgressBar shows the status of downloads
Restriction on File type, file size and number of files to be uploaded
Multiple files upload support
Embedded Flash module
Possibility to cancel the request
One request for every upload
Automatic uploads
Supports standard JSF internationalization
Highly customizable look and feel
Disablement support

Table 6.258. rich : fileUpload attributes

Attribute Name	Description
acceptedTypes	Files types allowed to upload
accesskey	This attribute assigns an access key to an element. An access key is a single character from the document character set. Note: Authors should consider the input method of the expected reader when specifying an accesskey
addButtonClass	CSS style for add button
addButtonClassDisabled	CSS style for add button disabled
addControlLabel	Defines a label for an add button
ajaxSingle	Boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only. Default value is "false"
allowFlash	Attribute which allow the component to use the flash module that provides file upload functionality [false, true, auto]. Default value is "false"
alt	For a user agents that cannot display images, forms, or applets, this attribute specifies alternate text. The language of the alternate text is specified by the lang attribute
autoclear	If this attribute is "true" files will be immediately removed from list after upload completed. Default value is "false".
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
cancelEntryControlLabel	Defines a label for a cancel control
cleanButtonClass	CSS style for clean button
cleanButtonClassDisabled	CSS style for clean button disabled
clearAllControlLabel	Defines a label for a clearAll button
clearControlLabel	Defines a label for a clear control
disabled	Attribute 'disabled' provides a possibility to make the whole component disabled if its value equals to "true". Default value is "false".
doneLabel	Defines a label for a done label
fileEntryClass	CSS style upload file entry
fileEntryClassDisabled	CSS style upload file entry disabled
fileEntryControlClass	CSS style for upload enrty control
fileEntryControlClassDisabled	CSS style for upload enrty control disabled
fileUploadListener	MethodExpression representing an action listener method that will be notified after file uploaded.
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
immediateUpload	If this attribute is true files will be immediately uploaded after they have been added in list. Default value is "false".
listHeight	Defines height of file list. Default value is "210px".
listWidth	Defines width of file list. Default value is "400px".
locale	Used for locale definition
maxFilesQuantity	Defines max files count allowed for upload (optional). Default value is "1".
noDuplicate	Defines if component should allow to add files that were already in list. Default value is "false".
onadd	HTML: script expression; a file is added.
onblur	The client side script method to be called when the element loses the focus
onchange	The client side script method to be called when the element value is changed
onclear	HTML: script expression; the file entries are cleared
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onerror	HTML: script expression; the file uploading is interrupted according to any errors
onfileuploadcomplete	HTML: script expression; a file is uploaded to the server
onfocus	The client side script method to be called when the element gets the focus
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselect	The client side script method to be called when some text is selected in the text field. This attribute can be used with the INPUT and TEXTAREA elements.
onsizerejected	HTML: script expression; the file uploading is rejected by fiel size overflow
ontyperejected	HTML: script expression; the file type is rejected according to file types allowed
onupload	HTML: script expression; the uploading is cancelled at client side
onuploadcanceled	HTML: script expression; uploading is cancelled
onuploadcomplete	HTML: script expression; uploading all files from list is completed
progressLabel	Defines a label for a progress label
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
sizeErrorLabel	Defines a label for a size error label
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
stopButtonClass	CSS style for cancel button
stopButtonClassDisabled	CSS style for cancel button disabled
stopControlLabel	Defines a label for a stop button
stopEntryControlLabel	Defines a label for a stop control
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tabindex	This attribute specifies the position of the current element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767. User agents should ignore leading zeros
transferErrorLabel	Defines a label for a transfer error label
uploadButtonClass	CSS style for upload button
uploadButtonClassDisabled	CSS style for upload button disabled
uploadControlLabel	Defines a label for an upload button
uploadData	Collection of files uploaded
uploadListClass	CSS style for upload list
uploadListClassDisabled	CSS style for upload list disabled
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator

Table 6.259. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.component.FileUpload
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlFileUpload
component-family	org.richfaces.component.FileUpload
renderer-type	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.FileUploadRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.FileUploadTag

6.57.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:fileUpload />

...

6.57.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:fileUpload> component consists of two parts:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlFileUpload;

...

HtmlFileUpload myFileUpload = new HtmlFileUpload();

...

6.57.5. Details of Usage

List of files which contains the list of currently chosen files to upload with possibility to manage every file
Component controls - the bar with controls for managing the whole component

There are two places where the uploaded files are stored:

In the temporary folder (depends on OS) if the value of the createTempFile parameter in Ajax4jsf Filter (in web.xml) section is "true" (by Default)


...

<init-param>

        <param-name>createTempFiles</param-name>

        <param-value>true</param-value>

</init-param>

...

In the RAM if the value of the createTempFile parameter in Ajax4jsf Filter section is "false". This is a better way for storing small-sized files.

The "uploadData" attribute defines the collection of files uploaded. See the example below.

The "fileUploadedListener" is called at server side after every file uploaded and used for the saving files from temporary folder or RAM.


...

<rich:fileUpload uploadData="#{bean.data}"/>

...

The following methods for processing the uploaded files are available:


...

<rich:fileUpload uploadData="#{bean.data}" fileUploadListener="#{bean.listener}"/>

 ...

isMultiUpload(). It returns "true" if several files have been uploaded
getUploadItems(). It returns the list of the uploaded files. If one file was uploaded, the getUploadItems() method will return the list consisting of one file
getUploadItem(). It returns the whole list in case of uploading one file only. If several files were uploaded, the getUploadItem() method will return the first element of the uploaded files list.

Automatically files uploading could be performed by means of the "immediateUpload" attribute. If the value of this attribute is "true" files are uploaded automatically once they have been added into the list. All next files in the list are uploaded automatically one by one. If you cancel uploading process next files aren't started to upload till you press the "Upload" button or clear the list.

The "autoclear" attribute is used to remove automatically files from the list after upload completed. See the simple example below.


...

<rich:fileUpload uploadData="#{bean.data}" fileUploadListener="#{bean.listener}" immediateUpload="true"/>

 ...

Each file in list waiting for upload has link "Cancel" opposite its name. Clicking this link invokes JS API remove() function, which gets $('id').component.entries[i] as a parameter and removes the particular file from list and from the queue for upload. After a file has been uploaded the link "Cancel" changes to "Clear". Clicking "Clear" invokes clear() JS API function, which also gets ID of the particular entry and removes it from the list. Uploaded to server file itself is kept untouched.


...

<rich:fileUpload uploadData="#{bean.data}" autoclear="true"/>

...

The <rich:fileUpload> component provides following restrictions:

On file types, use "acceptedTypes" attribute to define file types accepted by component. In the example below only files with "html" and "jpg" extensions are accepted to upload.
Example:
```
...

<rich:fileUpload acceptedTypes="html, jpg"/>

...
```

On file size, use the maxRequestSize parameter(value in bytes) inside Ajax4jsf Filter section in web.xml:


...

<init-param>

        <param-name>maxRequestSize</param-name>

        <param-value>1000000</param-value>

</init-param>

...

On max files quantity, use the "maxFilesQuantity" attribute to define max number of files allowed to be uploaded. After a number of files in the list equals to the value of this attribute "Add" button is disabled and nothing could be uploaded even if you clear the whole list. In order to upload files again you should rerender the component. As it could be seen in the example below, only 2 files are accepted for uploading.
Example:
```
...

<rich:fileUpload maxFilesQuantity="2"/>

 ...
```
This is the result:
Figure 6.133. <rich:fileUpload> with "maxFilesQuantity" attribute

The <rich:fileUpload> component provides a number of specific event attributes:

The "onadd" a event handler called on an add file operation
The "onupload" which gives you a possibility to cancel the upload at client side
The "onuploadcomplete" which is called after all files from the list are uploaded
The "onuploadcanceled" which is called after upload has been canceled via cancel control
The "onerror" which is called if the file upload was interrupted according to any errors

The <rich:fileUpload> component has an embedded Flash module that adds extra functionality to the component. The module is enabled with "allowFlash" attribute set to "true".

These are the additional features that the Flash module provides:

Multiple files choosing;
Permitted file types are specified in the "Open File" dialog window;
A number of additional entry object properties are also available, which can be found RichFaces Developer Guide section on object properties.

Apart from uploading files to the sever without using AJAX, the Flash module provides a number of useful API functions that can be used to obtain information about the uploaded file.

There are 2 ways to obtain the data stored in the FileUploadEntry object.

By means of JavaScript on the client side. Use the following syntax for that entries[i].propertyName. For example entries[0].state will return the state of the file the is being processed or has just been processed.
The properties of FileUploadEntry object can be retrieved using the entry.propertyName expression in the specific event attributes. For example, onupload="alert(event.memo.entry.fileName);" will display a message with the name of the file at the very moment when upload operation starts. A full list of properties can be found in RichFaces Developer Guide section on properties and their attributes.

The given bellow code sample demonstrates how the properties can be used. Please study it carefully.


...

            <head>

                  <script>

                        function _onaddHandler (e) {

                             var i = 0;

                             for (; i < e.memo.entries.lenght; i++) {

                                   alert(e.memo.entries[i].creator);  //Shows creators of the added files

                             }

                        }



                        function _onerrorhandle(e) {

                             alert(e.memo.entry.fileName + "file was not uploaded due  transfer error");

                        }

                  </script>

            </head>

 ...

Moreover, embedded Flash module provides a smoother representation of progress bar during the uploading process: the polling is performed is not by AJAX, but my means of the flash module.

Figure 6.134. Uploading using Flash module <rich:fileUpload>

However, the Flash module doens't perform any visual representation of the component.

In order to customize the information regarding the ongoing process you could use "label" facet with the following macrosubstitution:

{B}, {KB}, {MB} contains the size of file uploaded in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes respectively
{_B}, {_KB}, {_MB} contains the remain file size to upload in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes respectively
{ss}, {mm}, {hh} contains elapsed time in seconds, minutes and hours respectively

Example:


...

<rich:fileUpload uploadData="#{bean.data}" fileUploadListener="#{bean.listener}">

        <f:facet name="label">

                <h:outputText value="{_KB}KB from {KB}KB uploaded --- {mm}:{ss}" />

        </f:facet>

</rich:fileUpload>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.135. <rich:fileUpload> with "label" facet

You could define labels of the component controls with the help of "addControlLabel" , "clearAllControlLabel" , "clearControlLabel" , "stopEntryControlLabel" , "uploadControlLabel" attributes. See the following example.

Example:


...

<rich:fileUpload addControlLabel="Add file..." clearAllControlLabel="Clear all" clearControlLabel="Clear"

                        stopEntryControlLabel="Stop process" uploadControlLabel="Upload file"/>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.136. <rich:fileUpload> with labels

The <rich:fileUpload> component allows to use sizes attributes:

"listHeight" attribute specify height for list of files in pixels
"listWidth" attribute specify width for list of files in pixels

In order to disable the whole component you could use the "disabled" attribute. See the following example.

Example:


...

<rich:fileUpload disabled="true"/>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.137. <rich:fileUpload> with "disabled" attribute

It's possible to handle events for fileUpload using JavaScript code. A simplest example of usage JavaScript API is placed below:

Example:


...

<rich:fileUpload  id="upload" disabled="false"/>

<h:commandButton onclick="${rich:component('upload')}.disable();" value="Disable" />

...

<rich:fileUpload> component also provides a number of JavaScript property, that can be used to process uploaded files, file states etc. The given below example illustrates how the entries[0].state property can be used to get access to the file state. Full list of JavaScript properties can be found below.


...

<rich:fileUpload fileUploadListener="#{fileUploadBean.listener}"

        maxFilesQuantity="#{fileUploadBean.uploadsAvailable}"

        id="upload"

        immediateUpload="#{fileUploadBean.autoUpload}"

        acceptedTypes="jpg, gif, png, bmp">

            <a4j:support event="onuploadcomplete" reRender="info"  />

</rich:fileUpload>

<h:commandButton onclick="if($('j_id232:upload').component.entries[0].state == FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_SUCCESS) alert ('DONE');" value="Check file state"/>

...

The <rich:fileUpload> component allows to use internationalization method to redefine and localize the labels. You could use application resource bundle and define RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_CANCEL_LABEL, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_STOP_LABEL, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_ADD_LABEL, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_UPLOAD_LABEL, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_CLEAR_LABEL, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_CLEAR_ALL_LABEL, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_PROGRESS_LABEL, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_SIZE_ERROR_LABLE, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_TRANSFER_ERROR_LABLE, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_ENTRY_STOP_LABEL, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_ENTRY_CLEAR_LABEL, RICH_FILE_UPLOAD_ENTRY_CANCEL_LABEL there.

The <rich:fileUpload> component could work together with Seam framework. On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see how to configure filter for this framework in web.xml file in order to handle <rich:fileUpload> requests.

To make <rich:fileUpload> component work properly with MyFaces extensions, the order in which filters are defined and mapped in web.xml, is important. See corresponding FAQ chapter.

6.57.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.260. JavaScript API

Function	Description
beforeSubmit()	Sets up necessary request parameters for file uploading and submits form to server by command button. This method should be used together with commands.
clear()	Removes all files from the list. The function can also get the `$('id').component.entries[i]` as a parameter to remove a particular file.
disable()	Disables the component
enable()	Enables the component
remove()	Cancels the request for uploading a file by removing this file from upload list and upload queue. Gets `$('id').component.entries[i]` as a parameter.
stop()	Stops the uploading process
submitForm()	Submits form to server. All added files will be put to model and event.

Table 6.261. Client side object properties

Property	Description
entries	Returns a array of all files in the list
entries.length	Returns the number of files in the list
entries[i].fileName	Returns the file name, that is retrieved by the array index
entries[i].state	Returns the file state. Possible states are "initialized" - the file is added, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.INITIALIZED constant "progress" - the file is being uploaded, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_IN_PROGRESS constant "ready" - uploading is in process, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.READY constant The file will be uploaded on queue order. "canceled" - uploading of the file is canceled, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_CANCELED constant "done" - the file is uploaded successfully, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_SUCCESS constant "transfer_error" - a file transfer error occurred, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_TRANSFER_ERROR constant "size_error" - the file exceeded maximum size, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_SIZE_ERROR constant
entries[i].size	Returns the size of the file. Available in flash enabled version only
entries[i].Type	Returns the mime type of the file. Available in flash enabled version only
entries[i].creator	Returns the name of the author of the file. Available in flash enabled version only
entries[i].creationDate	Returns the date when the file was created. Available in flash enabled version only
entries[i].modificationDate	Returns the date of the last file modification. Available in flash enabled version only

Table 6.262. Client side object properties available with specific event attributes

Property	Description
entry.state	Returns the file state. Possible states are "initialized" - the file is added, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.INITIALIZED constant "progress" - the file is being uploaded, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_IN_PROGRESS constant "ready" - uploading is in process, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.READY constant The file will be uploaded on queue order. "canceled" - uploading of the file is canceled, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_CANCELED constant "done" - the file is uploaded successfully, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_SUCCESS constant "transfer_error" - a file transfer error occurred, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_TRANSFER_ERROR constant "size_error" - the file exceeded maximum size, corresponds to FileUploadEntry.UPLOAD_SIZE_ERROR constant
entry.fileName	Returns the file's name. This property works with all event handlers except for "onadd".
entry.size	Returns the size of the file. Available in flash enabled version only
entry.Type	Returns the mime type of the file. Available in flash enabled version only
entry.creator	Returns the name of the author of the file. Available in flash enabled version only
entry.creationDate	Returns the date when the file was created. Available in flash enabled version only
entry.modificationDate	Returns the date of the last file modification. Available in flash enabled version only

6.57.7. Facets

Table 6.263. Facets

Facet name	Description
label	Defines the information regarding the ongoing process
progress	Defines the information regarding the uploading process

6.57.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:fileUpload> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:fileUpload> component

6.57.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.264. Skin parameters redefinition for a component

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background-color
tableBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.265. Skin parameters redefinition for a font

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.266. Skin parameters redefinition for a toolbar

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color
tableBorderColor	border-bottom-color
tableBackgroundColor	border-top-color
tableBackgroundColor	border-left-color

Table 6.267. Skin parameters redefinition for items in the list

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBorderColor	border-bottom-color

Table 6.268. Skin parameters redefinition for a "Cancel", "Clear" links

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalLinkColor	color

Table 6.269. Skin parameters redefinition for a button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
trimColor	background-color

Table 6.270. Skin parameters redefinition for a button border

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.271. Skin parameters redefinition for a highlighted button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
trimColor	background-color
selectControlColor	border-color

Table 6.272. Skin parameters redefinition for a pressed button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
selectControlColor	border-color
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.273. Skin parameters redefinition for "Upload", "Clean" buttons

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.274. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled "Start" button icon

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBorderColor	color

Table 6.275. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled "Clear" button icon

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBorderColor	color

6.57.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

The following picture illustrates how CSS classes define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.138. Classes names

Figure 6.139. Classes names

Table 6.276. Classes names that define a component representation

Class name	Description
rich-fileupload-list-decor	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a fileUpload
rich-fileupload-font	Defines styles for a font of buttons and items
rich-fileupload-toolbar-decor	Defines styles for a toolbar
rich-fileupload-list-overflow	Defines styles for a list of files

Table 6.277. Classes names that define buttons representation

Class name	Description
rich-fileupload-button	Defines styles for a buttons
rich-fileupload-button-border	Defines styles for a border of buttons
rich-fileupload-button-light	Defines styles for a highlight of button
rich-fileupload-button-press	Defines styles for a pressed button
rich-fileupload-button-dis	Defines styles for a disabled button
rich-fileupload-button-selection	Defines styles for "Upload", "Clean" buttons

Table 6.278. Classes names that define the representation of the buttons' icons

Class name	Description
rich-fileupload-ico	Defines styles for an icon
rich-fileupload-ico-add	Defines styles for a "Add" button icon
rich-fileupload-ico-start	Defines styles for a "Upload" button icon
rich-fileupload-ico-stop	Defines styles for a "Stop" button icon
rich-fileupload-ico-clear	Defines styles for a "Clear" button icon
rich-fileupload-ico-add-dis	Defines styles for a disabled "Add" button icon
rich-fileupload-ico-start-dis	Defines styles for a disabled "Upload" button icon
rich-fileupload-ico-clear-dis	Defines styles for a disabled "Clear" button icon

Table 6.279. Classes names that define list items representation

Class name	Description
rich-fileupload-table-td	Defines styles for a wrapper <td> element of a list items
rich-fileupload-anc	Defines styles for "Cancel", "Stop", "Clear" links

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:fileUpload> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-fileupload-anc{

    font-weight:bold;

    text-decoration:none;

}

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.140. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example above the font weight and text decoration for "Cancel" and "Clear" links are changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:fileUpload> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in the corresponding <rich:fileUpload> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        font-weight:bold;

}

...

The "addButtonClass" attribute for <rich:fileUpload> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:fileUpload ... addButtonClass="myClass"/>

This is the result:

Figure 6.141. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style for "Add" button is changed.

6.57.11. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:fileUpload> usage and sources for the given example.

6.58. < rich:gmap >

6.58.1. Description

Component that presents the Google map in the JSF applications.

Figure 6.142. <rich:gmap> component

6.58.2. Key Features

Presents all the Google map functionality
Highly customizable via attributes
No developers JavaScript writing needed to use on a pages

Table 6.280. rich : gmap attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
enableContinuousZoom	Enables continuous smooth zooming for selected browsers. Default value is "false".
enableDoubleClickZoom	Enables zooming in by a double click. Default value is "false".
enableDragging	Enables a map dragging with the mouse. Default value is "true".
enableInfoWindow	Enables Info Window. Default value is "true".
gmapKey	Google Map key. A single Map API key is valid for a single "directory" on your web server. Default value is "internal".
gmapVar	The JavaScript variable that is used to access the Google Map API. If you have more than one Google Map components on the same page, use individual key for each of them. The default variable name is "map" (without quotes).
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lat	Initial latitude coordinate in degrees, as a number between -90 and +90. Default value is "37.9721046".
lng	Initial longitude coordinate in degrees, as a number between -180 and +180. Default value is "-122.0424842834".
locale	Used for locale definition. Default value is "getDefaultLocale()".
mapType	Initial map type. The possible values are "G_NORMAL_MAP", "G_SATELLITE_MAP", "G_HYBRID_MAP". Default value is "G_SATELLITE_MAP".
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
oninit	HTML: script expression; the Google Map object is initiated.
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
showGLargeMapControl	Shows the GLarge control. Default value is "true".
showGMapTypeControl	Shows the Type switch control. Default value is "true".
showGScaleControl	It shows the scale control. Default value is "true".
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
warningMessage	The warning message that appears if a browser is not compatible with Google Map. Default value is "Your browser does not support Google Maps".
zoom	Initial zoom level as a number between 1 and 18. Default value is "17".

Table 6.281. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.Gmap
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlGmap
component-family	org.richfaces.Gmap
renderer-type	org.richfaces.GmapRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.GmapTag

6.58.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:gmap gmapKey="..."/>

...

6.58.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<rich:gmap> component isn't tied to skin parameters, as there is no additional elements on it, except the ones provided with Google Map .

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlGmap;

...

HtmlGmap myMap = new HtmlGmap();

...

6.58.5. Details of Usage

To use Google Map in your application, generate a key on Google Map official resource . One key could be used for one directory on the server.

Here are the main settings of initial rendering performed with a component map that are accessible with the following attributes:

"zoom" defines an approximation size (boundary values 1-18)
"lat" specifies an initial latitude coordinate in degrees, as a number between -90 and +90
"lng" specifies an initial longitude coordinate in degrees, as a number between -180 and +180
"mapType" specifies a type of a rendered map (G_NORMAL_MAP, G_SATELLITE_MAP (DEFAULT), G_HYBRID_MAP)

For example, the city of Paris is shown after rendering with the following initial settings: lat = "48.44" , lng = "2.24" and zoom = "5" .

Figure 6.143. <rich:gmap> initial rendering

It's also possible to set accessible controls on the map with the help of the attributes:

"showGMapTypeControl" determines whether the controls for a map type definition are switched on
"showGScaleControl" determines whether the controls for scaling are switched on
"showGLargeMapControl" determines whether the control for map scale rendering is rendered

Figure 6.144. <rich:gmap> accessible controls

To set all these parameters and perform some activity (Zoom In/Out etc.) is possible with your JavaScript, i.e. declare a name of an object on a map in the "gmapVar" attribute and then call the object directly with API Google Map .

For example, to approximate a map for gmapVar = "map" declared inside the component, call map.zoomIn() on an event.

Moreover, to add e.g. some JavaScript effects, events defined on it are used.

"onmouseover"
"onclick"
"onmouseout"
etc.

Note

Google Map does not support XHTML format of the page. Thus, if you use Facelets and JSF 1.2, do not forget to put the following tags somewhere on the page:


...

<f:view contentType="text/html">...</f:view>

...

6.58.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

6.58.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Table 6.282. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-gmap	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a component

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:gmap> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above ) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-gmap{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.145. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font style for buttons was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:gmap> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:gmap> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    font-weight:bold;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:gmap> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:gmap ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.146. Redefinition styles with own classes and "styleClass" attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font weight for buttons was changed.

6.58.8. Relevant Resources Links

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <rich:gmap> usage and sources for the given example.

6.59. < rich:virtualEarth >

6.59.1. Description

The component presents the Microsoft Virtual Earth map in the JSF applications.

Figure 6.147. <rich:virtualEarth> component

6.59.2. Key Features

Presents the Microsoft Virtual Earth map functionality
Highly customizable via attributes
No developers JavaScript writing is needed to use it on a pages

Table 6.283. rich : virtualEarth attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
dashboardSize	Initial map type. The possible values are "Normal", "Small", "Tiny". Default value is "Normal".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lat	Initial latitude coordinate in degrees, as a number between -90 and +90. Default value is "37.9721046".
lng	Initial longitude coordinate in degrees, as a number between -180 and +180. Default value is "-122.04248428346".
mapStyle	Navigation control size. Possible values are "Road", "Aerial", "Hybrid", "Birdseye". Default value is "Road"
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onLoadMap	HTML: script expression; the Virtual Earth object is initiated.
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
var	The JavaScript variable that is used to access the Virtual Earth API. If you have more than one Virtual Earth components on the same page, use individual key for each of them. Default value name is "map".
version	Virtual earth version, Default value is "6.1".
zoom	Initial zoom level as a number between 1 and 18. Default value is "17".

Table 6.284. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.VirtualEarth
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlVirtualEarth
component-family	org.richfaces.VirtualEarth
renderer-type	org.richfaces.VirtualEarthRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.VirtualEarthTag

6.59.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:virtualEarth lat="..." lng="..."/>

...

6.59.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

Here are the main settings of initial rendering performed with a component map that are accessible with the following attributes:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlVirtualEarth;

...

HtmlVirtualEarth myMap = new HtmlVirtualEarth();

...

6.59.5. Details of Usage

"zoom" defines an approximation size (boundary values 1-18)
"lat" specifies an initial latitude coordinate in degrees, as a number between -90 and +90
"lng" specifies an initial longitude coordinate in degrees, as a number between -180 and +180
"dashboardSize" specifies a type of a rendered map (Normal, Small, Tiny)

For example, the city of Paris is shown after rendering with the following initial settings: lat = "48.833" , lng = "2.40" and zoom = "11" .

Figure 6.148. <rich:virtualEarth> initial rendering

Code for this example is placed below:

Example:


...

    <rich:virtualEarth  style="width:800px;" id="vm" lat="48.833" lng="2.40" 

                                     dashboardSize="Normal"  zoom="11" mapStyle="Hybrid" var="map" />

...

To set all these parameters and perform some activity (Zoom In/Out etc.) is possible with your JavaScript, i.e. declare a name of an object on a map in the "var" attribute and then call the object directly with API Microsoft Virtual Earth map .

For example, to approximate a map for var = "map" declared inside the component, call map.ZoomIn() on an event.

Moreover, to add e.g. some JavaScript effects, events defined on it are used.

"onmouseover"
"onclick"
"onmouseout"
etc.

Note

Virtual Earth does not support XHTML format of the page. Thus, if you use Facelets and JSF 1.2, do not forget to put the following tags somewhere on the page:


...

<f:view contentType="text/html">...</f:view>

...

6.59.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:virtualEarth> component isn't tied to skin parameters, as there is no additional elements on it, except the ones provided with Virtual Earth map .

6.59.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Table 6.285. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-virtualEarth	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a component

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:virtualEarth> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create class with the same name and define necessary properties in it.

To change styles of particular <rich:virtualEarth> components, define your own style class in the corresponding <rich:virtualEarth> attribute.

6.59.8. Relevant Resources Links

Here you can found additional information about Microsoft Virtual Earth map .

Some additional information about usage of component can be found on its LiveDemo page.

6.60. < rich:hotKey >

6.60.1. Description

The <rich:hotKey> component allows to register hot keys for the page or particular elements and to define client side processing functions for these keys.

6.60.2. Key Features

Includes all features of the Javascript jQuery Hotkeys Plugin
Hot key registration by request through JavaScript API
Possibility to attach <rich:hotKey> to a whole page or to a particular element using "selector" attribute
Hot key registration timing
Enabling/disabling the <rich:hotKey> using JavaScript API

Table 6.286. rich : hotKey attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
checkParent	Defines the hotkey handling of events generated by child components nested into the parent component to which the <rich:hotKey> is attached.
disableInInput	Disables the hotkeys activated on input elements when the value of this attribute is "true".
disableInInputTypes	Defines the types of the inputs not to be influenced with hotKey component. Possible values: buttons, texts and all (default). By default it is empty and this means ALL the types.
handler	Defines the JavaScript function name which is called on hotkey activation
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
key	Defines the hotkey itself
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
selector	Defines a selector for query
timing	Defines the time when the hotkey is registered. Possible values are "immediate" (by default), "onload", and "onregistercall". Default value is "immediate"
type	Defines the type of a keyboard event (onkeyup, onkeypress, etc.)

Table 6.287. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.HotKey
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlHotKey
component-family	org.richfaces.HotKey
renderer-type	org.richfaces.HotKeyRenderer

6.60.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:hotKey key="alt+a" handler="alert('alt+A is pressed')" />

...

6.60.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

There are two ways to register <rich:hotKey> :

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlHotKey;     

...

HtmlHotKey myHotKey = new HtmlHotKey();

...

6.60.5. Details of Usage

just place it anywhere on the page. In this case the <rich:hotKey> component is attached to the whole page (html[0] element). This is default scenario.
attach it with "selector" attribute to all the elements defined using this selector. This attribute uses defined by w3c consortium syntax for CSS rule selector with some jQuery extensions.

The "key" attribute defines the hot key itself which is processed by the component.

After the hot key has been registered and defined you could set the "handler" attribute which determines a JavaScript function to be called every time when corresponding keys are pressed.

Example:


...

<rich:listShuttle var="cap" sourceValue="#{capitalsBean.capitals}" id="ls">

    <rich:column>

        <f:facet name="header">

            <h:outputText value="State flag"/>

        </f:facet>

        <h:graphicImage value="#{cap.stateFlag}"/>

    </rich:column>

    <rich:column>

        <f:facet name="header">

            <h:outputText value="State name"/>

        </f:facet>

        <h:outputText value="#{cap.name}"/>

    </rich:column>

</rich:listShuttle>

<rich:hotKey selector="#ls" key="right" handler="#{rich:component('ls')}.copy()"/>

<rich:hotKey selector="#ls" key="left" handler="#{rich:component('ls')}.remove()"/>

<rich:hotKey selector="#ls" key="end" handler="#{rich:component('ls')}.copyAll()"/>

<rich:hotKey selector="#ls" key="home" handler="#{rich:component('ls')}.removeAll()"/>

...

In the example above the "selector" attribute is used. So the keys work only if <rich:listShuttle> component is focused.

You could press Right or Left keys in order to move some selected items between lists. You could press Home or End buttons in order to move all items between lists.

With the help of the "timing" attribute you could manage <rich:hotKey> registration timing. There are three possible values of this attribute:

"immediate" - the component is rendered in browser immediately (by default)
"onload" - the component is rendered after the page is fully loaded
"onregistercall" - the component is rendered only after JavaScript API for the key registration is used.

The "type" attribute defines the type of keyboard event. Possible values are: "onkeyup", "onkeypress" and "onkeydown".

The "disableInInput" attribute disables the <rich:hotKey> if it is activated on input elements and the value of this attribute is "true".

The "checkParent" attribute defines the hotkey handling of events generated by child components nested into the parent component to which the <rich:hotKey> is attached.

The <rich:hotKey> component also provides a number of JavaScript API functions. There is an example below.

Example:


...

<h:form id="myForm">

    <rich:hotKey id="myKey" key="ctrl+g" handler="alert('Ctrl+G is pressed')" />

    <button onclick="${rich:component('myKey')}.enable(); return false;">Turn Ctrl+G On</button>

    <button onclick="${rich:component('myKey')}.disable(); return false;">Turn Ctrl+G Off</button>

</h:form>   

...

In the example above the Ctrl+G is registered as a global hotkey, so if you press this key combination the alert window with the "Ctrl+G is pressed" text appears. With the help of enable(), disable() JavaScript API fucntions you could enable or disable registered hotkey.

6.60.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.288. JavaScript API

Function	Description
add(selector, key, handler)	Adds the hotkey(from key param) for elements targeted by selector. it assigns a handler function to the key
remove()	Removes hotkey registration
enable()	Enables registered hotkey
disable()	Disables registered hotkey

6.60.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:hotKey> has no skin parameters and custom style classes, as the component isn't visual.

6.60.8. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:hotKey> usage and sources for the given example.

6.61. < rich:inplaceInput >

6.61.1. Description

The <rich:inplaceInput> is an input component used for displaying and editing data inputted.

Figure 6.149. <rich:inplaceInput> component

6.61.2. Key Features

View/changed/edit states highly customizable representations
Changing state event customization
Possibility to call custom JavaScript function on state changes
Optional "inline" or "block" element rendering on a page
Edit mode activation when the component gets focus with the "Tab"
Sizes synchronizations between modes
Controls customization

Table 6.289. rich : inplaceInput attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
cancelControlIcon	Defines custom cancel icon
changedClass	CSS style class for changed state
changedHoverClass	CSS style class for hovered text in changed state
controlClass	CSS style class for controls
controlHoverClass	CSS style class for hovered control
controlPressedClass	CSS style class for pressed press controls
controlsHorizontalPosition	Positions the controls horizontally. Possible values are "left", "center", "right". Default value is "right".
controlsVerticalPosition	Positions the controls vertically. Possible values are "bottom","center" and "top". Default value is "center"
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
defaultLabel	The attribute is used to display text while value is undefined
editClass	CSS style class for edit state
editEvent	Provides an option to assign an JavaScript action that initiates the change of the state. Default value is "onclick".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
inputWidth	Sets width of the input field
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
layout	Defines how the component is displayed in the layout. Possible values are "block", "inline". Default value is "inline".
maxInputWidth	Sets the maximum width of the input field. Default value is "500px".
maxlength	Specifies the maximum number of digits that could be entered into the input field. The maximum number is unlimited by default.
minInputWidth	Sets the minimum width of the input field. Default value is "40px".
onblur	HTML: script expression; the element lost the focus
onchange	HTML: script expression; the element value was changed
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
oneditactivated	HTML: script expression; edit state is activated
oneditactivation	Provides a possibility to assign JavaScript on edit state activation
onfocus	HTML: script expression; the element got the focus
oninputclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked
oninputdblclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked
oninputkeydown	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed down
oninputkeypress	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed and released
oninputkeyup	HTML: a script expression; a key is released
oninputmousedown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down
oninputmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within
oninputmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away
oninputmouseover	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto
oninputmouseup	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselect	HTML: script expression; the onselect event occurs when you select some menu item
onviewactivated	HTML: script expression; view state is activated
onviewactivation	Provides a possibility to assign JavaScript on view state activation
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
saveControlIcon	Defines custom save icon
selectOnEdit	Makes the input field select when switched to edit state. Default value is "false"
showControls	Serves to display "save" and "cancel" controls. Default value is "false".
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tabindex	Serves to define the tabbing order
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
viewClass	CSS style class for view state
viewHoverClass	CSS style class for hovered text in view state

Table 6.290. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.inplaceInput
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlInplaceInput
component-family	org.richfaces.inplaceInput
renderer-type	org.richfaces.renderkit.inplaceInputRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.inplaceInputTag

6.61.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example of how the component can be used on a page:


...

<rich:inplaceInput value="#{bean.value}"/>

...

6.61.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:inplaceInput> component was designed to facilitate displaying and inputting(editing) some data.

import org.richfaces.component.html.inplaceInput;

... 

HtmlInpaceInput myInplaceInput = new InplaceInput();

...

6.61.5. Details of Usage

The "value" attribute is a value-binding expression for the current value of the component.

The component has three functional states:

View state displays default label with the value taken from "value" or "defaultLabel" attributes.
If the initial value of the "value" attribute is "null" or empty string the "defaultLabel" attribute is used to define default label.
Example:
```
...

<rich:inplaceInput value="#{bean.value}" defaultLabel="click to edit"/>

... 
```
In the example above the "value" attribute is not initialized therefore "click to edit" text, that "defaultLabel" , contains is displayed.
This is the result:
Figure 6.150. View state
Edit state - input representation to allow value edit
Figure 6.151. Edit state
Changed state - value representation after it was changed
Figure 6.152. Changed state

The "editEvent" attribute provides an option to assign a JavaScript action to initiate the change of the state from view/changed to edit. The default value is "onclick".

The <rich:inplaceInput> component provides specific event attributes:


...

<rich:inplaceInput value="#{bean.value}" editEvent="ondblclick"/> 

...

"oneditactivation" which is fired on edit state activation
"oneditactivated" which is fired when edit state is activated
"onviewactivation" which is fired on view state activation
"onviewactivated" which is fired after the component is changed to representation state

The given code illustrates how "oneditactivation" attribute works, namely when the state is being changed from view to edit, a confirmation window with a message "Are you sure you want to change value?" comes up.


...

<rich:inplaceInput value="#{bean.value}" oneditactivation="if (!confirm('Are you sure you want to change the value?')){return false;}" />

...

Using the boolean "selectOnEdit" attribute set to true, the text in the input field will be selected when the change from view/changed state to edit occurs.

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Figure 6.153. Usage of the "selectOnEdit" attribute

If the <rich:inplaceInput> loses focus, input data is saved automatically and the component displays a new value. Additionally, the data is saved when "Enter" is pressed. Nevertheless, you can use the "showControls" attribute, which makes "Save" and "Cancel" buttons appear next to the input field. If the controls are used, data is not saved automatically when the form loses focus: user has to confirm that he/she wants to save/discard the data explicitly. In both cases(with controls or without them) the input data can be discarded by pressing "Esc" key.

Example:


...

<rich:inplaceInput value="#{bean.value}" showControls="true"/>

...

Figure 6.154. Usage "showControls" attribute

You can also position the controls relatively to the input field, by means of

The "controlsHorizontalPosition" attribute with "left", "right" and "center" definitions
The "controlsVerticalPosition " attribute with "bottom", "center" and "top" definitions

Example:


...

<rich:inplaceInput value="#{bean.value}" showControls="true" controlsVerticalPosition="bottom" controlsHorizontalPosition="left"/>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.155. Positioning of "Save" and "Cancel" buttons

It is also possible to use "controls" facet in order to replace the default controls with facets content. See the example below.

Example:


...

<rich:inplaceInput defaultLabel="Click here to edit" showControls="true" controlsHorizontalPosition="left" controlsVerticalPosition="bottom" id="inplaceInput">

    <f:facet name="controls">

        <h:commandButton value="Save" onclick="#{rich:component('inplaceInput')}.save();" type="button" />

        <h:commandButton value="Cancel" onclick="#{rich:component('inplaceInput')}.cancel();" type="button" />

    </f:facet>

</rich:inplaceInput>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.156. "controls" facet usage

Note:

The "controls" facet also implies using "showControls" attribute and it has to be defined as "true".

Redefinition of the "save" and "cancel" icons can be performed using "saveControlIcon" and "cancelControlIcon" attributes. You need to define the path to where your images are located.

Example:


...

<rich:inplaceInput value="#{bean.value}" defaultLabel='click to edit'

    showControls="true"

    controlsHorizontalPosition="left"

    controlsVerticalPosition="top"

    saveControlIcon="/images/cancel.gif"

    cancelControlIcon="/images/save.gif"/> 

    ...

Figure 6.157. Redefining of "save" and "cancel" buttons

The <rich:inplaceInput> component could be rendered with <span> or <div> elements to display its value. In order to change default <span> output, use "layout" attribute with "block" value.

The <rich:inplaceInput> component supports standard "tabindex" attribute. When the component gets focus the edit mode is activated.

The "inputWidth" , "minInputWidth" , "maxInputWidth" attributes are provided to specify the width, minimal width and maximal width for the input element respectively.

Table 6.291. Keyboard usage

Keys and combinations	Description
ENTER	Saves the input data, and changes the state from edit to changed
ESC	Changes the state from edit to view or changed, value is not affected
TAB	Switches between the components

6.61.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.292. JavaScript API

Function	Description
edit()	Changes the state to edit
cancel()	Changes its state to the previous one before editing (changed or view)
save()	Changes its state to changed with a new value
getValue()	Gets the current value
setValue(newValue)	Sets the current value (to be implemented)

6.61.7. Facets

Table 6.293. Facets

Facet name	Description
controls	Defines the contols contents. Related attributes are "saveControlIcon" and "cancelControlIcon"

6.61.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:inplaceInput> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:inplaceInput> component

6.61.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.294. Skin parameters redefinition for "save" and "cancel" controls

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.295. Skin parameters redefinition for view state

Skin parameters	CSS properties
editorBackgroundColor	background-color
generalTextColor	border-bottom-color

Table 6.296. Skin parameters redefinition for "Changed" state

Skin parameters	CSS properties
editorBackgroundColor	background-color
generalTextColo	border-bottom-color

Table 6.297. Classes names that define input field look and feel in edit state

Skin parameters	CSS properties
editBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

6.61.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.158. Classes names

Table 6.298. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-inplace	Defines styles for a wrapper <span> (or <div>) element of a component
rich-inplace-input	Defines styles for the component input field

Table 6.299. Class name for the view state

Class name	Description
rich-inplace-view	Defines styles for the view state
rich-inplace-input-view-hover	Defines styles for hovered text in the view state

Table 6.300. Class name for the input field in edit state

Class name	Description
rich-inplace-field	Defines styles for the input field look and feel in edit state

Table 6.301. Class name for the "Changed" state

Class name	Description
rich-inplace-changed	Defines styles for the "Changed" state
rich-inplace-input-changed-hover	Defines styles for the hovered text in the "Changed" state

Table 6.302. Classes names for "save" and "cancel" controls in Edit state

Class name	Description
rich-inplace-control	Defines styles for the controls
rich-inplace-control-press	Defines styles for the controls when either of the buttons is pressed
rich-inplace-shadow-size	Defines size of the shadow
rich-inplace-shadow-tl	Defines styles for the shadow in the top left corner
rich-inplace-shadow-tr	Defines styles for the shadow in the top right corner
rich-inplace-shadow-bl	Defines styles for the shadow in the bottom left corner
rich-inplace-shadow-br	Defines styles for the shadow in the bottom right corner

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:inplaceInput> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-inplace-field {

    font-style: italic;

}                     

   

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.159. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the shown example the font in edit state is changed to bold.

It's aslo possible to change styles of a particular <rich:inplaceInput> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:inplaceInput> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass {

    color:  #008cca;

}

...

The "viewClass" attribute for the <rich:inplaceInput> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


...<rich:inplaceInput value="click to edit" styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.160. Modificaton of a look and feel with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font color of the text on the component was changed.

6.61.11. Relevant Resources Links

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <rich:inplaceIput> usage and sources for the given example.

6.62. < rich:inplaceSelect >

6.62.1. Description

The <rich:inplaceSelect> is used for creation select based inputs: it shows the value as text in one state and enables editing the value, providing a list of options in another state

Figure 6.161. Three states of <rich:inplaceSelect> component

6.62.2. Key Features

View/changed/edit states highly customizable representations
Optional "inline" or "block" element rendering on a page
Changing state event customization
Possibility to call custom JavaScript function on state changes
Edit mode activation when the component got focus with the "Tab"
Sizes synchronizations between modes
Highly customizable look and feel

Table 6.303. rich : inplaceSelect attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
cancelControlIcon	Defines custom cancel icon
changedClass	CSS style class for changed state
controlClass	CSS style class for controls
controlHoverClass	CSS style class for hovered control
controlPressClass	CSS style class for controls pressed
controlsHorizontalPosition	The attribute positions the controls horizontally. Possible values are "right","center","left". Default value is "right".
controlsVerticalPosition	The attribute positions the controls vertically. Possible values are "bottom","center" and "top". Default value is "center"
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
defaultLabel	The attribute is used to display text while value is undefined
editClass	CSS style class for edit state
editEvent	The attribute provides an option to assign an JavaScript action that initiates the change of the state. Default value is "onclick".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
layout	Defines how the component is displayed in the layout. Possible values are "block", "inline". Default value is "inline".
listHeight	The attribute defines the height of option list. Default value is "200px".
listWidth	The attribute defines the width of option list. Default value is "200px".
maxSelectWidth	Sets the maximum width of the select element. Default value is "200px".
minSelectWidth	Sets the minimum width of the select element. Default value is "100px".
onblur	HTML: script expression; the element lost the focus
onchange	HTML: script expression; the element value was changed
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
oneditactivated	HTML: script expression; edit state is activated
oneditactivation	The attributes provide a possibility to assign JavaScript on edit state activation
onfocus	HTML: script expression; the element got the focus
oninputblur	HTML: script expression; the element lost the focus
oninputclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked
oninputdblclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked
oninputfocus	HTML: script expression; the element got the focus
oninputkeydown	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed down
oninputkeypress	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed and released
oninputkeyup	HTML: a script expression; a key is released
oninputmousedown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down
oninputmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within
oninputmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away
oninputmouseover	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto
oninputmouseup	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselect	HTML: script expression; the onselect event occurs when you select some menu item
onviewactivated	HTML: script expression; view state is activated
onviewactivation	The attributes provide a possibility to assign JavaScript on view state activation
openOnEdit	The attribute opens the list once edit activated. Default value is "true".
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
saveControlIcon	Defines custom save icon
selectWidth	Sets width of the select element
showControls	The attribute serves to display "save" and "cancel" controls. Default value is "false".
showValueInView	If "true", shows the SelectItem labels in the InplaceSelect pull-down list, but displays the value in the field in view mode once an item is selected. Default value is "false"
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tabindex	The attribute serves to define the tabbing order
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
viewClass	Style class for view state
viewHoverClass	CSS style class for hovered text in view state

Table 6.304. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.InplaceSelect
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlInplaceSelect
component-family	org.richfaces.InplaceSelect
renderer-type	org.richfaces.renderkit.InplaceSelectRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.InplaceSelectTag

6.62.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example of how the component can be used on a page:


...

<rich:inplaceSelect value="#{bean.inputValue}">

    <f:selectItem itemValue="1" itemLabel="factory"/>

</rich:inplaceSelect>

...

6.62.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The "value" attribute is a value-binding expression for the current value of the component.

import org.richfaces.component.html.inplaceSelect;

... 

HtmlInpaceSelect myInplaceSelect = new InplaceSelect();

...

6.62.5. Details of Usage

The <rich:inplaceSelect> component has three functional states:

View state displays default label with the value taken from "value" or "defaultLabel" attributes.
If the initial value of the "value" attribute is "null" or empty string the "defaultLabel" attribute is used to define default label.
Example:
```
...

<rich:inplaceSelect value="#{bean.value}" defaultLabel="click to edit">

    <f:selectItems value="#{bean.selectItems}" />

</rich:inplaceSelect>

... 
```
In the example above the "value" attribute is not initialized therefore "click to edit" text, that "defaultLabel" , contains is displayed.
This is the result:
Figure 6.162. View state
Edit state - select representation to allow value edit
Figure 6.163. Edit state
Changed state - value representation after it was changed
Figure 6.164. Changed state

You can form the list of the options using <f:selectItem/> and <f:selectItems/> JSF components.

Please, see the example below.

In the example above the value of the selected item is available via "value" attribute.


...

<rich:inplaceSelect value="#{bean.inputValue}" defaultLabel="click to edit">

    <f:selectItems  value="#{bean.selectItems}"/>

    <f:selectItem itemValue="1" itemLabel="factory"/>

    <f:selectItem itemValue="2" itemLabel="newspaper"/>

</rich:inplaceSelect>

...

The "editEvent" attribute provides an option to assign an JavaScript action that initiates the change of the state from view to edit. The default value is "onclick".

The <rich:inplaceSelect> component provides specific event attributes:


...

<rich:inplaceSelect value="#{bean.inputValue}" defaultLabel="Double Click to edit" editEvent="ondblclick">

    <f:selectItems value="#{demo.selectItems}" />

</rich:inplaceSelect>

...

"oneditactivation" fired on edit state activation
"oneditactivated" fired when edit state is activated
"onviewactivation" fired on view state activation
"onviewactivated" fired after the component is changed to representation state

To prevent opening the drop-down list by default, once edit state is activated, set the "openOnEdit" attribute to "false". The default value is "true".


...

<rich:inplaceSelect value="#{bean.inputValue}" oneditactivation="if (!confirm('Are you sure you want to change the value?')){return false;}">

    <f:selectItems value="#{demo.selectItems}" />

</rich:inplaceSelect>

...


...

<rich:inplaceSelect value="#{bean.inputValue}" showControls="true" openOnEdit="false">

    <f:selectItems  value="#{bean.selectItems}"/>

</rich:inplaceSelect>

...

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Figure 6.165. The "openOnEdit" attribute usage

Nowever, if you want to confirm the data saving explicitly you can use the "showControls" attribute, which makes "Save" and "Cancel" buttons (displayed as icons) appear next to the input field. Edit state can be deactivated by pressing "Esc" key. An option in the drop-drown list can be also selected by pressing "Enter".

Example:


...

<rich:inplaceSelect value="#{bean.inputValue}" showControls="true">

    <f:selectItems  value="#{bean.selectItems}"/>

</rich:inplaceSelect>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.166. The "showControls" attribute usage

You can also position the controls relatively to the input field, by means of

The "controlsHorizontalPosition" attribute with "left", "right" and "center" definitions
The "controlsVerticalPosition " attribute with "bottom" and "top" definitions

Example:


...

<rich:inplaceSelect value="#{bean.inputValue}" controlsHorizontalPosition="left" controlsVerticalPosition="center" showControls="true">

    <f:selectItems  value="#{bean.selectItems}"/>

</rich:inplaceSelect>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.167. Controls positioning

It is also possible to use "controls" facet in order to replace the default controls with facets content. See the example below.

Please, see the example.

Example:


...

<rich:inplaceSelect value="#{bean.inputValue}" showControls="true">

    <f:facet name="controls">

        <button onclick="#{rich:component('inplaceSelect')}.save();" type="button">Save</button>

        <button onclick="#{rich:component('inplaceSelect')}.cancel();" type="button">Cancel</button> 

    </f:facet>  

    <f:selectItems  value="#{bean.selectItems}"/>

</rich:inplaceSelect>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.168. "controls" facet usage

Note:

The "controls" facet also implies using "showControls" attribute and it has to be defined as "true".

The <rich:inplaceSelect> component could be rendered with <span> or <div> elements to display its value. In order to change default <span> output, use the "layout" attribute with "block" value.

The <rich:inplaceSelect> component supports standard "tabindex" attribute. When the component gets focus the edit mode is activated and drop-down list is opened.

The "selectWidth" , "minSelectWidth" and "maxSelectWidth" attributes are provided to specify the width, minimal width and maximal width for the input element respectively.

In order to specify the height and width parameters for the list items of the component, you can use "listHeight" and " listWidth" attributes.

6.62.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.305. JavaScript API

Function	Description
edit()	Changes the state to edit
cancel()	Changes its state to the previous one before editing (changed or view)
save()	Changes its state to changed with a new value
getValue()	Gets the current value
setValue(newValue)	Sets the current value and name

6.62.7. Facets

Table 6.306. Facets

Facet name	Description
controls	Defines the contols contents. Related attributes are "saveControlIcon" and "cancelControlIcon"

6.62.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:inplaceSelect> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:inplaceSelect> component

6.62.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.307. Skin parameters redefinition for view state

Skin parameters	CSS properties
editorBackgroundColor	background-color
generaTextColor	border-bottom-color

Table 6.308. Skin parameters redefinition for input field in edit state

Skin parameters	CSS properties
editBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.309. Skin parameters redefinition for control

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.310. Skin parameters redefinition for pressed control

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.311. Skin parameters redefinition for list

Skin parameters	CSS properties
editBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.312. Skin parameters redefinition for selected item

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerTextColor	color
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerBackgroundColor	border-color

6.62.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.169. Classes names

Table 6.313. Class name for the view state

Class name	Description
rich-inplace-select-view	Defines styles for the select view

Table 6.314. Class name for the input field in edit state

Class name	Description
rich-inplace-select-field	Defines styles for the select field

Table 6.315. Class name for the control

Class name	Description
rich-inplace-select-control	Defines styles for the select control
rich-inplace-select-control-press	Defines styles for the pressed select control

Table 6.316. Class name for the list

Class name	Description
rich-inplace-select-list-decoration	Defines styles for a wrapper <table> element of an inplaceSelect

Table 6.317. Classes names for the selected item

Class name	Description
rich-inplace-select-selected-item	Defines styles for the selected item

Table 6.318. Classes names for the shadow

Class name	Description
rich-inplace-select-shadow-tl	Defines styles for the top-left shadow
rich-inplace-select-shadow-tr	Defines styles for the top-right shadow
rich-inplace-select-shadow-bl	Defines styles for the bottom-left shadow
rich-inplace-select-shadow-br	Defines styles for the bottom-right shadow

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:inplaceSelect> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-inplace-select-list-decoration{

    background-color: #ecf4fe;

}                      

   

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.170. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the shown example the background color for list is changed.

It's aslo possible to change styles of a particular <rich:inplaceSelect> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:inplaceSelect> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass {

    background-color:#bed6f8;

    font-style:italic;}

...

The "viewClass" attribute for <rich:inplaceSelect> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:inplaceSelect value="click to edit" viewClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.171. Modificaton of a look and feel with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style and background color in view state is changed.

6.62.11. Relevant Resources Links

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <rich:inplaceSelect> usage and sources for the given example.

6.63. < rich:inputNumberSlider >

6.63.1. Description

The <rich:inputNumberSlider> component is a slider component. A handler's position corresponds to a definite value on the slider track. In order to change the value you can slide a handler or set the necessary value into the input field. You can dispose it horizontally or vertically on the page.

Figure 6.172. <rich:inputNumberSlider> component, horizontal and vertical views

6.63.2. Key Features

Fully skinnable control and input elements
Optional value text field with an attribute-managed position
Optional disablement of the component on a page
Optional toolTip to display the current value while a handle is dragged
Dragged state is stable after the mouse moves
Optional manual input possible if a text input field is present
Validation of manual input
Possibility to display 2 controls that increase/decrease the value by the defined step width, when they will be clicked.
Attribute "orientation" that can have the values "vertical" and "horizontal" to define in which direction the slider should be movable.

Table 6.319. rich : inputNumberSlider attributes

Attribute Name	Description
accesskey	This attribute assigns an access key to an element. An access key is a single character from the document character set. Note: Authors should consider the input method of the expected reader when specifying an accesskey
barClass	A name of CSS class for the bar element
barStyle	Style for a slider control line
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
clientErrorMessage	an error message to use in client side validation events
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
decreaseClass	A name of CSS class for the decrease arrow element
decreaseSelectedClass	A name of CSS class for a selected control decrease arrow element
decreaseStyle	A style for the decrease arrow element
delay	Delay in pressed increase/decrease arrows in miliseconds. Default value is "200".
disabled	When set for a form control, this boolean attribute disables the control for your input
enableManualInput	If set to "false" this attribute makes the text field "read-only", so the value can be changed only from a handle. Default value is "true".
handleClass	A name of CSS class for a control handle element
handleSelectedClass	A name of CSS class for a selected control handle element
height	The height of a slider control. Default value is "20px", for orientation="vertical" value is "20px"
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
increaseClass	A name of CSS class for increase arrow element
increaseSelectedClass	A name of CSS class for a selected control increase arrow element
increaseStyle	A style for the increase arrow element
inputClass	Style Class attribute for a text field
inputPosition	If "right", the InputText Box would be rendered on the right side of the ruler. If "top", the InputText Box would be rendered on the top of the ruler. If "bottom", the InputText Box would be rendered on the bottom of the ruler.
inputSize	Similar to the "Size" attribute of h:inputText. Default value is "3".
inputStyle	Style attribute for text field
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
maxlength	Specifies the maximum number of digits that could be entered into the input field. The maximum number is unlimited by default. If entered value exceeds the value specified in "maxValue" attribute than the slider takes a maximum value position.
maxValue	Attribute to set an "end" value. Default value is "100"
minValue	Attribute to set the "start" value. Default value is "0".
onblur	The client side script method to be called when the element loses the focus
onchange	The client side script method to be called when the element value is changed
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onerror	HTML: script expression; a non-number value or a number value that is out of the range is input
onfocus	The client side script method to be called when the element gets the focus
oninputclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked
oninputdblclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked
oninputkeydown	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed down
oninputkeypress	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed and released
oninputkeyup	HTML: a script expression; a key is released
oninputmousedown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down
oninputmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within
oninputmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away
oninputmouseover	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto
oninputmouseup	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselect	The client side script method to be called when some text is selected in the text field. This attribute can be used with the INPUT and TEXTAREA elements.
onslide	Event occur on slide
orientation	Attribute can have the values "vertical" and "horizontal" to define in which direction the slider should be moveable.
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
showArrows	False value for this attribute makes increase/decrease arrows invisible. Default value is "false".
showBoundaryValues	If the min/max values are shown on the right/left borders of a control. Default value is "true".
showInput	False value for this attribute makes text a field invisible. Default value is "true".
showToolTip	If "true"the current value is shown in the tooltip when a handle control is in a "dragged" state. Default value is "true".
step	Parameter that determines a step between the nearest values while using a handle. Default value is "1".
style	Styles for main div element of the slider control
styleClass	Name of a CSS class
tabindex	This attribute specifies the position of the current element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767. User agents should ignore leading zeros
tipClass	A name of CSS class for the tool tip element
tipStyle	A style for the tool tip element
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
width	The width of a slider control. Default value is "200px", for orientation="vertical" value is "200px"

Table 6.320. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.inputNumberSlider
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlInputNumberSlider
component-family	org.richfaces.inputNumberSlider
renderer-type	org.richfaces.InputNumberSliderRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.InputNumberSliderTag

6.63.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:inputNumberSlider minValue="0" maxValue="100" step="1"/>  

...

6.63.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<rich:inputNumberSlider> is used to facilitate your data input with rich UI Controls.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlInputNumberSlider;

...

HtmlInputNumberSlider mySlider = new HtmlInputNumberSlider();

...

6.63.5. Details of Usage

Here is the simplest variant of a slider definition with "minValue" , "maxValue" and "step" (on default is "1") attributes, which define the beginning and the end of a numerical area and a slider property step.

It's generated on a page:


<rich:inputNumberSlider></rich:inputNumberSlider>

Figure 6.173. Generated <rich:inputNumberSlider>

Using "showInput" (default is "true") and "enableManualInput" (default value is "true") attributes, it's possible to output the input area near the slider, and make it read-only or editable.

To remove input area use showInput = "false" :

Example:


<rich:inputNumberSlider minValue="1"  maxValue="100" showInput="false"/>

It's displayed at a page like:

Figure 6.174. <rich:inputNumberSlider> without input field

It's also possible to switch off displaying of "boundary values" and a toolTip showing on a handle drawing. This could be performed with the help of the component defined attributes: "showBoundaryValues" which is responsible for "boundary values" displaying (default is true) and "showToolTip" which is responsible for tooltTip displaying (default is "true").

Moreover, to add e.g. some JavaScript effects, events defined on it are used.

"onchange"
"onmouseover"
"onclick"
"onfocus"
"onmouseout"
etc.

The "label" attribute is a generic attribute. The "label" attribute provides an association between a component, and the message that the component (indirectly) produced. This attribute defines the parameters of a localized error and informational messages that occur as a result of conversion, validation, or other application actions during the request processing lifecycle. With the help of this attribute you can replace the last parameter substitution token shown in the messages. For example, {1} for "DoubleRangeValidator.MAXIMUM" , {2} for "ShortConverter.SHORT".

The "showArrows" boolean attribute when set to "true" enables additional controls for increasing and decreasing slider value. The controls (arrows by default) are placed in the beginning and in the end of slider track:

Figure 6.175. <rich:inputNumberSlider> with additional controls

Clicking an arrow changes the driven value on the amount defined with "step" attribute. Keepeng an arrow control pressed changes the value continuous. Time that value takes to change from one step to another is definded with "delay" attribute.

6.63.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:inputNumberSlider> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:imputNumberSlider> component

6.63.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.321. Skin parameters redefinition for a bar

Skin parameters	CSS properties
controlBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.322. Skin parameters redefinition for numbers

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color
panelBorderColor	border-color
generalSizeFont	line-height

Table 6.323. Skin parameters redefinition for a text field

Skin parameters	CSS properties
controlBackgroundColor	background-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size
controlTextColor	color
panelBorderColor	border-color
subBorderColor	border-bottom-color
subBorderColor	border-right-color

Table 6.324. Skin parameters redefinition for a hint

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tipBackgroundColor	background-color
tipBorderColor	border-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

6.63.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Style classes names that define styles for component elements are shown on the picture below:

Figure 6.176. Style classes

Table 6.325. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-slider	Defines styles for a wrapper table element of a component
rich-inslider-track	Defines styles for a bar
rich-inslider-handler	Defines styles for a slider handler
rich-inslider-handler-selected	Defines styles for a selected handler
rich-inslider-field	Defines styles for a text field
rich-inslider-right-num	Defines styles for the right number
rich-inslider-left-num	Defines styles for the left number
rich-inslider-track-border	Defines styles for track border
rich-inslider-tip	Defines styles for a hint
inputNumberSlider-increase-vertical	Defines styles for the top arrow
inputNumberSlider-decrease-vertical	Defines styles for the bottom arrow
inputNumberSlider-increase-horizontal	Defines styles for the right arrow
inputNumberSlider-decrease-horizontal	Defines styles for the left arrow

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:inputNumberSlider> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the table above ) and define necessary properties in them. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.rich-inslider-tip{

    background-color: #FFDAB9;

    font-family: Arial Black;

}  

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.177. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a tip background color and font family was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:inputNumberSlider> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:inputNumberSlider> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    font-style: italic;

    font-weight:bold;

    font-size:12px;

}

...

The "inputClass" attribute for <rich:inputNumberSlider> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich: inputNumberSlider ... inputClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.178. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style for input text was changed.

6.63.9. Relevant Resources Links

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <rich:inputNumberSlider> usage and sources for the given example.

6.64. < rich:inputNumberSpinner >

6.64.1. Description

A single line input field that lets selecting a number using controls near a text field. It's possible to change a value using "Up/Down" keyboard keys. The keyboard input in a field is possible if it isn't locked by the "enableManualInput" attribute. When arrow controls are pressed, the cursor can be moved in any way without losing a dragged state.

Figure 6.179. <rich:inputNumberSpinner> component

6.64.2. Key Features

Fully skinnable control and input elements
3D look and feel with an easily customizable appearance
Attribute-managed positions of the controls (inside/outside of the input field)
Keyboard controls support
Optional disablement of the component on a page
Optional "cycled" mode of scrolling values
Optional manual/controls-only input into a value text field
Validation of manual input

Table 6.326. rich : inputNumberSpinner attributes

Attribute Name	Description
accesskey	This attribute assigns an access key to an element. An access key is a single character from the document character set. Note: Authors should consider the input method of the expected reader when specifying an accesskey
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
clientErrorMessage	An error message to use in client side validation events
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
cycled	If "true" after the current value reaches the border value it is reversed to another border value after next increasing/decreasing. In other case possibilities of next increasing (or decreasing) will be locked. Default value is " true ".
disableBrowserAutoComplete	Disable browser's auto completion. Default value is "false"
disabled	When set for a form control, this boolean attribute disables the control for your input
enableManualInput	if "false" your's input to the text field using keyboard will be locked. Default value is "true"
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
inputClass	Class attribute for text field
inputSize	Attribute specifies the initial length of input in characters. Default value is "10".
inputStyle	Style attribute for text field
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
maxValue	Maximum value. Default value is "100".
minValue	Minimum value. Default value is "0".
onblur	The client side script method to be called when the element loses the focus
onchange	The client side script method to be called when the element value is changed
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
ondownclick	HTML: a script expression; a button "Down" is clicked
onerror	HTML: a script expression; event fires whenever an JavaScript error occurs
onfocus	The client side script method to be called when the element gets the focus
oninputclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked
oninputdblclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked
oninputkeydown	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed down
oninputkeypress	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed and released
oninputkeyup	HTML: a script expression; a key is released
oninputmousedown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down
oninputmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within
oninputmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away
oninputmouseover	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto
oninputmouseup	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselect	The client side script method to be called when some text is selected in the text field. This attribute can be used with the INPUT and TEXTAREA elements.
onupclick	HTML: a script expression; a button "Up" is clicked
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
step	Parameter that determines the step between nearest values while using controls. Default value is "1"
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
tabindex	This attribute specifies the position of the current element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767. User agents should ignore leading zeros
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes

Table 6.327. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.inputNumberSpinner
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlInputNumberSpinner
component-family	org.richfaces.inputNumberSpinner
renderer-type	org.richfaces.InputNumberSpinnerRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.InputNumberSpinnerTag

6.64.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:inputNumberSpinner minValue="0" maxValue="100" step="1"/> 

...

6.64.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<rich:inputNumberSpinner> is used to facilitate your data input with rich UI Controls.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlInputNumberSpinner;

...

HtmlInputNumberSpinner mySpinner = new HtmlInputNumberSpinner ();

...

6.64.5. Details of Usage

Here is the simplest variant of spinner definition with "minValue" , "maxValue" and "step" (on default is "1") attributes, which define the beginning and the end of numerical area and a spinner step.

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.


...

    <rich:inputNumberSpinner minValue="1" maxValue="100"/>

...

It generates on a page:

Figure 6.180. Generated <rich:inputNumberSpinner>

There are also several attributes to define functionality peculiarities:

"cycled" if the attribute is "true" after the current value reaches the border value it's be reversed to another border value after next increasing/decreasing. In other case possibilities of next increasing/decreasing are locked
"disabled" is an attribute that defines whether a component is active on a page
"enableManualInput" is an attribute that defines whether a keyboard input is possible or only UI controls could be used

Moreover, to add e.g. some JavaScript effects, events defined on it are used

"onchange"
"onmouseover"
"onclick"
"onfocus"
"onmouseout"
etc.

6.64.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:inputNumberSpinner> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:inputNumberSpinner> component

6.64.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.328. Skin parameters redefinition for a container

Skin parameters	CSS properties
controlBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color
subBorderColor	border-bottom-color
subBorderColor	border-right-color

Table 6.329. Skin parameters redefinition for an input field

Skin parameters	CSS properties
buttonSizeFont	font-size
buttonFamilyFont	font-family

6.64.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.181. Style classes

Table 6.330. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-spinner-c	Defines styles for a wrapper table element of a component
rich-spinner-input-container	Defines styles for a container
rich-spinner-input	Defines styles for a wrapper <td> element for input fields
rich-spinner-button	Defines styles for a button
rich-spinner-buttons	Defines styles for all buttons

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:inputNumberSpinner> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the table above ) and define necessary properties in them. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.rich-spinner-input{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.182. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example an input text font style was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:inputNumberSpinner> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:inputNumberSpinner> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    font-family: Arial Black;

}

...

The "inputClass" attribute for <rich:inputNumberSpinner> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich: inputNumberSpinner ... inputClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.183. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font family for input text was changed.

6.64.9. Relevant Resources Links

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <rich:inputNumberSpinner> usage and sources for the given example.

6.65. < rich:insert >

6.65.1. Description

The <rich:insert> component is used for highlighting, source code inserting and, optionally, format the file from the application context into the page.

6.65.2. Key Features

Source code highlighting
Variety of formats for source code highlighting

Table 6.331. rich : insert attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
content	Defines the String, inserted with this component. This attribute is alternative to "src" attribute.
encoding	Attribute defines encoding for inserted content
errorContent	Attribute defines the alternative content that will be shown in case component cannot read the resource defined with 'src' attribute. If "errorContent" attribute is not defined, the component shown the actual error message in the place where the content is expected
highlight	Defines a type of code
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
src	Defines the path to the file with source code

Table 6.332. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ui.Insert
component-class	org.richfaces.ui.component.html.HtmlInsert
component-family	org.richfaces.ui.Insert
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ui.InsertRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.ui.taglib.InsertTag

6.65.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

      <rich:insert  src="/pages/sourcePage.xhtml" highlight="xhtml"/>

...

6.65.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The are two basic attributes. The "src" attribute defines the path to the file with source code. The "highlight" attribute defines the type of a syntax highlighting.

import org.richfaces.ui.component.html.HtmlInsert;  

...

HtmlInsert myInsert = new HtmlInsert();

...

6.65.5. Details of Usage

If "highlight" attribute is defined and JHighlight open source library is in the classpath, the text from the file is formated and colorized.

An example is placed below.

Example:


...

      <rich:insert  src="/pages/sourcePage.xhtml" highlight="xhtml"/>

...

The result of using <rich:insert> component is shown on the picture:

Figure 6.184. Source code highlighting

The <rich:insert> component provides the same functionality as JHighlight. Thus, all names of highlight style classes for source code of particular language could be changed to your names, which are used by the JHighlight library.

6.65.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:insert> has no skin parameters and custom style classes, as the component doesn't have own visual representation.

6.65.7. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can found some additional information for <rich:insert> component usage.

6.66. < rich:jQuery >

6.66.1. Description

The <rich:jQuery> allows to apply styles and behaviour to DOM objects.

6.66.2. Key Features

Presents jQuery JavaScript framework functionality
Able to apply onto JSF components and other DOM objects.
Works without conflicts with prototype.js library

Table 6.333. rich : jQuery attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
name	The name of a function that will be generated to execute a query. The "name" attribute is required if "timing" attribute equals to "onJScall"
query	The query string that is executed for a given selector.
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
selector	Selector for query. The "selector" attribute uses defined by w3c consortium syntax for CSS rule selector with some jQuery extensions.
timing	The attribute that defines when to perform the query. The possible values are "immediate","onload" and "onJScall". "immediate" performs the query right away. "onload" adds the task to the time when a document is loaded (the DOM tree is created). "onJScall" allows to invoke the query by Javascipt function name defined with "name" attribute. The default value is "immediate".

Table 6.334. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.JQuery
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlJQuery
component-family	org.richfaces.JQuery
renderer-type	org.richfaces.JQueryRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.JQueryTag

6.66.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page, use the following syntax:


...

      <rich:jQuery selector="#customList tr:odd" timing="onload" query="addClass(odd)" />

...

6.66.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<rich:jQuery> can be used in two main modes:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlJQuery;     

...

HtmlJQuery myJQuery = new HtmlJQuery();

...

6.66.5. Details of Usage

as a one-time query applied immediately or on a document ready event
as a JavaScript function that can be invoked from the JavaScript code

The mode is chosen with "timing" attribute that has the following options:

"immediate" - applying a query immediately
"onload" - applying a query when a document is loaded
onJScall - applying a query by invoked JavaScript function defined with the "name" attribute

Definition of the "name" attribute is mandatory when the value of "timing" attribute is "onJScall". If the "name" attribute is defined when "timing" value equals to "immediate" or "onload", the query is applied according to this value, but you still have an opportunity to invoke it by a function name.

The "selector" attribute defines an object or a list of objects. The query is defined with the "query" attribute.

Here is an example of how to highlight odd rows in a table:

<rich:jQuery> has no skin parameters and custom style classes, as the component isn't visual.


...

<style>

    .odd {

          background-color: #FFC;

    }

</style>

...


...

    <rich:table id="customList" ...>

        ...

    </rich:table>

    ...

    <rich:jQuery selector="#customList tr:odd" timing="onload" query="addClass(odd)" />

...

The "selector" attribute uses defined by w3c consortium syntax for CSS rule selector with some jQuery extensions

Those are typical examples of using selector in the <rich:jQuery> component.

Table 6.335. Examples of using selector

Selector	Comment
"p[a]"	In a document all "p" tags with "a" tag inside are selected
"ul/li"	All "li" elements of unordered "ul" lists are selected
"p.foo[a]"	All "p" tags with "foo" class and inserted "a" tag are selected
"input[@name=bar]"	All "input" tags with "name" attribute which value is "bar" are selected
"input[@type=radio][@checked]"	All "input" tags with attribute "type"="radio" and attribute value = "chekced" are selected
"p,span,td"	All tag elements "p" or"span" or "td" are selected
"p#secret"	"p" paragraph element with "id" identification = "secret" is selected
"p span"	"span" tag is a (direct or non-direct) child of "p" tag. If it's necessary, use "p > span" or "p/span" is selected
"p[@foo^=bar]"	"p" tag containing "foo" attribute with textual value beginning with "bar" word is selected
"p[@foo$=bar] "	"p" tag containing "foo" attribute with textual value ending with "bar" word is selected
"p[@foo*=bar] "	"p" tag with "foo" attribute containing substring "bar" in any place is selected
"p//span "	"span" tag that is a (direct or non-direct) child of "p" tag is selected
"p/../span "	"span" tag that is a grandchild of "p" tag is selected

In addition, RichFaces allows using either a component id or client id if you apply the query to a JSF component. When you define a selector, RichFaces examines its content and tries to replace the defined in the selector id with a component id if it's found.

For example, you have the following code:


...

    <h:form id="form">

        ...

        <h:panelGrid id="menu">

            <h:graphicImage ... />

            <h:graphicImage ... />

            ...

        </h:panelGrid>

    </h:form>

...

The actual id of the <h:panelGrid> table in the browser DOM is "form:menu". However, you still can reference to images inside this table using the following selector:


...

    <rich:jQuery selector="#menu img" query="..." />

...

You can define the exact id in the selector if you want. The following code reference to the same set of a DOM object:


...

    <rich:jQuery selector="#form\\:menu img" query="..." />

...

Pay attention to double slashes that escape a colon in the id.

In case when the "name" attribute is defined, <rich:jQuery> generates a JavaScript function that might be used from any place of JavaScript code on a page.

There is an example of how to enlarge the picture smoothly on a mouse over event and return back to the normal size on mouse out:


...

    <h:graphicImage onmouseover="enlargePic(this)" width="50" value="/images/price.png"

                onmouseover="enlargePic(this, {pwidth:'60px'})" onmouseover="releasePic(this)"  />

    <h:graphicImage onmouseover="enlargePic(this)" width="50" value="/images/discount.png"

                onmouseover="enlargePic(this, {pwidth:'100px'})" onmouseover="releasePic(this)"  />

    ...

    <rich:jQuery name="enlargePic" timing="onJScall" query="animate({width:param.pwidth})" />

    <rich:jQuery name="releasePic" timing="onJScall" query="animate({width:'50px'})"/> 

...

The JavaScript could use two parameters. The first parameter is a replacement for the selector attribute. Thus, you can share the same query, applying it to the different DOM objects. You can use a literal value or a direct reference for an existing DOM object. The second parameter can be used to path the specific value inside the query. The JSON syntax is used for the second parameter. The "param." namespace is used for referencing data inside the parameter value.

<rich:jQuery> adds styles and behavior to the DOM object dynamically. This means if you replace something on a page during an Ajax response, the applied artifacts is overwritten. But you are allowed to apply them again after the Ajax response is complete.

Usually, it could be done with reRendering the <rich:jQuery> components in the same Ajax interaction with the components these queries are applied to. Note, that queries with "timing" attribute set to "onload" are not invoked even if the query is reRendered, because a DOM document is not fully reloaded during the Ajax interaction. If you need to re-applies query with "onload" value of "timing" attribute, define the "name" attribute and invoke the query by name in the "oncomplete" attribute of the Ajax component.

RichFaces includes jQuery JavaScript framework. You can use the futures of jQuery directly without defining the <rich:jQuery> component on a page if it is convenient for you. To start using the jQuery feature on the page, include the library into a page with the following code:


...

    <a4j:loadScript src="resource://jquery.js"/>

...

Refer to the jQuery documentation for the right syntax. Remember to use jQuery() function instead of $(), as soon as jQuery works without conflicts with prototype.js.

6.66.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

6.66.7. Relevant Resources Links

More information about jQuery framework and its features you can read in jQuery official documentation.

How to use jQuery with other libraries see also injQuery official documentation.

Some additional information about usage of component can be found on its LiveDemo.

6.67. < rich:layoutPanel >

6.67.1. Description

The <rich:layouPanel> is an auxiliary component used to create layout areas within the <rich:layout> container.

6.67.2. Key Features

Cross-browser compatibility
Provides possibility of an easy layout creation

Table 6.336. rich : layoutPanel attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
position	Positions the component relative to the <rich:layout/> component. Possible values are top, left, right, center, bottom.
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
width	Sets the width of the layout area

Table 6.337. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.LayoutPanel
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlLayoutPanel
component-family	org.richfaces.LayoutPanel
renderer-type	org.richfaces.LayoutPanelRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.LayoutPanelTag

6.67.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:layout>

 <rich:layoutPanel position="center">

        <!--center-->

</rich:layoutPanel>     

</rich:layout>

...

6.67.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:layoutPanel> component is used to split the area inside the <rich:layout> into up to 5 parts: top, left, center, right, bottom.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmllayoutPanel;

...

HtmllayoutPanel mylayoutPanel = new HtmllayoutPanel();

...

6.67.5. Details of Usage

The "position" attribute defines the position of the <rich:layoutPanel> in the area created with <rich:layout> .


...

<rich:layout>

    <rich:layoutPanel position="top">

        <!--top-->

    </rich:layoutPanel>

    <rich:layoutPanel position="left">

        <!--left-->

    </rich:layoutPanel>

    <rich:layoutPanel position="center">

        <!--center-->

    </rich:layoutPanel>

    <rich:layoutPanel position="right">

        <!--right-->

    </rich:layoutPanel>

    <rich:layoutPanel position="bottom">

        <!--bottom-->

    </rich:layoutPanel>

</rich:layout>

...

You can specify the width of the layout area with the "width" attribute.

6.67.6. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces Live Demo page you can see an example of <rich:layoutPanel> usage and sources for the given example.

The <rich:layout> chapter of the guide.

The Layout components for RichFaces 3.3.1 on the JBoss.org Wiki.

6.68. < rich:layout >

6.68.1. Description

The <rich:layout> component is designed to build layouts basing on Yahoo UI Grids CSS

Figure 6.185. The <rich:layout> component

6.68.2. Key Features

Cross-borwser compatibility
Easy layout creation

Table 6.338. rich : layout attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered

Table 6.339. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.layout
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlLayout
component-family	org.richfaces.Layout
renderer-type	org.richfaces.LayoutRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.layoutTag

6.68.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest layout with the <rich:layout> on a page, use the following syntax:


...

<rich:layout>

  <rich:layoutPanel position="center">

  <!--center-->

  </rich:layoutPanel>

</rich:layout>

...

6.68.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:layout> allows to build a grid that can be used to make the layout on a page. The <rich:layout> is used in conjunction with the <rich:layoutPanel> that is used as a child element and carries the main burden of building the grid.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlLayout;

...

Htmllayout mylayout = new HtmlLayout();

...

6.68.5. Details of Usage

Hence, you need to use the <rich:layout> as a container and <rich:layoutPanel> to create areas inside the container.

This is how you can make a layout with 5 areas:

Example:


...

<rich:layout>

    <rich:layoutPanel position="top">

        <!--top-->

    </rich:layoutPanel>

    <rich:layoutPanel position="left">

        <!--left-->

    </rich:layoutPanel>

    <rich:layoutPanel position="center">

        <!--center-->

    </rich:layoutPanel>

    <rich:layoutPanel position="right">

        <!--right-->

    </rich:layoutPanel>

    <rich:layoutPanel position="bottom">

        <!--bottom-->

    </rich:layoutPanel>

</rich:layout>

...

To get more details about <rich:layoutPanel> please read the chapter about layoutPanel in the guide.

6.68.6. Relevant Resources Links

Visit layout page at RichFaces Live Demo for examples of component usage and their sources.

The Layout components for RichFaces 3.3.1 on the JBoss.org Wiki

6.69. < rich:page >

6.69.1. Description

The <rich:page> component is used to create basic (X)HTML markup and define document parameters like DOCTYPE, title etc. The component also allows to build top level layout: header, bottom, center and left or right layout areas.

6.69.2. Key Features

Option to change the renderer of the component (themes support)
Possibility to define parameters of an HTML page
Possibility to create page layout with facets
Provides styling based on RichFaces skinnability

Table 6.340. rich : page attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bodyClass	A name of CSS class for the body part of the page
contentType	Set custom mime content type to response
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
footerClass	A name of CSS class for the footer
headerClass	A name of CSS class for the header
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
markupType	Page layout format ( html, xhtml, html-transitional, html-3.2 ) for encoding DOCTYPE, namespace and Content-Type definitions
namespace	Set html element default namespace
onload	JavaScript code to execute on a page load.
onunload	JavaScript code to execute on a page unload.
pageTitle	String for output as a page title.
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
sidebarClass	A name of CSS class for the side panel
sidebarPosition	Defines the position of the side panel. Possible values are "left", "right". Default value is "left".
sidebarWidth	Defines width for the side panel. Default value is "160".
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
theme	Specifies the way of the component rendering
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
width	Sets the width of the page

Table 6.341. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPage
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPage
component-family	org.richfaces.Page
renderer-type	org.richfaces.PageRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.PageTag

6.69.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:page> 

  <!-- page body -->

</rich:page>

...

6.69.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:page> component together with the <rich:layout> component provides a full-fledged mechanism for markup creation.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPage;

...

HtmlPage myHtmlPage = new HtmlPage();

...

6.69.5. Details of Usage

First of all, to declare the document type of the page you should use the "markupType" attribute which has the following values:

"html"
"html-transitional"
"xhtml"
"xhtml-transitional"
"html-frameset"
"html-3.2"

The default value is "html".

The "contentType" allows to specify the type of the content and encoding for the page.

The title of the page can be set with the "pageTile" attribute. To place some other page parameters (like meta information, links to CSS style sheets etc.) in the <head> element of an HTML page use "pageHeader" facet.

The implementation of the <rich:page> component provides four facets that you can use to arrange the layout of the page: "header", "subheader", "sidebar" and "footer". Their behavior is quite self-explanatory.


...

<rich:page pageTitle="The title of the page" markupType="xhtml">

    <f:facet name="pageHeader">

        <meta content="The rich:page component" name="keywords" />

        <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/images/favicon.ico" />

        <link href="/css/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />

        <script type="text/javascript" src="/js/menu.js"></script>

    </f:facet>

    <!-- page content -->

</rich:page>

...

The position of the panel rendered by the "sidebar" facet can be set with the "sidebarPosition" attribute that can take either "right" or "left" as values, you can also specify the width for this facet with the "sidebarWidth" attribute.

The <rich:page> component also provides attributes to define CSS classes for each nested facet as well as a body part of the page created with the component.


...

<rich:page sidebarPosition="left" sidebarWidth="300">

    <f:facet name="header">

        <!-- header  content -->

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="sidebar">

        <!-- side panel content -->

    </f:facet>

    <!-- body content -->

    <f:facet name="footer">

        <!-- footer  content -->

    </f:facet>

</rich:page>



...

Several templates are available for the <rich:page> component. A template can be activated with the "theme" attribute.

The theme defines the way the <rich:page> is rendered. Default renderer(default theme) of the <rich:page> has no mappings to skin parameters and just provides CSS classes for the page part. However, the simple theme, which is an extension of the default theme, has mappings to skin parameters and adds the RichFaces skinning for the page elements.

As a whole, RichFaces provides 4 themes for the <rich:page> component out-of-the-box: "simple", "violetRays", "oldschool", "smooth". The Creating a Theme for <rich:page> article tells how you can create your custom theme for the <rich:page> component.

6.69.6. Facets

Table 6.342. Facets

Facet Name	Description
pageHeader	Creates the <head/> part of the HTML page
header	Creates a header
subheader	Creates a horizontal panel under the header
footer	Creates a footer
sidebar	Creates a left/right panel

6.69.7. Skin Parameters for the "simple" theme

Table 6.343. Skin parameters for the <body/> HTML element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.344. Skin parameters for the whole page

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.345. Skin parameters for the header

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	border-bottom-color
headerGradientColor	background-color
trimColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerTextColor	color
headerSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.346. Skin parameters for the content area of the page

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-top-color
trimColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.347. Skin parameters for the footer

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalBackgroundColor	border-top-color
panelBorderColor	background-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.348. Skin parameters for the side panel

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	color
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.349. Skin parameters for h1,h2,h3 HTML tags

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headTextColor	color

Table 6.350. Skin parameters for p,ul,ol HTML tags

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
controlTextColor	color

Table 6.351. Skin parameters for the hovered link

Skin parameters	CSS properties
hoverLinkColor	color

Table 6.352. Skin parameters for the visited link

Skin parameters	CSS properties
visitedLinkColor	color

6.69.8. Component CSS Selectors

Table 6.353. CSS Selectors that define the representation of the component's blocks

CSS Selector	Description
.rich-page	Defines styles for the whole page
.rich-page-header	Defines styles for the header
.rich-page-subheader	Defines styles for the block under the header
.rich-page-sidebar	Defines styles for the sidebar
.rich-page-body	Defines styles for the body part of the page
.rich-page-footer	Defines styles for the footer

6.69.9. Relevant Resources Links

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <rich:page> component usage and sources for the given example.

The Layout components for RichFaces 3.3.1 on the JBoss.org Wiki

6.70. < rich:listShuttle >

6.70.1. Description

The <rich:listShuttle> component is used for moving chosen items from one list into another with their optional reordering there.

Figure 6.186. <rich:ListShuttle> component

6.70.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Reordering possibility for lists items
Multiple selection of lists items
Keyboard support

Table 6.354. rich : listShuttle attributes

Attribute Name	Description
activeItem	Stores active item
ajaxKeys	Defines row keys that are updated after an Ajax request
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bottomControlClass	CSS class for a "Bottom" control
bottomControlLabel	Defines a label for a bottom control
bottomTitle	HTML: alt for the last button
columnClasses	Comma-separated list of CSS classes for columns
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition
controlsType	Defines type of a control: button or none. Default value is "button".
controlsVerticalAlign	Customizes vertically a position of move/copy and order controls relatively to lists. Default value is "middle"
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
copyAllControlClass	CSS class for a "Copy all" control
copyAllControlLabel	Defines a label for a "Copy all" control
copyAllTitle	HTML: alt for "Copy all" button
copyControlClass	CSS class for "Copy" control
copyControlLabel	Defines a label for a "Copy" control
copyTitle	HTML: alt for a "Copy" button
disabledControlClass	CSS class for a disabled control
downControlClass	CSS class for a "Down" control
downControlLabel	Defines a label for a down control
downTitle	HTML: alt for bottom button
fastMoveControlsVisible	If "false", 'Copy All' and 'Remove All' controls aren't displayed. Default value is "true".
fastOrderControlsVisible	If "false", 'Top' and 'Bottom' controls aren't displayed. Default value is "true".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
listClass	CSS class for a list
listsHeight	Defines height of the list. Default value is "140".
moveControlsVisible	If "false", 'Copy' and 'Remove' controls aren't displayed. Default value is "true".
onblur	HTML: script expression; the element lost the focus
onbottomclick	A JavaScript event handler; a button "Bottom" is clicked
onclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked
oncopyallclick	A JavaScript event handler; a button "Copy All" is clicked
oncopyclick	HTML: a script expression; a button "Copy" is clicked
ondblclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked
ondownclick	A JavaScript event handler; a button "Down" is clicked
onfocus	HTML: script expression; the element got the focus
onlistchange	HTML: script expression; before a list is changed
onlistchanged	HTML: script expression; a list is changed
onmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within
onmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away
onmouseover	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto
onorderchange	HTML: script expression; called before ordering action
onorderchanged	HTML: script expression; called after ordering action
onremoveallclick	A JavaScript event handler; a button "Remove All" is clicked
onremoveclick	A JavaScript event handler; a button "Remove" is clicked
ontopclick	A JavaScript event handler; a button "Top" is clicked
onupclick	HTML: a script expression; a button "Up" is clicked
orderControlsVisible	If "false", 'Up' and 'Down' controls aren't displayed. Default value is "true".
removeAllControlClass	CSS class for "Remove all" control
removeAllControlLabel	Defines a label for a "Remove all" control
removeAllTitle	HTML: alt for "Remove all" button
removeControlClass	CSS class for a "Remove" control
removeControlLabel	Defines a label for a "Remove" control
removeTitle	HTML: alt for a "Remove" button
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
rowClasses	CSS class for a row
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a row key object
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope
showButtonLabels	Shows a label for a button. Default value is "true".
sourceCaptionLabel	Defines source list caption representation text
sourceListWidth	Defines width of a source list. Default value is "140".
sourceRequired	Defines the case when source value is being validated. If the value is "true", there should be at least one item in the source list
sourceSelection	Manages selection in a source list from the server side
sourceValue	Defines a List or Array of items to be shown in a source list
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
switchByClick	If "true", dragging between lists realized by click
switchByDblClick	If "true", items can be moved between the lists by double-clicking on them. Default value is "true".
targetCaptionLabel	Defines target list caption representation text
targetListWidth	Defines width of a target list. Default value is "140".
targetRequired	Defines the case when target value is being validated. If the value is "true", there should be at least one item in the target list
targetSelection	Manages selection in a target list from the server side
targetValue	Defines a List or Array of items to be shown in a target list
topControlClass	CSS class for a "Top" control
topControlLabel	Defines a label for a "Top" control
topTitle	HTML: alt for the first button
upControlClass	CSS class for an "Up" control
upControlLabel	Defines a label for an "Up" control
upTitle	HTML: alt for top button
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
var	Defines a list on the page

6.70.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:listShuttle var="item" sourceValue="#{bean.source}" targetValue="#{bean.target}" converter="listShuttleconverter">

        <h:column>

                <f:facet name="header">

                        <h:outputText value="Cars" />

                </f:facet>

                <h:outputText value="#{item.name}" />

        </h:column>

</rich:listShuttle>

...

6.70.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:listShuttle> component consists of the following parts:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlListShuttle;

... 

HtmlListShuttle myListShuttle = new HtmlListShuttle();

...

6.70.5. Details of Usage

two item lists (source and target). List consists of items. Each item has three different representations: common, selected, active
optional caption element
optional ordering controls set is a set of controls that performs reordering
move controls set is a set of controls, which performs moving items between lists

Note:

Now the listener can not be called from the column facet. This is a temporary limitation. The additional information can be found in RichFaces Jira.

The "sourceValue" attribute defines a List or Array of items to be shown in the source list.

The "targetValue" attribute defines a List or Array of items to be shown in the target list.

The "var" attribute could be shared between both Lists or Arrays to define lists on the page.

The "sourceRequired" and "targetRequired" attributes define the case when source and target values are being validated. If the value of both attributes is "true" there should be at least one item in source and target lists. Otherwise validation fails.

Example:


...

<h:form id="myForm">

        <rich:messages>

                <f:facet name="errorMarker">

                        <h:graphicImage value="/images/ajax/error.gif" />   

                </f:facet>

        </rich:messages>

        <rich:listShuttle id="myListShuttle" sourceValue="#{toolBar.freeItems}" targetValue="#{toolBar.items}"  

                                sourceRequired = "true" targetRequired = "true" var="items" converter="listShuttleconverter"

                                sourceCaptionLabel="Source List" targetCaptionLabel="Target List">

                <rich:column>

                        <h:graphicImage value="#{items.iconURI}" />

                </rich:column>

                <rich:column>

                        <h:outputText value="#{items.label}" />

                </rich:column>

        </rich:listShuttle>

        <a4j:commandButton value="Submit" />

</h:form>

...

In the example above the source list is empty. If you submit the form validation fails and error message appears on a page.

This is the result:

Figure 6.187. Style classes

The "converter" attribute is used to convert component data to a particular component's value. For example, when you select items in a list, a converter is used to format a set of objects to a strings to be displayed.

Note

The "converter" attribute and the "equals" and "hashCode" methods should be defined only in your own class.

The "sourceSelection" attribute stores the collection of items selected by you in the source list. The "targetSelection" attribute stores the collection of items selected by you in the target list.

Captions could be added to a list only after it was defined as a "sourceCaption" and "targetCaption" named facets inside the component or defined with the "sourceCaptionLabel" and "targetCaptionLabel" attribute.


...

<rich:listShuttle var="item" sourceValue="#{bean.source}" targetValue="#{bean.target}" sourceSelection="#{bean.sourceSelection}" 

                        targetSelection="#{bean.targetSelection}" converter="listShuttleconverter">

        <f:facet name="sourceCaption">

                <h:outputText value="Cars Store #1" />

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="targetCaption">

                <h:outputText value="Cars Store #2" />

        </f:facet>

        <rich:column>

                <h:outputText value="#{items.name}" />

        </rich:column>

</rich:listShuttle>

...

The <rich:listShuttle> component provides the possibility to use ordering controls set, which performs reordering in the target item list. Every control has possibility to be disabled.

An ordering controls set could be defined with "topControlLabel" , "bottomControlLabel" , "upControlLabel" , "downControlLabel" attributes.

It is also possible to use "topControl" , "topControlDisabled" , "bottomControl" , "bottomControlDisabled" , "upControl" , "upControlDisabled" , "downControl" , "downControlDisabled" facets in order to replace the default controls with facets content.

The <rich:listShuttle> component also provides 4 predefined controls in move controls set for moving items between source and target lists. Every control has possibility to be disabled.


...

<rich:listShuttle var="item" sourceValue="#{bean.source}" targetValue="#{bean.target}" converter="listShuttleconverter">

...                  

        <f:facet name="topControl">

                <h:outputText value="Move to top" />

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="upControl">

                <h:outputText value="Move up" />

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="downControl">

                <h:outputText value="Move down" />

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="bottomControl">

                <h:outputText value="Move to bottom" />

        </f:facet>

</rich:listShuttle>

...

A move controls set could be defined with "copyControlLabel" , "removeControlLabel" , "copyAllControlLabel" , "removeAllControlLabel" attributes.

It is also possible to use "copyControl" , "removeControl" , "copyAllControl" , "removeAllControl" facets in order to replace the default controls with facets content.


...

<rich:listShuttle var="item" sourceValue="#{bean.source}" targetValue="#{bean.target}" converter="listShuttleconverter"

                        copyControlLabel="Copy" removeControlLabel="Remove"

                        copyAllControlLabel="Copy all" removeAllControlLabel="Remove all">

        <h:column>

                <f:facet name="header">

                        <h:outputText value="Cars" />

                </f:facet>

                <h:outputText value="#{item.name}" />

        </h:column>

</rich:listShuttle>

...

Controls rendering is based on the "controlsType" attribute. Possible types are button and none.

Note

Currently the button controls type is based on <div> element.

The <rich:listShuttle> component allows to use internationalization method to redefine and localize the labels. You could use application resource bundle and define RICH_SHUTTLES_TOP_LABEL, RICH_SHUTTLES_BOTTOM_LABEL, RICH_SHUTTLES_UP_LABEL, RICH_SHUTTLES_DOWN_LABEL RICH_LIST_SHUTTLE_COPY_ALL_LABEL, RICH_LIST_SHUTTLE_COPY_LABEL, RICH_LIST_SHUTTLE_REMOVE_ALL_LABEL, RICH_LIST_SHUTTLE_REMOVE_LABEL there.

You could also pack org.richfaces.renderkit.listShuttle resource bundle with your JARs defining the same properties.

Table 6.355. Keyboard usage for elements selection

Keys and combinations	Description
CTRL+click	Inverts selection for an item
SHIFT+click	Selects all rows from active one to a clicked row if they differ, else select the actve row. All other selections are cleared
CTRL+A	Selects all elements inside the list if some active element is already present in a list
Up, Down arrows	Changes the active element to the next or previous in a list and make it the only selected. Scroll follows the selection to keep it visible

Table 6.356. Keyboard usage for elements reordering

Keys and combinations	Description
Home	Moves selected set to the top of a list (for target list only)
End	Moves selected set to the bottom of a list (for target list only)
CTRL+Up arrow	Moves selected item to one position upper
CTRL+Down arrow	Moves selected item to one position lower

6.70.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.357. JavaScript API

Function	Description
enable()	Enables ordering control (to be implemented)
disable()	Disables ordering control (to be implemented)
isEnabled()	Checks if current control is enabled (to be implemented)
up()	Moves up selected item in the list
down()	Moves down selected item in the list
top()	Moves top selected item in the list
bottom()	Moves bottom selected item in the list
copy()	Copies selected item from the source list to the target list
remove()	Removes selected item from the target list to the source list
copyAll()	Copies all items from the source list to the target list
removeAll()	Removes all items from the target list to the source list
getSelection()	Returns currently selected item (to be implemented)
getItems()	Returns the collection of all items (to be implemented)

6.70.7. Facets

Table 6.358. Facets

Facet	Description
copyAllControl	Redefines the label content for the "copyAll" control. Related attribute is "copyAllControlLabel"
removeAllControl	Redefines the label content for the "removeAll" control. Related attribute is "removeAllControlLabel"
copyControl	Redefines the label content for the "copy" control. Related attribute is "copyControlLabel"
removeControl	Redefines the label content for the "remove" control. Related attribute is "removeControlLabel"
copyAllControlDisabled	Redefines the disabled label content for the "copyAll" control
removeAllControlDisabled	Redefines the disabled label content for the "removeAll" control
caption	Redefines the caption control
sourceCaption	Defines source list caption representation text. Related attribute is "sourceCaptionLabel"
targetCaption	Defines source list target representation text. Related attribute is "targetCaptionLabel"

6.70.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:listShuttle> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:listShuttle> component

6.70.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.359. Skin parameters redefinition for items in the source and target lists

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalBackgroundColor	background-color
tableBorderColor	border-color
tableBorderWidth	border-width

Table 6.360. Skin parameters redefinition for caption in the source and target lists

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
headerWeightFont	font-weight

Table 6.361. Skin parameters redefinition for a selected rows in the source and target lists

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.362. Skin parameters redefinition for a header cell

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerTextColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
tableBorderWidth	border-width
subBorderColor	border-top-color
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color
panelBorderColor	border-right-color

Table 6.363. Skin parameters redefinition for a selected cell

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.364. Skin parameters redefinition for an active cell

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.365. Skin parameters redefinition for controls

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.366. Skin parameters redefinition for a button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
trimColor	background-color
generalTextColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.367. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
trimColor	background-color
tabDisabledTextColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.368. Skin parameters redefinition for a button highlight

Skin parameters	CSS properties
trimColor	background-color
selectControlColor	border-color
tableBorderWidth	border-width
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.369. Skin parameters redefinition for a pressed button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color
tableBorderColor	border-color
tableBorderWidth	border-width
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.370. Skin parameters redefinition for a button content

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.371. Skin parameters redefinition for a button selection

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color

6.70.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.188. Style classes

Table 6.372. Classes names that define a list representation

Class name	Description
rich-list-shuttle	Defines styles for a wrapper table element of a listShuttle
rich-list-shuttle-caption	Defines styles for a list caption
rich-shuttle-body	Defines styles for a list body
rich-shuttle-list-content	Defines styles for a list content
rich-shuttle-source-items	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element for source list
rich-shuttle-target-items	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element for target list
rich-shuttle-list-header	Defines styles for a lists header
rich-shuttle-header-tab-cell	Defines styles for a header cell

Table 6.373. Classes names that define a caption representations in a source and target lists

Class name	Description
rich-shuttle-source-caption	Defines styles for a caption in a source list
rich-shuttle-target-caption	Defines styles for a caption in a target list

Table 6.374. Classes names that define a rows representations in a source list

Class name	Description
rich-shuttle-source-row	Defines styles for a row in a source list
rich-shuttle-source-row-selected	Defines styles for a selected row in a source list
rich-shuttle-source-row-active	Defines styles for an active row in a source list

Table 6.375. Classes names that define a rows representations in a target list

Class name	Description
rich-shuttle-target-row	Defines styles for a row in a target list
rich-shuttle-target-row-selected	Defines styles for a selected row in a target list
rich-shuttle-target-row-active	Defines styles for an active row in a target list

Table 6.376. Classes names that define a cells representations in a source list

Class name	Description
rich-shuttle-source-cell	Defines styles for a cell in a source list
rich-shuttle-source-cell-selected	Defines styles for a selected cell in a source list
rich-shuttle-source-cell-active	Defines styles for an active cell in a source list

Table 6.377. Classes names that define a cells representations in a target list

Class name	Description
rich-shuttle-target-cell	Defines styles for a cell in a target list
rich-shuttle-target-cell-selected	Defines styles for a selected cell in a target list
rich-shuttle-target-cell-active	Defines styles for an active cell in a target list

Table 6.378. Classes names that define controls representations

Class name	Description
rich-shuttle-controls	Defines styles for a controls group
rich-shuttle-top	Defines styles for a "Top" control
rich-shuttle-bottom	Defines styles for a "Bottom" control
rich-shuttle-up	Defines styles for a "Up" control
rich-shuttle-down	Defines styles for a "Down" control
rich-shuttle-copy	Defines styles for a "Copy" control
rich-shuttle-remove	Defines styles for a "Remove" control
rich-shuttle-copyAll	Defines styles for a "copyAll" control
rich-shuttle-removeAll	Defines styles for a "removeAll" control
rich-shuttle-control-disabled	Defines styles for a control in a disabled state

Table 6.379. Classes names that define a button representation

Class name	Description
rich-list-shuttle-button	Defines styles for a button
rich-list-shuttle-button-disabled	Defines styles for a disabled button
rich-list-shuttle-button-light	Defines styles for a button highlight
rich-list-shuttle-button-press	Defines styles for a pressed button
rich-list-shuttle-button-content	Defines styles for a button content
rich-list-shuttle-button-selection	Defines styles for a button selection

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:listShuttle> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-shuttle-source-row-active{

        background-color:#FFE4B5;

}    

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.189. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example an active row background color in the source list was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:listShuttle> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:listShuttle> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        font-style:italic;

}

...

The "rowClasses" attribute for <rich:listShuttle> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:listShuttle ... rowClasses="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.190. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, font style for row items was changed.

6.70.11. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:listShuttle> usage and sources for the given example.

6.71. < rich:message >

6.71.1. Description

The component is used for rendering a single message for a specific component.

Figure 6.191. <rich:message> component

6.71.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Tracking both traditional and Ajax based requests
Optional toolTip to display the detail portion of the message
Additionally customizable with attributes and facets
Additionally provides two parts to be optionally defined: marker and label

Table 6.380. rich : message attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxRendered	Define, must be (or not) content of this component will be included in AJAX response created by parent AJAX Container, even if not forced by reRender list of ajax action. Ignored if component marked to output by some Ajax action component. The default value is "true".
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
errorClass	CSS style class to apply to any message with a severity class of "ERROR"
errorLabelClass	CSS style class to apply to any message label with a severity class of "ERROR"
errorMarkerClass	CSS style class to apply to any message marker with a severity class of "ERROR"
fatalClass	CSS style class to apply to any message with a severity class of "FATAL"
fatalLabelClass	CSS style class to apply to any message label with a severity class of "FATAL"
fatalMarkerClass	CSS style class to apply to any message marker with a severity class of "FATAL"
for	Client identifier of the component for which to display messages
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
infoClass	CSS style class to apply to any message with a severity class of "INFO"
infoLabelClass	CSS style class to apply to any message label with a severity class of "INFO"
infoMarkerClass	CSS style class to apply to any message marker with a severity class of "INFO"
labelClass	CSS style class to apply to label
level	A comma-separated list of messages categories which should be displayed. Default value is "ALL".
markerClass	CSS style class to apply to marker
markerStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to marker when this component is rendered
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
showDetail	Flag indicating whether detailed information of a displayed messages should be included. Default value is "true".
showSummary	Flag indicating whether the summary portion of displayed messages should be included. Default value is "false".
style	The CSS style for message
styleClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) to be applied when this element is rendered. This value must be passed through as the "class" attribute on generated markup
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
tooltip	Flag indicating whether the detail portion of the message should be displayed as a tooltip. Default value is "false".
warnClass	CSS style class to apply to any message with a severity class of "WARN"
warnLabelClass	CSS style class to apply to any message label with a severity class of "WARN"
warnMarkerClass	CSS style class to apply any message marker with a severity class of "WARN"

Table 6.381. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.component.RichMessage
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlRichMessage
component-family	org.richfaces.component.RichMessage
renderer-type	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.RichMessagesHtmlBaseRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.RichMessageTag

6.71.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant of message on a page, use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:message for="id"/>

...

6.71.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The component has the same behavior as standard <h:message> component except next two features:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlRichMessage;

...

HtmlRichMessage myMessage = new HtmlRichMessage();

...

6.71.5. Details of Usage

It's ajaxRendered. It means that the component is reRendered after Ajax request automatically without outputPanel usage
The component optionally provides "passed" state which will be shown if no message is displayed
Provides possibility to add some marker to message. By default a marker element isn't shown

A set of facets which can be used for marker defining:

"passedMarker" . This facet is provided to allow setting a marker to display if there is no message
"errorMarker" . This facet is provided to allow setting a marker to display if there is a message with a severity class of "ERROR"
"fatalMarker" . This facet is provided to allow setting a marker to display if there is a message with a severity class of "FATAL"
"infoMarker" . This facet is provided to allow setting a marker to display if there is a message with a severity class of "INFO"
"warnMarker" . This facet is provided to allow setting a marker to display if there is a message with a severity class of "WARN"

The following example shows different variants for component customization. The attribute "passedLabel" is used for definition of the label to display when no message appears. But the message component doesn't appear before the form submission even when state is defined as passed (on initial rendering). Boolean attribute "showSummary" defines possibility to display summary portion of displayed messages. The facets "errorMarker" and "passedMarker" set corresponding images for markers.

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method.


...

<rich:message for="id" passedLabel="No errors" showSummary="true">

      <f:facet name="errorMarker">

            <h:graphicImage url="/image/error.png"/>

      </f:facet>

      <f:facet name="passedMarker">

            <h:graphicImage url="/image/passed.png"/>

      </f:facet>    

</rich:message>     

...

6.71.6. Facets

Table 6.382. Facets

Facet	Description
errorMarker	Redefines the content for the marker if there is message with a severity class of "ERROR"
fatalError	Redefines the content for the marker if there is message with a severity class of "FATAL"
infoError	Redefines the content for the marker if there is message with a severity class of "INFO"
warnError	Redefines the content for the marker if there is message with a severity class of "WARN"
passedError	Redefines the content for the marker if there is no message

6.71.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are no skin parameters and default predefined values. To redefine the appearance of all <rich:message> components at once, you should only add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:message> component.

6.71.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.192. Classes names

Table 6.383. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-message	Defines styles for a wrapper element
rich-message-marker	Defines styles for a marker
rich-message-label	Defines styles for a label

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:message> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-message-label{

    font-style:italic

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.193. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font style for message was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:message> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:message> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    font-weight:bold;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:message> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:message ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.194. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font weight for message was changed.

6.71.9. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:message> usage and sources for the given example.

6.72. < rich:messages >

6.72.1. Description

The <rich:messages> component is similar to <rich:message> component but used for rendering all messages for the components.

Figure 6.195. <rich:messages> component

6.72.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Track both traditional and Ajax based requests
Optional ToolTip to display a detailed part of the messages
Additionally customizable via attributes and facets
Additionally provides of three parts to be optionally defined: marker, label and header

Table 6.384. rich : messages attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxRendered	Define, must be (or not) content of this component will be included in AJAX response created by parent AJAX Container, even if not forced by reRender list of ajax action. Ignored if component marked to output by some Ajax action component. The default value is "true".
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
errorClass	CSS style class to apply to any message with a severity class of "ERROR"
errorLabelClass	CSS style class to apply to any message label with a severity class of "ERROR"
errorMarkerClass	CSS style class to apply to any message marker with a severity class of "ERROR"
fatalClass	CSS style class to apply to any message with a severity class of "FATAL"
fatalLabelClass	CSS style class to apply to any message label with a severity class of "FATAL"
fatalMarkerClass	CSS style class to apply to any message marker with a severity class of "FATAL"
for	Client identifier of the component for which to display messages
globalOnly	Flag indicating that only global messages (that is, messages not associated with any client identifier) are to be displayed. Default value is "false"
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
infoClass	CSS style class to apply to any message with a severity class of "INFO"
infoLabelClass	CSS style class to apply to any message label with a severity class of "INFO"
infoMarkerClass	CSS style class to apply to any message marker with a severity class of "INFO"
labelClass	CSS style class to apply to label
layout	The type of layout markup to use when rendering error messages. Possible values are "table" (an HTML table), "list" (an HTML list) and iterator. If not specified, the default value is "list".
level	A comma-separated list of messages categories which should be displayed. Default value is "ALL".
markerClass	CSS style class to apply to marker
markerStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to marker when this component is rendered
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
showDetail	Flag indicating whether the detailed information of displayed messages should be included. Default value is "false"
showSummary	Flag indicating whether the summary portion of displayed messages should be included. Default value is "true"
style	The CSS style for message
styleClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) to be applied when this element is rendered. This value must be passed through as the "class" attribute on generated markup
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
tooltip	Flag indicating whether the detail portion of the message should be displayed as a tooltip. Default value is "false".
warnClass	CSS style class to apply to any message with a severity class of "WARN"
warnLabelClass	CSS style class to apply to any message label with a severity class of "WARN"
warnMarkerClass	CSS style class to apply any message marker with a severity class of "WARN"

Table 6.385. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.component.RichMessages
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlRichMessages
component-family	org.richfaces.component.RichMessages
renderer-type	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.HtmlRichMessagesRendere
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.RichMessagesTag

6.72.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant of message on a page, use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:messages/>

...component is considered as JSF HTML

6.72.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:messages> component is considered as JSF HTML <h:messages> , extended with following features:

import  org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlRichMessages;

...

HtmlRichMessages myMessages = new HtmlRichMessages();

...

6.72.5. Details of Usage

Ajax support (the component does not require to be wrapped in <a4j:outputPanel> in order to be rendered during Ajax requests);
possibilty to add graphical markers (pictograms) to reinforce a message for both "passed" or "failed" states;
set of predefined CSS classes for customizing messages appearance.

There are two optional parts that could be defined for every message: marker and text label. The set of facets, which can be used for a marker definition, is shown below:

Table 6.386. Facets

Facet	Description
errorMarker	Defines marker for "Error" message severity class
fatalMarker	Defines marker for "Fatal" message severity class
infoMarker	Defines marker for "Info" message severity class
warnMarker	Defines marker for "Warn" message severity class

The following example shows different variants of customization of the component.

Example:


<rich:messages layout="table" tooltip="true" showDetail="false" showSummary="true">

      <f:facet name="errorMarker">

            <h:graphicImage url="/image/error.png"/>

      </f:facet>

      <f:facet name="infoMarker">

            <h:graphicImage url="/image/info.png"/>

      </f:facet>

 </rich:messages>

The <rich:messages> component keeps all messages for all components even after only one ajax-validated component was updated.

6.72.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method.

There are no skin parameters and default predefined values. To redefine the appearance of all <rich:messages> components at once, you should only add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:messages> component.

6.72.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.196. Classes names

Table 6.387. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-messages	Defines styles for a wrapper element
rich-messages-marker	Defines styles for a marker
rich-messages-label	Defines styles for a label

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:messages> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-messages-label{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.197. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font style for messages was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:messages> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:messages> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    color:red;

}



...

The "errorClass" attribute for <rich:messages> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:messages ... errorClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.198. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, color of messages was changed.

6.72.8. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:messages> usage and sources for the given example.

6.73. < rich:modalPanel >

6.73.1. Description

The component implements a modal dialog window. All operations in the main application window are locked out while this window is active. Opening and closing the window is done through client JavaScript code.

The <rich:modalPanel> component opens in closest to observer layer. All other layers are dimmed by blocking <div> element (gray on the picture).

Figure 6.199. The <rich:modalPanel> component opens in closest to observer layer. All other layers are dimmed by blocking <div> element (gray on the picture).

6.73.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Support of draggable operations and size changes by you
Easy positioning for the modal dialog window
Possibility to restore of the previous component state on a page (including position on the screen) after submitting and reloading

Table 6.388. rich : modalPanel attributes

Attribute Name	Description
autosized	If "true" modalPanel should be autosizeable. Default value is "false".
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
controlsClass	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to component controls when this component is rendered
domElementAttachment	Defines the DOM element, which stacking context will assimilate the modalPanel. Possible values: "body", "form", "parent". Default value is "body".
headerClass	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to component header when this component is rendered
height	Attribute defines height of component. Default value is "200".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
keepVisualState	If "true" modalPanel should save state after submission. Default value is "false".
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
left	Attribute defines X position of component left-top corner. Default value is "auto".
minHeight	Attribute defines min height of component. Default value is "10". If the value is less then 10, a "IllegalArgumentException" exception is thrown.
minWidth	Attribute defines min width of component. Default value is "10". If the value is less then 10, a "IllegalArgumentException" exception is thrown.
moveable	If "true" there is possibility to move component. Default value is "true".
onbeforehide	The client side script method to be called before the modal panel is hidden
onbeforeshow	The client side script method to be called before the modal panel is opened
onhide	The client side script method to be called after the modal panel is hidden
onmaskclick	The client side script method to be called when a left mouse button is clicked outside the modal panel
onmaskcontextmenu	The client side script method to be called when a right mouse button is clicked outside the modal panel
onmaskdblclick	The client side script method to be called when a left mouse button is double-clicked outside the modal panel
onmaskmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down outside the modal panel
onmaskmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved outside the modal panel
onmaskmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the modal panel
onmaskmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the modal panel
onmaskmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released outside the modal panel
onmove	The client side script method to be called before the modal panel is moved
onresize	The client side script method to be called when the modal panel is resized
onshow	The client side script method to be called when the modal panel is displayed
overlapEmbedObjects	If "true" modalPanel creates iframe to overlap embed objects like PDF on a page. Default value is "false".
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
resizeable	If "true" there is possibility to change component size. Default value is "true".
shadowDepth	Pop-up shadow depth for suggestion content
shadowOpacity	HTML CSS class attribute of element for pop-up suggestion content
showWhenRendered	If "true" value for this attribute makes a modal panel opened as default. Default value is "false"
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
top	Attribute defines Y position of component left-top corner. Default value is "auto".
tridentIVEngineSelectBehavior	How to handle HTML SELECT-based controls in IE 6? - "disable" - default, handle as usual, use disabled="true" to hide SELECT controls - "hide" - use visibility="hidden" to hide SELECT controls
trimOverlayedElements	Defines whether to trim or not elements inside modalPanel. Default value is "true"
visualOptions	Defines options that were specified on the client side
width	Attribute defines width of component. Default value is "300".
zindex	Attribute is similar to the standard HTML attribute and can specify window. Default value is "100". placement relative to the content

Table 6.389. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ModalPanel
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlModalPanel
component-family	org.richfaces.ModalPanel
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ModalPanelRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ModalPanelTag

6.73.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

<rich:modalPanel id="panel">

    <f:facet name="header">

        <h:outputText value="header" />

    </f:facet>

    ...

    <!--Any Content inside-->

    ...

<a onclick="Richfaces.hideModalPanel('modalPanelID');" href="#">Hide</a>

</rich:modalPanel>

<a onclick="Richfaces.showModalPanel('modalPanelID');" href="#">Show</a>

...

6.73.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The component is defined as a panel with some content inside that displays its content as a modal dialog. To call it and to close it, the client API for the window is used.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlModalPanel;

...

HtmlModalPanel myPanel = new HtmlModalPanel();

...

6.73.5. Details of Usage

Table 6.390. Functions description

Function	Description
Richfaces.showModalPanel (client Id)	Opens a window with a specified client Id
Richfaces.hideModalPanel (client Id)	Closes a window with a specified client Id
Richfaces.hideTopModalPanel ()	Closes the current visible window at the top

Important:

To work properly the <rich:modalPanel> should always be placed outside the original <h:form> and must include its own <h:form> for such cases like performing submissions from within the <rich:modalPanel>.

Note:

In order to avoid a bug in IE, the root node of the dialog is moved on the top of a DOM tree.

It's possible to add a "header" facet to the component to set the content for the header.

Example:


<a onclick="Richfaces.showModalPanel('pnl');" href="#">Show ModalPanel</a>

<a4j:form>

    <rich:modalPanel id="pnl">

        <f:facet name="header">

            <h:outputText value="This is a panel header" />

        </f:facet> 

        <p>The &lt;rich:modalPanel&gt; accepts different types of information: 

        from simple text to iterative components such as &lt;rich:dataTable&gt;, etc.

        </p>

        <a onclick="Richfaces.hideModalPanel('pnl');" href="#">Hide</a>

    </rich:modalPanel>

</a4j:form>

Here is what happening on the page:

Figure 6.200. <rich:modalPanel> with links

A facet named "controls" can be added to the component to place control elements on a header.

Example:


<a onclick="Richfaces.showModalPanel('pnl');" href="#">Show ModalPanel</a>

<a4j:form>

    <rich:modalPanel id="pnl">

        <f:facet name="header">

            <h:outputText value="This is a panel header" />

        </f:facet> 

        <f:facet name="controls">

            <h:graphicImage value="/pages/close.png" style="cursor:pointer" onclick="Richfaces.hideModalPanel('pnl')" />

        </f:facet>

        <p>The &lt;rich:modalPanel&gt; accepts different types of information: 

        from simple text to iterative components such as &lt;rich:dataTable&gt;, etc.

        </p>

    </rich:modalPanel>

</a4j:form>

The result:

Figure 6.201. <rich:modalPanel> with 'Close' control

To understand the sence of " domElementAttachment " attribute you should understand the stacking context in the division element (<div>) HTML makeup. Since each positioned or z-indexed element (in CSS position: absolute or relative or z-index: [any integer value different from 0]) form their own stacking context the <rich:modalPanel> nested into such element may be overlapped with another elements, which appear later in HTML hierarchy and assimilated with basic stacking context (HTML <body>). To make the panel rendered in closest to the observer layer and avoid such overlapping, the component was designed in way when it is always being automatically assimilated with <body> and with a very high rendering layer (z-index). Due to some side effects the <rich:modalPanel> should not always be assimilated with <body> stacking context. The " domElementAttachment " attribute helps to reassign the panel to it 'parent' or 'form' element. If 'form' is used and no parent form is available the panel is functioning as if it is assimilated with <body>.

Note:

If " domElementAttachment " value is not 'body' then some overlapping may occur.

To manage window placement relative to the component, there are "left" and "top" attributes defining a window shifting relative to the top-left corner of the window.

Modal windows can also support resize and move operations on the client side. To allow or disallow these operations, set the "resizeable" and "moveable" attributes to "true" or "false" values. Window resizing is also limited by "minWidth" and "minHeight" attributes specifying the minimal window sizes.

Also you can use "minWidth" and "minHeight" attributes used as showModalPanel() arguments in JavaScript options.

You can pass your parameters during modalPanel opening or closing. This passing could be performed in the following way:

Example:


Richfaces.showModalPanel('panelId', {left: auto, param1: value1});

Thus, except the standard modalPanel parameters you can pass any of your own parameters.

Also modalPanel allows to handle its own opening and closing events on the client side. The "onshow" attribute is used in this case.

The following example shows how on the client side to define opening and closing event handling in such a way that your own parameters could also be obtained:

Example:


onshow="alert(event.parameters.param1)"

Here, during modalPanel opening the value of a passing parameter is output.

More information about this problem could be found on the RichFaces Development Forum.

There is a possibility to restore of the previous component state on a page (including position on the screen) after submitting and reloading. The modalPanel has some special attributes like "showWhenRendered" and "keepVisualState" .

"showWhenRendered" - This boolean attribute is used if modalPanel should be rendered after first page loading.

"keepVisualState" - Used if modalPanel should save state after submission. If keepVisualState="true" then parameters which modalPanel has during opening should be submitted and passed to new page.

Example:


<a href="javascript:Richfaces.showModalPanel('pnl', {top:'10px', left:'10px', height:'400'});">Show</a>

Here, if you open modal dialog window using current link and after submits data then modalPanel destination and height on new loaded page is restored.

if you need the content of the modalPanel to be submitted - you need to remember two important rules:

modalPanel must have its own form if it has form elements (input or/and command components) inside (as it was shown in the example above)
modalPanel must not be included into the form (on any level up) if it has the form inside.

Simple example of using commandButton within modalPanel is placed below.

Example:


<a4j:form>

    <rich:modalPanel>

        <f:facet name="header">

            <h:outputText value="Test" />

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="controls">

            <h:commandLink value="Close" style="cursor:pointer" onclick="Richfaces.hideModalPanel('mp')" />

        </f:facet>

        <h:form>

            <h:commandButton value="Test" action="#{TESTCONTROLLER.test}" />

        </h:form>

    </rich:modalPanel>

See also discussion about this problem on the RichFaces Users Forum.

In RichFaces Cookbook article about Modal Panel there is information for those of you who would like to click on a details link in table and have it show a modal panel with information loaded from the server.

To avoid overlapping of the <rich:modalPanel> component on the page by any embed objects (inserted with HTML <EMBED> tag) set the "overlapEmbedObjects" attribute to "true".

6.73.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.391. JavaScript API

Function	Description
show()	Opens the corresponding modalPanel
hide()	Closes the corresponding modalPanel

6.73.7. Facets

Table 6.392. Facets

Facet	Description
header	Define the header content
controls	Defines the control elements on the header

6.73.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:modalPanel> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:modalPanel> component

6.73.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.393. Skin parameters for a component

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.394. Skin parameters redefinition for a header element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerBackgroundColor	border-color

Table 6.395. Skin parameters redefinition for a header content

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerSizeFont	background-color
headerTextColor	font-size
headerWeightFont	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.396. Skin parameters redefinition for a body element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family

6.73.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Figure 6.202. <rich:modalPanel> class name

The screenshot shows the classes names for defining different elements.

Table 6.397. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-modalpanel	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a modalPanel
rich-mpnl-mask-div	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a mask
rich-mpnl_panel	Defines styles for a modalPanel
rich-mp-container	Defines styles for a modalPanel container
rich-mpnl-resizer	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a resizing element
rich-mpnl-shadow	Defines styles for a modalPanel shadow
rich-mp-content-table	Defines styles for a <table> element of a modalPanel
rich-mpnl-header	Defines styles for a modalPanel header
rich-mpnl-header-cell	Defines styles for a header cell
rich-mpnl-text	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a header text
rich-mpnl-body	Defines styles for a content inside a modalPanel
rich-mpnl-controls	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a modalPanel control

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:modalPanel> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-mpnl-mask-div{

    background-color:#fae6b0;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.203. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the background color for mask was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:modalPanel> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:modalPanel> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

The "headerClass" attribute for <rich:modalPanel> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:modalPanel ... headerClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.204. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above,the font style for header was changed.

6.73.11. Relevant Resources Links

Vizit ModalPanel page at RichFaces Livedemo for examples of component usage and their sources.

Read the " An Introduction To JBoss RichFaces" tutorial by Max Katz to find out how the <rich:modalPanel> helps to edit and save changes for table entries.

Some articles at JBoss portal describing different aspects of <rich:modalPanel> usage:

"ModalPanelWizards" article describes how to create a typical wizard with the help of <rich:modalPanel> component (the same could also be found in the " How to organize wizards using the <rich:modalPanel> component?" chapter of RichFaces FAQ guide);
Refer to the "How to do a detail view modalPanel in a table" article in the RichFaces cookbook at JBoss Portal to find out how to build a table with details link clicking on which will display a modal panel with information loaded from the server.
"ModalPanelValidation" article gives examples of validation in <rich:modalPanel> (the same in the corresponding topic at RichFaces Users Forum);
"RichFacesPleaseWaitBox" article describes how to show a "Please wait" box and block the input while the Ajax request is being processed using combination of <a4j:status> and <rich:modalPanel> components.

6.74. < rich:orderingList >

6.74.1. Description

The <rich:orderingList> is a component for ordering items in a list. This component provides possibilities to reorder a list and sort it on the client side.

Figure 6.205. <rich:orderingList> component

6.74.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Reordering possibility for list items
Multiple selection of list items
Keyboard support

Table 6.398. rich : orderingList attributes

Attribute Name	Description
activeItem	Stores active item
ajaxKeys	Defines row keys that are updated after an Ajax request
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bottomControlLabel	Defines a label for a 'Bottom' control
bottomTitle	HTML: alt for last button
captionLabel	Defines caption representation text
columnClasses	CSS class for a column
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition
controlsHorizontalAlign	Controls horizontal rendering. Possible values: "left" - controls should be rendered to the left side of a list. "right"- controls should be rendered to the right side of a list. Default value is "right".
controlsType	Defines type of a control: button or none. Default value is "button".
controlsVerticalAlign	Controls vertical rendering. Possible values: "top" - controls should be rendered aligned to top side of a list. "bottom" - controls should be rendered aligned to bottom side of a list. "middle" - controls should be rendered centered relatively to a list. Default value is "middle"
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
downControlLabel	Defines a label for a 'Down' control
downTitle	HTML: alt for bottom button
fastOrderControlsVisible	If "false", 'Top' and 'Bottom' controls aren't displayed. Default value is "true".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
listHeight	Defines height of a list. Default value is "140".
listWidth	Defines width of a list. Default value is "140".
onbottomclick	HTML: script expression; a button "Bottom" is clicked
onclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked
ondblclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked
ondownclick	HTML: script expression; a button "Down" is clicked
onheaderclick	HTML: script expression; a header is clicked
onmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within
onmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away
onmouseover	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto
onorderchange	HTML: script expression; before a order list is changed
onorderchanged	HTML: script expression; a order list is changed
ontopclick	HTML: script expression; a button "Top" is clicked
onupclick	HTML: a script expression; a button "Up" is clicked
orderControlsVisible	If "false", 'Up' and 'Down' controls aren't displayed. Default value is "true".
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
rowClasses	CSS class for a row
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a row key object
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope
rows	A number of rows to display, or zero for all remaining rows in the list
selection	Collection which stores a set of selected items
showButtonLabels	If "true", shows a label for a button. Default value is "true"
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
topControlLabel	Defines a label for a 'Top' control
topTitle	HTML: alt for first button
upControlLabel	Defines a label for a 'Up' control
upTitle	HTML: alt for top button
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	Defines a List or Array of items to be shown in a list
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
var	Defines a list on the page

Table 6.399. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.OrderingList
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlOrderingList
component-family	org.richfaces.OrderingList
renderer-type	org.richfaces.OrderingListRenderer

6.74.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:orderingList value="#{bean.list}" var="list">

        <rich:column>

            <f:facet name="header">

        <h:outputText value="Name" />

            </f:facet>

            <h:inputText value="#{list.name}" />

        </rich:column>

<rich:orderingList>

...

6.74.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:orderingList> component consists of

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlOrderingList;

... 

HtmlOrderingList myOrderingList = new HtmlOrderingList();

...

6.74.5. Details of Usage

Item list element that displays a list of items. It has three different representations for a single element: common, selected, active. Combination of these states is possible.
Ordering controls set

The "value" and "var" attributes are used to access the values of a list.

Controls rendering is based on the "controlsType" attribute. Possible types are button or none.

Note

Currently the button controls type is based on <div> element.

The information about the "converter" attribute is here.

The "selection" attribute stores the collection of items selected by you. In the example below after submitting the form the current collection is placed in the object's property and then <rich:dataTable> with selected items is shown.

Example:


...

<h:form>

        <rich:orderingList value="#{bean.simpleItems}" var="item" selection="#{bean.selection}" controlsType="button">

                <rich:column>

                    <f:facet name="header">

                            <h:outputText value="Cars" />

                    </f:facet>

                            <h:outputText value="#{item}" />

                </rich:column>

        </rich:orderingList>

        <rich:dataTable id="infoPanelID" value="#{bean.info}" var="info" rendered="true">

                <rich:column>

                            <h:outputText value="#{info}" />

                </rich:column>

        </rich:dataTable>

        <a4j:commandButton value="reRender" reRender="infoPanelID" />

</h:form>

...

The <rich:orderingList> component allows to use "caption" facet. A caption could be also defined with "captionLabel" attribute.

Simple example is placed below.

Example:


...

<rich:orderingList value="#{bean.simpleItems}" var="item" controlsType="button" selection="#{bean.selection}">

        <f:facet name="caption">

                <h:outputText value="Caption Facet" />

        </f:facet>

        <rich:column>

                <f:facet name="header">

                <h:outputText value="Cars" />

                </f:facet>

                <h:outputText value="#{item.name}" />

        </rich:column>

        <rich:column>

                <f:facet name="header">

                <h:outputText value="Price" />

                </f:facet>

                <h:outputText value="#{item.price}" />

        </rich:column>

</rich:orderingList>

...

The <rich:orderingList> component provides the possibility to use ordering controls set, which performs reordering. Every control has possibility to be disabled.

An ordering controls set could be defined with "topControlLabel" , "bottomControlLabel" , "upControlLabel" , "downControlLabel" attributes.

Example:


...

<rich:orderingList value="#{bean.simpleItems}" var="item" controlsType="button" selection="#{bean.selection}">

        <f:facet name="topControl">

                <h:outputText value="Move to top" />

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="upControl">

                <h:outputText value="Move up" />

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="downControl">

                <h:outputText value="Move down" />

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="bottomControl">

                <h:outputText value="Move to bottom" />

        </f:facet>

<rich:orderingList>

...

The position of the controls relatively to a list could be customized with:

"controlsHorizontalAlign" attribute. Possible values:
- "left" - controls render to the left side of a list
- "right" (default) - controls render to the right side of a list
- "center" - controls is centered
"controlsVerticalAlign" attribute. Possible values:
- "top" - controls render aligned to the top side of a list
- "bottom" - controls render aligned to the bottom side of a list
- "center" (default) - controls is centered relatively to a list

The <rich:orderingList> component has a possibility to hide any of the controls by pairs using following attributes:

"orderControlsVisible" attribute has two values: "true" or "false". If false Up and Down controls are not displayed.
"fastOrderControlsVisible" attribute has two values: "true" or "false". If false Top and Bottom controls are not displayed.

The <rich:orderingList> component allows to use internationalization method to redefine and localize the labels. You could use application resource bundle and define RICH_SHUTTLES_TOP_LABEL, RICH_SHUTTLES_BOTTOM_LABEL, RICH_SHUTTLES_UP_LABEL, RICH_SHUTTLES_DOWN_LABEL there.

You could also pack org.richfaces.renderkit.orderingList resource bundle with your JARs defining the same properties.

Table 6.400. Keyboard usage for elements selection

Keys and combinations	Description
CTRL+click	Inverts selection for an item
SHIFT+click	Selects all rows from active one to a clicked row if they differ, else select the active row. All other selections are cleared
CTRL+A	Selects all elements inside the list if some active element is already present in a list
Up, Down arrows	Changes the active and selected elements to the next or previous in a list

Table 6.401. Keyboard usage for elements reordering

Keys and combinations	Description
Page Up	Moves selected set to the top of a list
Page Down	Moves selected set to the bottom of a list
CTRL+Up arrow	Moves selected item to one position upper
CTRL+Down arrow	Moves selected item to one position lower

6.74.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.402. JavaScript API

Function	Description
hide()	Hides ordering control (to be implemented)
show()	Shows ordering control (to be implemented)
isShown()	Checks if current control is shown (to be implemented)
enable()	Enables ordering control (to be implemented)
disable()	Disables ordering control (to be implemented)
isEnabled()	Checks if current control is enabled (to be implemented)
Up()	Moves up selected item in the list
Down()	Moves down selected item in the list
Top()	Moves top selected item in the list
Bottom()	Moves bottom selected item in the list
getSelection()	Returns currently selected item
getItems()	Returns the collection of all items

6.74.7. Facets

Table 6.403. Facets

Facet	Description
caption	Redefines the caption content. Related attribute is "captionLabel"
topControl	Redefines the label for the "Top" control. Related attribute is "topControlLabel"
bottomControl	Redefines the label for the "Bottom" control. Related attribute is "bottomControlLabel"
upControl	Redefines the label for the "Up" control. Related attribute is "upControlLabel"
downControl	Redefines the label for the "Down" control. Related attribute is "downControlLabel"
topControlDisabled	Redefines the disabled label for the "Top" control
bottomControlDisabled	Redefines the disabled label for the "Bottom" control
upControlDisabled	Redefines the disabled label for the "Up" control
downControlDisabled	Redefines the disabled label for the "Down" control

6.74.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:orderingList> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:orderingList> component

6.74.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.404. Skin parameters redefinition for a wrapper <div> element of a list

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background-color
tableBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.405. Skin parameters redefinition for a header cell of a list

Skin parameters	CSS properties
trimColor	background-color
generalTextColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
tableBorderWidth	border-right-width
tableBorderWidth	border-bottom-width
tableBorderColor	border-right-color
tableBorderColor	border-bottom-color

Table 6.406. Skin parameters redefinition for caption element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
headerWeightFont	font-weight

Table 6.407. Skin parameters redefinition for row element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerGradientColor	background-color

Table 6.408. Skin parameters redefinition for selected row element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.409. Skin parameters redefinition for cell element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.410. Skin parameters redefinition for selected cell element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.411. Skin parameters redefinition for active cell element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.412. Skin parameters redefinition for a button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
trimColor	background-color
generalTextColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.413. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
trimColor	background-color
tabDisabledTextColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.414. Skin parameters redefinition for a button highlight

Skin parameters	CSS properties
trimColor	background-color
selectControlColor	border-color
tableBorderWidth	border-width
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.415. Skin parameters redefinition for a pressed button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color
tableBorderColor	border-color
tableBorderWidth	border-width
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.416. Skin parameters redefinition for a button content

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.417. Skin parameters redefinition for a button selection

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.418. Skin parameters redefinition for top, bottom, up, down controls and for controls in disabled state

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color

6.74.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.206. Classes names

Table 6.419. Classes names that define a list representation

Class name	Description
rich-ordering-list-body	Defines styles for a wrapper table element of an orderingList
rich-ordering-list-output	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a list
rich-ordering-list-items	Defines styles for a wrapper table element of items in the list
rich-ordering-list-content	Defines styles for a list content
rich-ordering-list-header	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element for a list header
rich-ordering-list-table-header	Defines styles for a wrapper <tr> element for a list header
rich-ordering-list-table-header-cell	Defines styles for a header cell

Table 6.420. Classes names that define a caption representation

Class name	Description
rich-ordering-list-caption	Defines styles for a caption
rich-ordering-list-caption-disabled	Defines styles for a caption in disabled state
rich-ordering-list-caption-active	Defines styles for a caption in active state

Table 6.421. Classes names that define rows representation

Class name	Description
rich-ordering-list-row	Defines styles for a row
rich-ordering-list-row-selected	Defines styles for a selected row
rich-ordering-list-row-active	Defines styles for an active row
rich-ordering-list-row-disabled	Defines styles for a disabled row

Table 6.422. Classes names that define cells representation

Class name	Description
rich-ordering-list-cell	Defines styles for a cell
rich-ordering-list-cell-selected	Defines styles for a selected cell
rich-ordering-list-cell-active	Defines styles for an active cell
rich-ordering-list-cell-disabled	Defines styles for a disabled cell

Table 6.423. Classes names that define a button representation

Class name	Description
rich-ordering-list-button	Defines styles for a button
rich-ordering-list-button-disabled	Defines styles for a disabled button
rich-ordering-list-button-light	Defines styles for a button highlight
rich-ordering-list-button-press	Defines styles for a pressed button
rich-ordering-list-button-content	Defines styles for a button content
rich-ordering-list-button-selection	Defines styles for a button selection
rich-ordering-list-button-valign	Defines styles for a wrapper <td> element for buttons vertical align
rich-ordering-list-button-layout	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of buttons layout

Table 6.424. Classes names that define controls representation

Class name	Description
rich-ordering-controls	Defines styles for a controls group
rich-ordering-control-top	Defines styles for a "top" control
rich-ordering-control-bottom	Defines styles for a "bottom" control
rich-ordering-control-up	Defines styles for a "up" control
rich-ordering-control-down	Defines styles for a "down" control
rich-ordering-control-disabled	Defines styles for controls in disabled state

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:orderingList> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-ordering-list-table-header-cell{

        font-weight:bold;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.207. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font weight for header text was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:orderingList> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:orderingList> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        font-style:italic;

}

...

The "rowClasses" attribute for <rich:orderingList> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:orderingList ... rowClasses="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.208. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style for rows was changed.

6.74.11. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:orderingList> usage and sources for the given example.

6.75. < rich:paint2D >

6.75.1. Description

Create image by painting from a managed bean method, same as "paint" (Graphics2D) in "SWING" components.

Figure 6.209. <rich:paint2D> component

6.75.2. Key Features

Simple Graphics2D - painting style directly on the Web page
Supports client/server caching for generated images
Fully supports "JPEG" (24-bit, default), "GIF" (8-bit with transparency), and "PNG" (32-bit with transparency) formats for sending generated images
Easily customizable borders and white space to wrap the image
Dynamically settable paint parameters using tag attributes

Table 6.425. rich : paint2D attributes

Attribute Name	Description
align	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the position of an IMG, OBJECT, or APPLET with respect to its context. The possible values are "bottom", "middle", "top", "left" and "right". The default value is "middle".
alt	For compability with XHTML 1.1 standart
bgcolor	Background color of painted image. Default value is 'transparent' which means no background fill. Hex colors can be used, as well as common color names. Invalid values are treated as transparent. Note, that JPEG format doesn't support transparency, and transparent background is painted black. Also note, that several browsers (e.g. IE6) do not support PNG transparency. Default value is "transparent"
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
border	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the width of an IMG or OBJECT border, in pixels. The default value for this attribute depends on the user agent
cacheable	Supported (or not) client/server caching for generated images. Caching on client supported by properly sending and processing of HTTP headers (Last-Modified, Expires, If-Modified-Since, etc.) Server-side caching is supported by application-scope object cache. For build of cache key use "value" attribute, serialized to URI
data	Value calculated at render time and stored in Image URI (as part of cache Key), at paint time passed to a paint method. It can be used for updating cache at change of image generating conditions, and for creating paint beans as "Lightweight" pattern components (request scope). IMPORTANT: Since serialized data stored in URI, avoid using big objects
format	format Name of format for sending a generated image. It currently supports "jpeg" (24 bit, default), "gif" (8 bit with transparency), "png" (32 bit with transparency)
height	Height in pixels of image (for paint canvas and HTML attribute). Default value is "10".
hspace	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the amount of white space to be inserted to the left and right of an IMG, APPLET, or OBJECT. The default value is not specified, but is generally a small, non-zero length
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
paint	The method calls expression to paint Image on prepared Buffered image. It must have two parameters with a type of java.awt.Graphics2D (graphics to paint) and Object (restored from URI "data" property). For painting used 32-bit RGBA color model (for 8-bit images used Diffusion filtration before sending)
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
value	The current value of this component
vspace	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the amount of white space to be inserted above and below an IMG, APPLET, or OBJECT. The default value is not specified, but is generally a small, non-zero length
width	Width in pixels of image (for paint canvas and HTML attribute). Default value is "10".

Table 6.426. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.Paint2D
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPaint2D
component-family	javax.faces.Output
renderer-type	org.richfaces.Paint2DRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.Paint2DTag

6.75.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:

Here "paint" specifies the method performing drawing and "data" specifies Managed Bean property keeping the data used by the method.


...

    <rich:paint2D paint="#{paint2D.paint}" data="#{paint2DModel}"/>

...

6.75.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The example shows two main attributes of the component:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPaint2D;

...

HtmlPaint2D myImage = new HtmlPaint2D();

...

6.75.5. Details of Usage

"paint"
Specify a method receiving an object specified in data as a parameter and sending graphical information into the stream
"data"
Specifies a bean class keeping your data for rendering

Note:

Data object should implement serializable interface

The "format" attribute of the component defines a format of visual data passing to the server.

Generated data can be used as a cacheable or non-cacheable resource. It's defined with "cacheable" attribute. If cache support is turned on, a key is created in URI with a mix of size (width/height), "paint" method, "format" and "data" attributes.

Paint2D has no skin parameters and special style classes, as it consists of one element generated with a your method on the server.

paintBean.java:

      

      public void paint(Graphics2D g2, Object obj) {

          // code that gets data from the data Bean (PaintData)

          PaintData data = (PaintData) obj;

          ...

          // a code drawing a rectangle

          g2.drawRect(0, 0, data.Width, data.Height);

          ...

          // some more code placing graphical data into g2 stream below

     }

     

dataBean.java:

    

    public class PaintData implements Serializable{

        private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;

        Integer Width=100;

        Integer Height=50;

        ...

    }

    

    page.xhtml:

    ...

    <rich:paint2D paint="#{paint2D.paint}" data="#{paint2DModel.data}"/>

    ...

6.75.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

To define some style properties such as an indent or a border, it's possible to use "style" and "styleClass" attributes on the component.

6.75.7. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:paint2D> usage and sources for the given example.

6.76. < rich:panel >

6.76.1. Description

A skinnable panel that is rendered as a bordered rectangle with or without a header.

Figure 6.210. <rich:panel> component

6.76.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Support for any content inside
Header adding feature

Table 6.427. rich : panel attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bodyClass	A class that defines a style for a panel content
header	Label text appears on a panel header
headerClass	A class that defines a style for a panel header
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute

Table 6.428. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.panel
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanel
component-family	org.richfaces.panel
renderer-type	org.richfaces.PanelRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.PanelTag

6.76.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

    <rich:panel header="Panel Header">

        ...

        <!--Any Content inside-->

        ...

    </rich:panel>

...

6.76.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The "header" attribute defines text to be represented. If you can use the "header" facet, you can even not use the "header" attribute.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanel;

...

HtmlPanel myPanel = new HtmlPanel();

...

6.76.5. Details of Usage

<rich:panel> components are used to group page content pieces on similarly formatted rectangular panels.


...

    <rich:panel>

        <f:facet name="header">  

            <h:graphicImage value="/images/img1.png"/>

        </f:facet>

        ...

        <!--Any Content inside-->

        ...

    </rich:panel>

...

It's generating on a page in the following way:


...

    <rich:panel>

        ...

    </rich:panel>

...

Figure 6.211. <rich:panel> without header

The example shows that similar rectangular areas are formed with a particular style.

When creating a panel with a header element, one more <div> element is added with content defined for a header.

Example:


...

    <rich:panel>

        <f:facet name="header">

            <h:outputText value="Olympus EVOLT E-500 "/>

        </f:facet>

        ...

    </rich:panel>

...

It's displayed on a page in the following way:

Figure 6.212. <rich:panel> with header

As it has been mentioned above, the component is mostly used for a page style definition, hence the main attributes are style ones.

"styleClass"
"headerClass"
"bodyClass"

Moreover, to add e.g. some JavaScript effects, events defined on it are used.

"onmouseover"
"onclick"
"onmouseout"
etc.

6.76.6. Facets

Table 6.429. Facets

Facet name	Description
header	Defines the header content

6.76.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:panel> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:panel> component

6.76.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.430. Skin parameters redefinition for a whole component

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.431. Skin parameters redefinition for a header element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerBackgroundColor	border-color
headerSizeFont	font-size
headerTextColor	color
headerWeightFont	font-weight
headerFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.432. Skin parameters redefinition for a body element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family

6.76.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.213. Style classes

Table 6.433. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Class description
rich-panel	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a component
rich-panel-header	Defines styles for a header element
rich-panel-body	Defines styles for a body element

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:panel> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the table above) and define necessary properties in them. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.rich-panel-body{

    background-color: #ebf3fd;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.214. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a body background color was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:panel> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:panel> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    text-align: justify;

}

...

The "bodyClass" attribute for <rich:panel> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<h:panel... bodyClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.215. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, text align of body was changed.

6.76.10. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:panel> usage and sources for the given example.

6.77. < rich:panelBar >

6.77.1. Description

panelBar is used for grouping any content which is loaded on the client side and appears as groups divided on child panels after the header is clicked.

Figure 6.216. <rich:panelBar> with content inside

6.77.2. Key Features

Skinnable slide panel and child items
Groups any content inside each panel

Table 6.434. rich : panelBar attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
contentClass	The component content style class
contentStyle	The component content style
headerClass	The component header style class
headerClassActive	The component header style class active
headerStyle	The component header style
headerStyleActive	The component header style active
height	The height of the slide panel. Might be defined as pixels or as percentage. Default value is "100%".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
onclick	HTML: script expression; before on the header is clicked
onitemchange	HTML: script expression; a item is changed
onmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within
onmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away
onmouseover	HTML: script expression; a pointer was moved onto.
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
selectedPanel	Attribure defines name of selected item
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute.
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
width	The width of the slide panel. Might be defined as pixels or as percentage. Default value is "100%".

Table 6.435. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.PanelBar
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanelBar
component-family	org.richfaces.PanelBar
renderer-type	org.richfaces.PanelBarRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.PanelBarTag

6.77.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:panelBar>

        <!--//... -->

        <rich:panelBarItem label="Canon">

            ...

        </rich:panelBarItem>

        <rich:panelBarItem label="Nikon">

            ...

        </rich:panelBarItem>

    </rich:panelBar>

...

6.77.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanelBar;

...

HtmlPanelBar myBar = new HtmlPanelBar();

...

6.77.5. Details of Usage

As it was mentioned above, panelBar is used for grouping any content on the client, thus its customization deals only with specification of sizes and styles for rendering.

"width" and "height" (both are 100% on default) attributes stand apart.

Style attributes are described further.

panelBar could contain any number of child panelBarItem components inside, which content is uploaded onto the client and headers are controls to open the corresponding child element.

6.77.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:panelBar> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:panelBar> component

6.77.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.436. Skin parameter redefinition for a whole component

Skin parameter	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	border-color

6.77.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes

There is one predefined class for the <rich:panelBar> , which is applicable to a whole component, specifying padding, borders, and etc.

Figure 6.217. Style classes

Table 6.437. Class name that define a component appearance

Class name	Class description
rich-panelbar	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a component

Other classes responsible for elements rendering are described for child <rich:panelBarItem> elements and could be found in the components chapters.

Table 6.438. Style component classes

A class attribute	A component element defined by an attribute
styleClass	Applicable to a whole component (together with headers)
headerClass	Applicable to a header element
contentClass	Applicable to a content

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:panelBar> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-panelbar{

        font-style: italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.218. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example header and content font style was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:panelBar> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:panelBar> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

       font-family: Tahoma;

}

...

The "contentClass" attribute for <rich:panelBar> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:panelBar ... contentClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.219. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font family for content were changed.

6.77.9. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:panelBar> usage and sources for the given example.

6.78. < rich:panelBarItem >

6.78.1. Description

panelBarItem is used for grouping any content inside within one panelBar which is loaded on client side and appears as groups divided on child panels after header is clicked.

Figure 6.220. <rich:panelBarItem> component

6.78.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Groups any content inside each Panels

Table 6.439. rich : panelBarItem attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
contentClass	The component content style class
contentStyle	The component content style
headerClass	The component header style class
headerClassActive	The component header style class active
headerStyle	The component header style
headerStyleActive	The component header style active
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
label	Label text appears on a panel item header. Default value is "auto generated label"
name	Attribute defines item name. Default value is "getId()".
onenter	HTML: a script expression; a item is entered
onleave	HTML: a script expression; a item is leaved
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered

Table 6.440. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.PanelBarItem
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanelBarItem
component-family	org.richfaces.PanelBarItem
renderer-type	org.richfaces.PanelBarItemRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.PanelBarItemTag

6.78.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:panelBar>

        <rich:panelBarItem label="Canon">

            ...

        </rich:panelBarItem>

        <rich:panelBarItem label="Nikon">

            ...

        </rich:panelBarItem>

    </rich:panelBar>

...

6.78.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The "label" attribute defines text to be represented. If you can use the "label" facet, you can even not use the "label" attribute.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanelBarItem;

...

HtmlPanelBarItem myBarItem = new HtmlPanelBarItem();

...

6.78.5. Details of Usage

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.


...

    <rich:panelBarItem...>

        <f:facet name="label">  

            <h:graphicImage value="/images/img1.png"/>

        </f:facet>

        ...

        <!--Any Content inside-->

        ...

    </rich:panelBarItem>

...

As it was mentioned above, panelBarItem is used for grouping any content inside within one panelBar, thus its customization deals only with specification of sizes and styles for rendering.

panelBar could contain any number of child panelBarItem components inside, which content is uploaded onto the client and headers are controls to open the corresponding child element.

6.78.6. Facets

Table 6.441. Facets

Facet name	Description
label	defines the label text on the panel item header

6.78.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:panelBarItem> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:panelBarItem> component

6.78.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.442. Skin parameters redefinition for a content

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color
preferableDataSizeFont	font-size
preferableDataFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.443. Skin parameters redefinition for a header element (active or inactive)

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerTextColor	color
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerSizeFont	font-size
headerWeightFont	font-weight
headerFamilyFont	font-family

6.78.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.221. Style classes

Table 6.444. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Class description
rich-panelbar-header	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a header element
rich-panelbar-header-act	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of an active header element
rich-panelbar-content	Defines styles for a content

Table 6.445. Style component classes

A class attribute	A component element defined by an attribute
headerClass	Applicable to a header element
contentClass	Applicable to a content

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:panelBarItem> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-panelbar-content{

        background-color: #ecf4fe;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.222. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a content background color was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:panelBarItem> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:panelBarItem> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

  font-family: monospace;

}

...

The "headerClass" attribute for <rich:panelBarItem> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:panelBarItem ... headerClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.223. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font family for header of active item was changed.

6.79. < rich:panelMenu >

6.79.1. Description

The <rich:panelMenu> component is used to define an in line vertical menu on a page.

Figure 6.224. <rich:panelMenu> component

6.79.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Different submission modes
Collapsing/expanding sublevels with optional request sending
Custom and predefined icons support
Disablement support

Table 6.446. rich : panelMenu attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
disabled	If true sets state of the item to disabled state. Default value is "false".
disabledGroupClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to disabled group of this component
disabledGroupStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to disabled group when this component is rendered
disabledItemClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to disabled item of this component
disabledItemStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to disabled item when this component is rendered.
event	Defines the event on the representation element that triggers the submenu's expand/collapse. Default value is "onclick".
expandMode	Set the submission mode for all panel menu groups after expand/collapse except ones where this attribute redefined. Possible values are "ajax", "server", "none". Default value is "none".
expandSingle	Whether only one panel menu node on top level can be opened at a time. If the value of this attribute is true, the previously opened node on the top level is closed. If the value is false, the node is left opened. Default value is "false".
groupClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to group of this component
groupStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to group when this component is rendered
hoveredGroupClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to hovered group of this component
hoveredGroupStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to hovered group when this component is rendered
hoveredItemClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to hovered item of this component
hoveredItemStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to hovered item when this component is rendered
iconCollapsedGroup	Path to the icon to be displayed for the collapsed Group state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconCollapsedTopGroup	Path to the icon to be displayed for the collapsed top group state.\ You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconDisabledGroup	Path to the icon to be displayed for the disabled group state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconDisabledItem	Path to the icon to be displayed for the disabled item state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconExpandedGroup	Path to the icon to be displayed for the expanded Group state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconExpandedTopGroup	Path to the icon to be displayed for the expanded top group state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconGroupPosition	Position of the icon for the group icon. Possible values are "left","right","none". Default value is "left".
iconGroupTopPosition	Position of the icon for the top group icon. Possible values are "left","right","none". Default value is "left".
iconItem	Path to the icon to be displayed for the enabled item state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconItemPosition	Position of the icon for the item icon. Possible values are "left","right","none". Default value is "left".
iconItemTopPosition	Position of the icon for the top item icon. Possible values are "left","right","none". Default value is "left".
iconTopDisabledItem	Path to the icon to be displayed for the disabled top item state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconTopDisableGroup	Path to the icon to be displayed for the disabled top Group state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconTopItem	Path to the icon to be displayed for the enabled top item state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
itemClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to item of this component
itemStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to item when this component is rendered.
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
mode	Set the submission mode for all panel menu items on the panel menu except ones where this attribute redefined. Possible values are "ajax", "server", "none". Default value is "server".
onclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked
ondblclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked
ongroupcollapse	HTML: script expression; some group was closed
ongroupexpand	HTML: script expression; some group was activated
onitemhover	HTML: script expression; some item was hovered
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	HTML: script expression; a pointer was moved within.
onmouseout	HTML: script expression; a pointer was moved away.
onmouseover	HTML: script expression; a pointer was moved onto.
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
selectedChild	contain the name or the clientId of any of the item or group, the child defined in this attribute should be highlighted on PanelMenu rendering
style	The CSS style for the panel menu.
styleClass	The CSS class for the panel menu.
topGroupClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to top group of this component
topGroupStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to top group when this component is rendered
topItemClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to top item of this component
topItemStyle	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied to top item when this component is rendered
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
width	Set minimal width for the menu. Default value is "100%".

Table 6.447. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.PanelMenu
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanelMenu
component-family	org.richfaces.PanelMenu
renderer-type	org.richfaces.PanelMenuRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.PanelMenuTag

6.79.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

      <rich:panelMenu event="onmouseover">

            <!--Nested panelMenu components-->

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

6.79.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

All attributes are not required.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanelMenu;  

...

HtmlPanelMenu myPanelMenu = new HtmlPanelMenu();

...

6.79.5. Details of Usage

Use "event" attribute to define an event for appearance of collapsing/expanding sublevels. Default value is "onclick". An example could be seen below.

Switching mode could be chosen with the "mode" attribute for all panelMenu items except ones where this attribute was redefined. By default all items send traditional request.


...

      <rich:panelMenu event="onmouseover">

            <!--Nested panelMenu components-->

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

The "expandMode" attribute defines the submission modes for all collapsing/expanding panelMenu groups except ones where this attribute was redefined.

The "mode" and "expandMode" attributes could be used with three possible parameters. The "mode" attribute defines parameters for all included <rich:panelMenuItem> elements.

Server (default)

The common submission of the form is performed and a page is completely refreshed.

An Ajax form submission is performed, and additionally specified elements in the "reRender" attribute are reRendered.


...

      <rich:panelMenu mode="server">

          <rich:panelMenuGroup label="test Group" action="#{bean.action}"> 

              <rich:panelMenuItem label="test" action="#{capitalsBean.action}"> 

                  <f:param value="test value" name="test"/> 

              </rich:panelMenuItem> 

          </rich:panelMenuGroup>

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

Ajax

"Action" and "ActionListener" item's attributes are ignored. Items don't fire any submits itself. Behavior is fully defined by the components nested into items.


...

      <rich:panelMenu mode="ajax">

           <rich:panelMenuGroup label="test Group" action="#{bean.action}"> 

               <rich:panelMenuItem label="test" reRender="test" action="#{capitalsBean.action}"> 

                   <f:param value="test value" name="test"/> 

               </rich:panelMenuItem> 

          </rich:panelMenuGroup>

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

None

As the <rich:panelMenu> component doesn't provide its own form, use it between <h:form> and </h:form> tags.


...

      <rich:panelMenu event="onclick" submitMode="none">

            <rich:panelMenuItem label="Link to external page">

                  <h:outputLink ... >

            <rich:panelMenuItem>

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

Note:

The "expandSingle" attribute is defined for expanding more than one submenu on the same level. The default value is "false" . If it's true the previously opened group on the top level closes before opening another one. See the picture below.

Figure 6.225. Using the "expandSingle" attribute

The "selectedChild" attribute is used for defining the name of the selected group or item. An example for group is placed below:

Here is an example:

Example:


...

      <rich:panelMenu selectedChild="thisChild">

        <rich:panelMenuGroup label="Group1" name="thisChild">

          <!--Nested panelMenu components-->

        </rich:panelMenuGroup>

      </rich:panelMenu>

      ...

6.79.6. JavaScript API

In Java Script code for expanding/collapsing group element creation it's necessary to use expand()/collapse() function.

Table 6.448. JavaScript API

Function	Description
expand()	Expands group element
collapse()	Collapses group element

6.79.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method.

There are no skin parameters. To redefine the appearance of all <rich:panelMenu> components at once, you should add to your style sheets the style class used by a <rich:panelMenu> component.

6.79.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Table 6.449. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Class description
rich-pmenu	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a component
rich-pmenu-top-group	Defines styles for a top group element of a component

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:panelMenu> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-pmenu{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.226. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font style was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:panelMenu> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:panelMenu> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    background-color: #ecf4fe;

}

...

The "hoveredItemClass" attribute for <rich:panelMenu> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:panelMenu ... hoveredItemClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.227. Redefinition styles with own classes and "styleClass" attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above,background color for hovered item was changed.

6.79.9. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:panelMenu> usage and sources for the given example.

6.80. < rich:panelMenuGroup >

6.80.1. Description

The <rich:panelMenuGroup> component is used to define an expandable group of items inside the panel menu or other group.

Figure 6.228. <rich:panelMenuGroup> component

6.80.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look-and-feel
Different submission modes inside every group
Optional submissions on expand collapse groups
Custom and predefined icons supported
Support for disabling

Table 6.450. rich : panelMenuGroup attributes

Attribute Name	Description
accesskey	This attribute assigns an access key to an element. An access key is a single character from the document character set. Note: Authors should consider the input method of the expected reader when specifying an accesskey
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
align	Deprecated. This attribute specifies the horizontal alignment of its element with respect to the surrounding context. The possible values are "left", "center", "right" and "justify". The default depends on the base text direction. For left to right text, the default is align="left", while for right to left text, the default is align="right".
alt	For a user agents that cannot display images, forms, or applets, this attribute specifies alternate text. The language of the alternate text is specified by the lang attribute
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
disabled	When set for a form control, this boolean attribute disables the control for your input
disabledClass	Class to be applied to disabled items.
disabledStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to disabled items.
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
expanded	If true group will be displayed expanded initially. Default value is "false".
expandMode	Set the submission mode for all panel menu groups after expand/collapse except ones where this attribute redefined. Possible value are "ajax", "server", "none". Default value is "none".
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
hoverClass	Class to be applied to hovered items.
hoverStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to hovered items.
iconClass	Class to be applied to icon element.
iconCollapsed	Path to the icon to be displayed for the collapsed item state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconDisabled	Path to the icon to be displayed for the disabled item state.
iconExpanded	Path to the icon to be displayed for the expanded item state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconStyle	CSS style rules to be applied
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
label	Displayed node's text
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
maxlength	Specifies the maximum number of digits that could be entered into the input field. The maximum number is unlimited by default. If entered value exceeds the value specified in "maxValue" attribute than the slider takes a maximum value position.
name	Refers to group/item with the same name. Default value is "getId()".
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onblur	The client side script method to be called when the element loses the focus
onchange	The client side script method to be called when the element value is changed
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncollapse	HTML: script expression; group was closed
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onexpand	HTML: script expression; group was opened
onfocus	The client side script method to be called when the element gets the focus
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselect	The client side script method to be called when some text is selected in the text field. This attribute can be used with the INPUT and TEXTAREA elements.
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
size	This attribute tells the user agent the initial width of the control. The width is given in pixels except when type attribute has the value "text" or "password". In that case, its value refers to the (integer) number of characters
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) to be applied when this component is rendered.
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute.
tabindex	This attribute specifies the position of the current element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767. User agents should ignore leading zeros
target	Target frame for action to execute.
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value for this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes

Table 6.451. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.PanelMenuGroup
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanelMenuGroup
component-family	org.richfaces.PanelMenuGroup
renderer-type	org.richfaces.PanelMenuGroupRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.PanelMenuGroupTag

6.80.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

      <rich:panelMenu>

            <rich:panelMenuGroup label="Group1">

                  <!--Nested panelMenu components-->

            </rich:panelMenuGroup>

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

6.80.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

All attributes except "label" are optional. The "label" attribute defines text to be represented.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanelMenuGroup;     

...

HtmlPanelMenuGroup myPanelMenuGroup = new HtmlPanelMenuGroup();

...

6.80.5. Details of Usage

Switching mode could be chosen with the "expandMode" attribute for the concrete panelMenu group.

The "expandMode" attribute could be used with three possible parameters:

ServerM (default)

Ajax

"Action" and "actionListener" attributes are ignored. Items don't fire any submits itself. Behavior is fully defined by the components nested into items.

None

There are three icon-related attributes. The "iconExpanded" attribute defines an icon for an expanded state. The "iconCollapsed" attribute defines an icon for a collapsed state. The "iconDisabled" attribute defines an icon for a disabled state.

Default icons are shown on the picture below:

Figure 6.229. Default icons

Here is an example:

Example:


...

      <rich:panelMenu>

            <rich:panelMenuGroup label="Group1" iconExpanded="disc" iconCollapsed="chevron">

                  <!--Nested panelMenu components-->

            </rich:panelMenuGroup>

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

As the result the pictures are shown below. The first one represents the collapsed state, the second one - expanded state:

Figure 6.230. Collapsed state

Figure 6.231. Expanded state

It's also possible to define a path to the icon. Simple code is placed below.


...

      <rich:panelMenu>

            <rich:panelMenuGroup label="Group1" iconExpanded="\images\img1.png" iconCollapsed="\images\img2.png">

                  <!--Nested menu components-->

            </rich:panelMenuGroup>

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find " Decide what to process " guide section.

6.80.6. JavaScript API

In Java Script code for expanding/collapsing group element creation it's necessary to use expand()/collapse() function.

Table 6.452. JavaScript API

Function	Description
expand()	Expand group element
collapse()	Collapse group element

6.80.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:panelMenuGroup> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:panelMenuGroup> component

6.80.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.453. Skin parameters redefinition for a table element of the first level group

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerWeightFont	font-weight
generalFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
headerTextColor	color
headerBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.454. Skin parameters redefinition for a table element of second and next level groups

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerWeightFont	font-weight
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color
tableBorderColor	border-top-color

Table 6.455. Skin parameters redefinition for wrapper div element of the first level group

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.456. Skin parameters redefinition for a hovered group element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.457. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled group element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabDisabledTextColor	color

6.80.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.232. Classes names

Figure 6.233. Classes names

Table 6.458. Classes names that define an upper level groups

Class name	Description
rich-pmenu-top-group-self-icon	Defines styles for a top group icon
rich-pmenu-top-group-self-label	Defines styles for a top group label

Table 6.459. Classes names that define a second and lower level groups

Class name	Description
rich-pmenu-group	Defines styles for a group
rich-pmenu-group-self-icon	Defines styles for a group icon
rich-pmenu-group-self-label	Defines styles for a group label

Table 6.460. Classes names that define a group state

Class name	Description
rich-pmenu-hovered-element	Defines styles for a hovered group element
rich-pmenu-disabled-element	Defines styles for a disabled group element

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:panelMenuGroup> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-pmenu-disabled-element{

        color: #87b9ff;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.234. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a disabled element font style and color were changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:panelMenuGroup> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:panelMenuGroup> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

       background-color: #ecf4fe;

}

...

The "hoverClass" attribute for <rich:panelMenuGroup> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:panelMenuGroup ... hoverClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.235. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the background color for hovered item was changed.

6.80.10. Relevant resources links

Some additional information about usage of component can be found on the component Live Demo page.

6.81. < rich:panelMenuItem >

6.81.1. Description

The <rich:panelMenuItem> component is used to define a single item inside popup list.

Figure 6.236. <rich:panelMenuItem> component

6.81.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look-and-feel
Different submission modes
Optionally supports any content inside
Custom and predefined icons supported
Support for disabling

Table 6.461. rich : panelMenuItem attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
disabled	If true sets state of the item to disabled state. Default value is "false".
disabledClass	Class to be applied to disabled items.
disabledStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to disabled items.
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
hoverClass	Class to be applied to hovered items.
hoverStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to hovered items.
icon	Path to the icon or the default one name to be displayed for the enabled item state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconClass	Class to be applied to icon element.
iconDisabled	Path to the icon to be displayed for the disabled item state. You can also use predefined icons, setting the attribute to one of these possible values: "triangle", "triangleUp", "triangleDown", "disc", "chevron", "chevronUp", "chevronDown", "grid". Default value is "grid".
iconStyle	CSS style rules to be applied
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
label	Defines representation text for menuItem.
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
mode	Set the submission mode. Possible values are "ajax", "server", "none". Default value is "none".
name	'selectedChild' attribute of PanelMenu refers to group/item with the same name. Default value is "getId()".
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
target	Target frame for action to execute.
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
value	The current value for this component

Table 6.462. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.PanelMenuItem
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanelMenuItem
component-family	org.richfaces.PanelMenuItem
renderer-type	org.richfaces.PanelMenuItemRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.PanelMenuItemTag

6.81.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

      <rich:panelMenu>

             ...

            <rich:panelMenuItem value="Item1"/>

            ... 

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

6.81.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

All attributes except "label" are optional. The "label" attribute defines text to be represented.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPanelMenuItem;  

...

HtmlPanelMenuItem myPanelMenuItem = new HtmlPanelMenuItem();

...

6.81.5. Details of Usage

The "mode" attribute could be used with three possible parameters:

Server (default)

Ajax

"Action" and "actionListener" attributes are ignored. Items don't fire any submits itself. Behavior is fully defined by the components nested into items.

None

Here is an example for value "none":

There are two icon-related attributes. The "icon" attribute defines an icon. The "iconDisabled" attribute defines an icon for a disabled item.


...

      <rich:panelMenu>

            ...

            <rich:panelMenuItem mode="none" onclick="document.location.href='http://labs.jboss.com/jbossrichfaces/">

                  <h:outputLink value="http://labs.jboss.com/jbossrichfaces/">

                        <h:outputText value="RichFaces Home Page"></h:outputText>

                  </h:outputLink>

            </rich:panelMenuItem>

            ...

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

Default icons are shown on the picture below:

Figure 6.237. Default icons

Here is an example:

Example:


...

      <rich:panelMenu>

            ...

            <rich:panelMenuItem value="Item 1.1" icon="chevronUp" />

            ... 

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

As the result the picture is shown below:

Figure 6.238. Using an "icon" attribute

It's also possible to define a path to the icon. Simple code is placed below.


...

      <rich:panelMenu>

            ...

            <rich:panelMenuItem value="Item 1.1" icon="\images\img1.png" />

            ... 

      </rich:panelMenu>

...

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find in the "Decide what to process" guide section.

6.81.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:panelMenuItem> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:panelMenuItem> component

6.81.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.463. Skin parameters redefinition for a table element of the first level item

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalWeightFont	font-weight
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color
panelBorderColor	border-top-color

Table 6.464. Skin parameter redefinition for a disabled item

Parameter for disabled item	CSS properties
tabDisabledTextColor	color

6.81.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.239. Classes names

Figure 6.240. Classes names

Table 6.465. Classes names that define the first level items

Class name	Description
rich-pmenu-top-item	Defines styles for a top panel menu item
rich-pmenu-top-item-icon	Defines styles for a top panel menu item icon
rich-pmenu-top-item-label	Defines styles for a top panel menu item label

Table 6.466. Classes names that define the second and lower level items

Class name	Description
rich-pmenu-item	Defines styles for a panel menu item
rich-pmenu-item-icon	Defines styles for a panel menu item icon
rich-pmenu-item-label	Defines styles for a panel menu item label

Table 6.467. Classes names that define items state

Class name	Description
rich-pmenu-item-selected	Defines styles for a panel menu selected item
rich-pmenu-disabled-element	Defines styles for a disabled panel menu item
rich-pmenu-hovered-element	Defines styles for a hovered panel menu item

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:panelMenuItem> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-pmenu-hovered-element {

  background-color: #ff7800;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.241. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a hovered element background color was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:panelMenuItem> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:panelMenuItem> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass {

        color: #a0a0a0;

}

...

The "disabledClass" attribute for <rich:panelMenuItem> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:panelMenuItem ... disabledClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.242. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the text color for disabled item was changed.

6.81.9. Relevant resources links

Some additional information about usage of component can be found on this LiveDemo page.

6.82. < rich:pickList >

6.82.1. Description

The <rich:pickList> component is used for moving selected item(s) from one list into another.

Figure 6.243. <rich:pickList> component

6.82.2. Key Features

Multiple selection of list items
Keyboard support
Supports standard JSF internationalization
Highly customizable look and feel

Table 6.468. rich : pickList attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
controlClass	CSS class for a list
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
copyAllControlLabel	Defines a label for a "Copy all" control
copyAllTitle	HTML: alt for a "Copy all" button
copyAllVisible	If "false", the 'Copy All' control will not be displayed. Even if this value is "true", the 'Copy All' control will not be displayed if the "fastMoveControlsVisible" attribute is "false". Default value is "true".
copyControlLabel	Defines a label for a "Copy" control
copyTitle	HTML: alt for a "Copy" button
copyVisible	If "false", the 'Copy' control will not be displayed. Even if this value is "true", the 'Copy' control will not be displayed if the "moveControlsVisible" attribute is "false". Default value is "true".
disabled	If "true", disable this component on page.
disabledStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to disabled controls
disabledStyleClass	The disabledStyleClass for disabled controls
enabledStyle	CSS style rules to be applied to enabled controls
enabledStyleClass	The enabledStyleClass for enabled controls
fastMoveControlsVisible	If "false", 'Copy All' and 'Remove All' controls aren't displayed. Even if this value is "true", the 'Copy All' and 'Remove All' controls will not be displayed if the "copyAllVisible" and "removeAllVisible" attribute values are "false". Default value is "true".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
listClass	CSS class for a list
listsHeight	Defines height of the list. Default value is "140px"
moveControlsVerticalAlign	Customizes vertically a position of move/copy controls relatively to lists. Default value is "center".
moveControlsVisible	If "false", 'Copy' and 'Remove' controls aren't displayed. Even if this value is "true", the 'Copy' and 'Remove' controls will not be displayed if the "copyVisible" and "removeVisible" attribute values are "false". Default value is "true".
onblur	The client side script method to be called when the component loses the focus
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onfocus	The client side script method to be called when the component gets the focus
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onlistchange	The client side script method to be called when the list is changed
onlistchanged	The client side script method to be called before the list is changed
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
removeAllControlLabel	Defines a label for a "Remove all" control
removeAllTitle	HTML: alt for a "Remove" all button
removeAllVisible	If "false", the 'Remove All' control will not be displayed. Even if this value is "true", the 'Remove All' control will not be displayed if the "fastMoveControlsVisible" attribute is "false". Default value is "true".
removeControlLabel	Defines a label for a "Remove" control
removeTitle	HTML: alt for a "Remove" button
removeVisible	If "false", the 'Remove' control will not be displayed. Even if this value is "true", the 'Remove' control will not be displayed if the "moveControlsVisible" attribute is "false". Default value is "true".
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
showButtonsLabel	Shows a label for a button. Default value is "true"
sourceListWidth	Defines width of a source list. Default value is "140px"
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
switchByClick	If "true", items can be moved between the lists by clicking on them. Default value is "false".
switchByDblClick	If "true", items can be moved between the lists by double-clicking on them. Default value is "true".
targetListWidth	Defines width of a target list. Default value is "140px"
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes

Table 6.469. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.PickList
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPickList
component-family	org.richfaces.PickList
renderer-type	org.richfaces.PickListRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.PickListTag

6.82.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:pickList value="#{pickBean.targetValues}">

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Bentley" itemLabel="Bentley"/>

        <f:selectItems value="#{pickBean.sourceValues}"/>

</rich:pickList>

...

6.82.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:pickList> component consists of

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlPickList;

... 

HtmlPickList myPickList = new HtmlPickList();

...

6.82.5. Details of Usage

2 item lists. Every item has three different representations: common, selected, active. Combination of these states is possible.
Move controls set is a set of controls, which performs moving items between lists.

The "value" attribute is the initial value of this component.

The <f:selectItem /> or <f:selectItems /> facets are used to define the values of a source list.

The "switchByClick" attribute provides an option to copy and remove items between lists by one click. Default value of this attribute is "false", so you need a double click to copy, remove items from one list to another.


...

<rich:pickList value="#{pickBean.listValues}">

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Bentley" itemLabel="Bentley"/>

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Audi" itemLabel="Audi"/>

        <f:selectItems value="#{pickBean.sourceList}"/>

</rich:pickList>

...

Lables of the move controls can be defined with "copyAllControlLabel" , "copyControlLabel" , "removeControlLabel" , "removeAllControlLabel" attributes.

If you don't want to display labels on the buttons you need to set "showButtonsLabel" to "false".


...

<rich:pickList copyAllControlLabel = "#{pickBean.copyAllLabel}" copyControlLabel = "#{pickBean.copyLabel}" removeControlLabel = "#{pickBean.removeLabel}" 

removeAllControlLabel ="#{pickBean.removeAllLabel}" value="#{pickBean.listValues}">

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Bentley" itemLabel="Bentley"/>

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Audi" itemLabel="Audi"/>

        <f:selectItems value="#{pickBean.sourceList}"/>

</rich:pickList>

...

Figure 6.244. Move control buttons without labels

Alternative to the given attributes are the following facets: "copyAllControl" , "removeAllControl" , "copyControl" , "removeControl" , "copyAllControlDisabled" , "removeAllControlDisabled" , "copyControlDisabled" , "removeControlDisabled" , "caption" .

It is an example of usage of the facets and it is identical to the previous example.


...

<rich:pickList value="#{pickBean.listValues}">

    <f:facet name="copyAllControl">

        <h:commandButton value="#{pickBean.copyAllLabel}" />

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="copyControl">

        <h:commandButton value="#{pickBean.copyLabel}" />

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="removeControl">

        <h:commandButton value="#{pickBean.removeLabel}" />

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="removeAllControl">

        <h:commandButton value="#{pickBean.removeAllLabel}" />

    </f:facet>

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Bentley" itemLabel="Bentley"/>

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Audi" itemLabel="Audi"/>

        <f:selectItems value="#{pickBean.sourceList}"/>

</rich:pickList>

...

With the help of "moveControlsVerticalAlign" attribute you can align move controls vertically.

The possible value for "moveControlsVerticalAlign" are "top", "bottom" and "center" (default value).

The <rich:pickList> component provides resizing of lists by using such attributes as:

"listsHeight" defines height of the lists.
"sourceListWidth" defines width of a source list.
"targetListWidth" defines width of a target list.

Example:


...

<rich:pickList listsHeight="#{pickBean.listsHeight}" sourceListWidth="#{pickBean.sourceListWidth}" targetListWidth="#{pickBean.targetListWidth}" value="#{pickBean.listValues}">

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Bentley" itemLabel="Bentley"/>

        <f:selectItem itemValue="Audi" itemLabel="Audi"/>

        <f:selectItems value="#{pickBean.sourceList}"/>

</rich:pickList>

...

The <rich:pickList> component allows to use internationalization method to redefine and localize the labels. You could use application resource bundle and define RICH_PICK_LIST_COPY_ALL_LABEL, RICH_PICK_LIST_COPY_LABEL, RICH_PICK_LIST_REMOVE_ALL_LABEL, RICH_PICK_LIST_REMOVE_LABEL there.

Table 6.470. Keyboard usage for elements selection

Keys and combinations	Description
CTRL+click	Inverts selection for an item
SHIFT+click	Selects all rows from active one to a clicked row if they differ, else select the active row. All other selections are cleared
CTRL+A	Selects all elements inside the list if some active element is already present in a list
Up, Down arrows	Changes the active and selected elements to the next or previous in a list

6.82.6. Facets

Table 6.471. Facets

Facet	Description
copyAllControl	Redefines the "copyAll" label with the control set. Related attribute is "copyAllControlLabel"
removeAllControl	Redefines the "removeAll" label with the control set. Related attribute is "removeAllControlLabel"
copyControl	Redefines the "copy" label with the control set. Related attribute is "copyControlLabel"
removeControl	Redefines the "remove" label with the control set. Related attribute is "removeControlLabel"
copyAllControlDisabled	Redefines the disabled "copyAll" label with the control set.
removeAllControlDisabled	Redefines the disabled "removeAll" label with the control set.
copyControlDisabled	Redefines the disabled "copy" label with the control set.
removeControlDisabled	Redefines the disabled "remove" label with the control set.
caption	Defines the "caption" label with the control set.

6.82.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:pickList> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:pickList> component

6.82.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.472. Skin parameters redefinition for a list

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.473. Skin parameters redefinition for a button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabBackgroundColorr	background-color
generalTextColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.474. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabBackgroundColor	background-color
tabDisabledTextColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.475. Skin parameters redefinition for a pressed button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabBackgroundColor	background-color
generalTextColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size
tableBorderColor	border-color
tableBorderWidth	border-width

Table 6.476. Skin parameters redefinition for a highlighted button

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabBackgroundColor	background-color
generalTextColor	color
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFon	font-size
selectControlColor	border-color
tableBorderWidth	border-width

Table 6.477. Skin parameters redefinition for a button selection

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color

Table 6.478. Skin parameters redefinition for a button content

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerFamilyFont	font-family
headerSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.479. Skin parameters redefinition for a source and target items

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalBackgroundColor	background-color
tableBorderColor	border-color
tableBorderWidth	border-width

Table 6.480. Skin parameters redefinition for a source and target cell

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.481. Skin parameters redefinition for a selected source and target cell

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.482. Skin parameters redefinition for an active source and target cell

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalTextColor	border-top-color
generalTextColor	border-bottom-color

Table 6.483. Skin parameters redefinition for a selected source and target row

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.484. Skin parameters redefinition for a controls

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBorderColor	border-color

6.82.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

The following pictures illustrate how CSS classes define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.245. Classes names

Table 6.485. Classes names that define a list representation

Class name	Description
rich-list-picklist	Defines styles for a wrapper <table> element of a pickList

Table 6.486. Classes names that define a source and target items representation

Class name	Description
rich-picklist-source-items	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a source list
rich-picklist-target-items	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a target list
rich-picklist-body	Defines styles for a wrapper <table> element of a list body (source and target)
rich-picklist-list	Defines styles for a (source and target) list
rich-picklist-list-content	Defines styles for a (source and target) list content
rich-picklist-internal-tab	Defines styles for a wrapper <table> element of list items (source and target)

Table 6.487. Classes names that define rows representation

Class name	Description
rich-picklist-source-row	Defines styles for a source list row
rich-picklist-source-row-selected	Defines styles for a selected row in a source list
rich-picklist-target-row-selected	Defines styles for a selected row in a target list

Table 6.488. Classes names that define a source cell representation

Class name	Description
rich-picklist-source-cell	Defines styles for a cell in a source list
rich-picklist-source-cell-selected	Defines styles for a selected cell in a source list
rich-picklist-source-cell-active	Defines styles for an active cell in a source list

Table 6.489. Classes names that define a target cell representation

Class name	Description
rich-picklist-target-cell	Defines styles for a target list cell
rich-picklist-target-cell-selected	Defines styles for a selected cell in a target list
rich-picklist-target-cell-active	Defines styles for an active cell in a target list

Table 6.490. Classes names that define a control representation

Class name	Description
rich-picklist-controls	Defines styles for wrapper <div> element of a pickList controls
rich-picklist-control-disabled	Defines styles for a control in a disabled state
rich-picklist-control-copyall	Defines styles for a "copyAll" control
rich-picklist-control-copy	Defines styles for a "Copy" control
rich-picklist-control-remove	Defines styles for a "Remove" control
rich-picklist-control-removeall	Defines styles for a "removeAll" control
rich-picklist-control-img	Defines styles for a control image

Table 6.491. Classes names that define a button representation

Class name	Description
rich-list-picklist-button	Defines styles for a button
rich-list-picklist-button-disabled	Defines styles for a disabled button
rich-list-picklist-button-press	Defines styles for a pressed button
rich-list-picklist-button-light	Defines styles for a button highlight
rich-list-picklist-button-selection	Defines styles for a button selection
rich-list-picklist-button-content	Defines styles for a button content

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:pickList> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-picklist-list{

        background-color:#ecf4fe;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.246. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the background color for lists is changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:pickList> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in the corresponding <rich:pickList> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        font-weight:bold;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:pickList> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:pickList ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.247. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style for buttons is changed.

6.82.10. Relevant Resources Links

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can see an example of <rich:pickList> usage and sources for the given example.

6.83. < rich:progressBar >

6.83.1. Description

The <rich:progressBar> component is designed for displaying a progress bar which shows the current status of the process.

Figure 6.248. <rich:progressBar> component

6.83.2. Key Features

Ajax or Client modes
Option to control rerendering frequency
Customizable status information label
Highly customizable look and feel

Table 6.492. rich : progressBar attributes

Attribute Name	Description
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
completeClass	CSS class that defines style for progress line rendering
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
enabled	Enables/disables polling. Default value is "true".
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
finishClass	CSS class that defines style for complete state of the component
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
initialClass	CSS class that defines style for initial state of the component
interval	Interval (in ms) for call poll requests. Default value 1000 ms (1 sec)
label	Attribute defines a simple label instead of rendering children component
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
maxValue	Max value, after which complete state should be rendered. Default value is "100".
minValue	Min value when initial state should be rendered. Default value is "0".
mode	Attributes defines AJAX or CLIENT modes for component. Possible values are "ajax", "client". Default value is "ajax".
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onsubmit	JavaScript code for call before submission of ajax event
parameters	Parameters for macrosubstitution in the label
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
progressVar	DEPRECATED. Provides access to value of the component on the client
remainClass	CSS class that defines style for remained part of progress bar
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
reRenderAfterComplete	Set of componets to rerender after completion
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	CSS class that defines style for progress bar
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
value	Sets the current value of the progress

Table 6.493. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ProgressBar
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlProgressBar
component-family	org.richfaces.ProgressBar
renderer-type	org.richfaces.renderkit.ProgressBarRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ProgressBarTag

6.83.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example of how the component can be used on a page:


...

<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue1}"/>

...

6.83.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

As it was mentioned above, the <rich:progressBar> component displays the status of the ongoing process.

import org.richfaces.component.html.progressBar;

... 

HtmlProgressBar myProgressBar = new progressBar();

...

6.83.5. Details of Usage

The <rich:progressBar> component can run in two modes: Ajax (default) and Client.

Ajax - In this mode the component works the same way as <a4j:poll/> which gets the current progress value from the sever, repeating after a set time interval.
Client - The current progress value in Client mode is set using JavaScript API

In order to define the mode you need to use "mode" attribute.

One of the key attributes of the component is "interval" which defines the frequency of status polling and rerenders the component when the value is updated.

Polling is active while the "enabled" attribute is "true".

With the help of "timeout" attribute you can define the waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time the request is aborted.


...

<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue}" id="progrs" interval="900" enabled="true"/>

...

Status of the process is calculated basing on values of the following attributes:

"value" is a value binding to the current progress value
"minValue" (default value is "0") sets minimal progress value
"maxValue" (default value is "100") sets maximum progress value

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.


...

<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue}"  minValue="50"  maxValue="400"/>

...

This is the result

Figure 6.249. Progress bar

There are two ways to display information on a progress bar:

Using "label" attribute

Example:


... 

<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue}" id="progrs" label="#{bean.incValue}"/>

...

Using any child(nested) components. One of the components that can be used is <h:outputText />

Example:


...

<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue}">

    <h:outputText value="#{bean.incValue} %"/>

</rich:progressBar>

...

The <rich:progressBar> component provides 3 predefined macrosubstitution parameters:

{value} contains the current value
{minValue} contains min value
{maxValue} contains max value

You can use them as follows:

Example:


...

<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue1}" minValue="400" maxValue="900">

        <h:outputText value="Min value is {minValue}, current value is {value}, max value is {maxValue}"/>

</rich:progressBar> 

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.250. Macrosubstitution

The "parameters" is also a special attribute which defines parameters that can be to get additional data from server (e.g. additional info about process status). All you need is to define the value of your own parameter (e.g parameters="param:'#{bean.incValue1}'") and you can use it to pass the data.

Example:


...

<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue}" parameters="param:'#{bean.dwnlSpeed}'">

    <h:outputText value="download speed {param} KB/s"/>

</rich:progressBar>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.251. Usage of parameters

The "progressVar" attribute (deprecated) defines request scoped variable that could be used for substitution purpose. This variable contains the data taken from "value" attribute. Please, study carefully the following example.

Example:


...

<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue1}" enabled="#{bean.enabled1}" id="progrs1" progressVar="progress">

    <h:outputText value="{progress}%"/>

</rich:progressBar>

...

In the shown example "progressVar" attribute defines a variable "progress" with the value taken from "value" attribute of the <rich:progressBar> component. The "progress" variable performs substitution passing the current progress value to the "value" attribute of the <h:outputText> . This is how the current value of a progress appears on the label of <rich:progressBar> .

As the "progressVar" attribute is deprecated, it's better to use the predefined macrosubstitution parameter {value} instead. See how you can rewrite the above example with the help of {value}.

Example:


...

<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue1}" enabled="#{bean.enabled1}" id="progrs1">

    <h:outputText value="{value}%"/>

</rich:progressBar>

...

The component can also employ "initial" and "complete" facets to display the states of the process: "initial" facet is displayed when the progress value is less or equal to "minValue" , and the "complete" facet is shown when the value is greater or equal to "maxValue" . Please see an example below.

Example:


...

<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue1}">

    <f:facet name="initial">

        <h:outputText value="Process not started"/>

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="complete">

        <h:outputText value="Process completed"/>

    </f:facet>

</rich:progressBar> 

 ...

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find " Decide what to process " guide section.

6.83.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.494. JavaScript API

Function	Description
enable()	Begins polling for ajax mode
disable()	Stops polling for ajax mode
setValue(value)	Updates the progress of the process
setLabel(label)	Update the label for the process

6.83.7. Facets

Table 6.495. Facets

Facet name	Description
initial	Defines the information content about the state of the process if the progress value is less or equal to "minValue"
complete	Defines the information content about the state of the process if the value is greater or equal to "maxValue"

6.83.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:progressBar> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:progressBar> component

6.83.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.496. Skin parameters redefinition for the progressBar without a label

Skin parameters	CSS properties
controlBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.497. Skin parameters redefinition for the completed progress area of the progressBar without a label

Skin parameters	CSS properties
selectControlColor	background-color

Table 6.498. Skin parameters redefinition for the progressBar with a label

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size
controlTextColor	color

Table 6.499. Skin parameters redefinition for the label of the progressBar

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.500. Skin parameters redefinition for the completed progress area of the progressBar with a label

Skin parameters	CSS properties
selectControlColor	background-color
controlBackgroundColor	color

Table 6.501. Skin parameters redefinition for the remained progress area of the progressBar with a label

Skin parameters	CSS properties
controlBackgroundColor	background-color
controlTextColor	color

6.83.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.252. Classes names

Table 6.502. Classes names for the progressBar without a label

Class name	Description
rich-progress-bar-shell	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a progressBar
rich-progress-bar-uploaded	Defines styles for the completed progress area
rich-progress-bar-height	Defines height for a progressBar
rich-progress-bar-width	Defines width for a progressBar

Table 6.503. Classes names for the progressBar with a label

Class name	Description
rich-progress-bar-shell-dig	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a progressBar
rich-progress-bar-uploaded-dig	Defines styles for the label
rich-progress-bar-remained	Defines styles for the remained progress area
rich-progress-bar-completed	Defines styles for the completed progress area
rich-progress-bar-height-dig	Defines height for a progressBar
rich-progress-bar-width	Defines width for a progressBar

Note:

It's necessary to define width of the component in pixels only.

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:progressBar> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.richfacesSkin .mceButton {                                 

    border: 1px #FF0000 solid;                     

}  

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.253. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example above background color of the remained part of progress area was changed.

It's also possible to change styles of a particular <rich:progressBar> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:progressBar> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{  

background-color: #ebf3fd;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:progressBar> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:progressBar value="#{bean.incValue1}" styleClass="myClass"/>

This is the result:

Figure 6.254. Modificaton of a look and feel with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, background color of the remained part of progress area was changed.

In order to change background image for the <rich:progressBar> it is necessary to create a CSS class with the same name as predefined one (see the tables above) and change background-image CSS property for it:


...

.rich-progress-bar-uploaded {

background-image : url(images/accept.gif);

}

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.255. Redefining background image for the <rich:progressBar>

6.83.11. Relevant Resources Links

On the component Live Demo page you can see the example of <rich:progressBar> usage and sources for the given example.

6.84. < rich:scrollableDataTable >

6.84.1. Description

The <rich:scrollableDataTable> component is used for the table-like component creation. The component just adds the set of additional features described below in comparison with the standard table.

Figure 6.256. <rich:scrollableDataTable> component

6.84.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Variable content of the table cells
Dynamically fetching the rows from the server when the table is scrolled up and down
Resizing columns by mouse dragging the column bar
Sorting column by clicking the header
Fixed one or more left columns when table is scrolled horizontally
One and multi-selection rows mode
Built-it drag-n-drop support
Sorting column values

Table 6.504. rich : scrollableDataTable attributes

Attribute Name	Description
activeClass	A CSS class to be applied to an active row
activeRowKey	Request scope attribute under which the activeRowKey will be accessible
ajaxKeys	This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an AJAX request
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
columnClasses	Comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that are be applied to the columns of this table. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual column. If the number of elements in this list is less than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, no "class" attribute is output for each column greater than the number of elements in the list. If the number of elements in the list is greater than the number of columns specified in the "columns" attribute, the elements at the position in the list after the value of the "columns" attribute are ignored
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
first	A zero-relative row number of the first row to display
footerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to any footer generated for this table
frozenColCount	Defines the number of the fixed columns from the left side that will not be scrolled via horizontal scroll. Default value is "0".
headerClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) that are be applied to any header generated for this table
height	Defines a height of the component. Default value is "500px".
hideWhenScrolling	If "true" data will be hidden during scrolling. Can be used for increase performance. Default value is "false".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
onRowClick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked on row
onRowDblClick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked on row
onRowMouseDown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down on row
onRowMouseUp	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released on row
onselectionchange	HTML: script expression to invoke on changing of rows selection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rowClasses	A comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that is applied to popup table rows. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual row. The styles are applied, in turn, to each row in the table. For example, if the list has two elements, the first style class in the list is applied to the first row, the second to the second row, the first to the third row, the second to the fourth row, etc. In other words, we keep iterating through the list until we reach the end, and then we start at the beginning again
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a row key object
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope
rows	A number of rows to display, or zero for all remaining rows in the table
scriptVar	Name of JavaScript variable corresponding to component
selectedClass	Name of the CSS class for a selected row
selection	Value binding representing selected rows
selectionMode	SelectionMode is an enumeration of the possible selection modes. Default value is "multi"
shiftRowIndex	shiftRowIndex
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
sortMode	Defines mode of sorting. Possible values are 'single' for sorting of one column and 'multi' for some.
sortOrder	ValueBinding pointing at a property of a class to manage rows sorting
stateVar	The attribute provides access to a component state on the client side
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
value	The current value for this component
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current row will be used when iterating
width	Defines a width of the component. Default value is "700px".

Table 6.505. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.component.ScrollableDataTable
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlScrollableDataTable
component-family	org.richfaces.component.ScrollableDataTable
renderer-type	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.ScrollableDataTableRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ScrollableDataTableTag

6.84.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

    <rich:scrollableDataTable value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" var="category">

        <!--...//Set of columns and header/footer facets-->

    </rich:scrollableDataTable>

...

6.84.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The component represents on a page as a scrollable table with some fixed (non-scrollable) rows ( with header and footer) and columns. Like other tables <rich:scrollableDataTable> also has optional footer and header that could be implemented using the corresponding facets. Columns of the table are optionally resizable. Resizing is available using "drag and drop" of the column vertical borders. There is possibility to expand or collapse the columns through JS API on the client side. You can define the number of the fixed columns from the left side using attribute "frozenColCount" that is not scrolled via horizontal scroll.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlScrollableDataTable;

...

HtmlScrollableDataTable myScrollableDataTable = new HtmlScrollableDataTable();

...

6.84.5. Details of Usage

There is possibility to increase component performance using attribute "hideWhenScrolling" . If attribute value is "true" data is hidden during scrolling.

It's possible to select the whole row with onclick on the row or some set of rows. Selection is optional and availability of such feature is defined on the component. There are two ways to select a few rows:

Just clicking the columns one by one.
Clicking some row with the SHIFT button hold. In this case all the rows starting from last selected up to clicked should be selected.

The columns provides the possibility of expanding/collapsing on the client side through the next JS API:

collapse(columnId) - Performs the collapse action for the column with the corresponding id

It's possible to sort the table content after clicks on the header. The feature is optional. Every column should be pointed to the comparator method that is used for sorting the table. In case the <rich:scrollableDataTable> is already sorted by some column and the header of this column has been clicked again - the sorting is reversed.

After sorting selection that was made before is reset

The typical variant of using:


...

<rich:scrollableDataTable value="#{modelBuilder.model}" var="issues"

            frozenColCount="1"

            first="0"

            rows="40" 

            width="300px"

            height="396px">

    <rich:column width="100px">

        <f:facet name="header" >

            <h:outputText value="State"/>

        </f:facet>

        <h:outputText value="#{issues.cell1}"/>

        <f:facet name="footer">

            <h:outputText value="State"/>

        </f:facet>

    </rich:column>      

    <!--...//Set of columns and header/footer facets-->

</rich:scrollableDataTable>

...

The "selection" attribute allows to get the row data when using one and multi-selection rows mode.

This attribute is a reference to object to the instance of org.richfaces.model.selection.Selection . interface interface, containing current collection of objects selected by you.

In the following example when you submit the form, current collection of the selected objects is placed in the object's property. Then on complete action the <rich:modalPanel> with selected data is shown.

Example:


...

        <h:form>

            <rich:spacer height="30" />

            <rich:scrollableDataTable rowKeyVar="rkv" frozenColCount="1" height="200px" 

                width="300px" id="carList" rows="40" columnClasses="col"

                value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.allCars}" var="category" sortMode="single"

                selection="#{dataTableScrollerBean.selection}">

                <rich:column id="make">

                    <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText styleClass="headerText" value="Make" /></f:facet>

                    <h:outputText value="#{category.make}" />

                </rich:column>

                <rich:column id="model">

                    <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText styleClass="headerText" value="Model" /></f:facet>

                    <h:outputText value="#{category.model}" />

                </rich:column>

                <rich:column id="price">

                    <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText styleClass="headerText" value="Price" /></f:facet>

                    <h:outputText value="#{category.price}" />

                </rich:column>

                </rich:scrollableDataTable>

            <rich:spacer height="20px"/>

            <a4j:commandButton value="Show Current Selection" reRender="table" 

                action="#{dataTableScrollerBean.takeSelection}" 

                oncomplete="javascript:Richfaces.showModalPanel('panel');"/>

        </h:form>

        <rich:modalPanel id="panel" autosized="true">

                <f:facet name="header">

                    <h:outputText value="Selected Rows"/>

                </f:facet>

                <f:facet name="controls">

                    <span style="cursor:pointer" onclick="javascript:Richfaces.hideModalPanel('panel')">X</span>

                </f:facet>

            <rich:dataTable value="#{dataTableScrollerBean.selectedCars}" var="sel" id="table">

                <rich:column>

                    <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText value="Make" /></f:facet>

                    <h:outputText value="#{sel.make}" />

                </rich:column>

                <rich:column id="model">

                    <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText value="Model" /></f:facet>

                    <h:outputText value="#{sel.model}" />

                </rich:column>

                <rich:column id="price">

                    <f:facet name="header"><h:outputText value="Price" /></f:facet>

                    <h:outputText value="#{sel.price}" />

                </rich:column>

                </rich:dataTable>

        </rich:modalPanel>

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.257. The "selection" attribute usage

On RichFaces LiveDemo page you can find fuller example of use of this attribute with example bean.

The <rich:scrollableDataTable> component has the following extra attributes for event processing on the client:

"onselectionchange"
"onRowClick"
"onRowDblClick"
"onRowMouseUp"
"onRowMouseDown"

Information about sorting and filtering you can find in RichFaces Developer guide section aboutsorting.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find in the "Decide what to process" guide section.

Note:

If you want to use specific features such as pagination on database level you should pass to the "value" of the <rich:scrollableDataTable> component an object which class extends org.richfaces.model.ScrollableTableDataModel.

6.84.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.506. JavaScript API

Function	Description
collapse(columnId)	Performs a collapse action for column with corresponding Id

6.84.7. Facets

Table 6.507. Facets

Facet	Description
header	Defines the header content
footer	Defines the footer content

6.84.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:scrollableDataTable> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:scrollableDataTable> component

6.84.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.508. Skin parameters for all table

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBackgroundColor	background-color
tableBorderColor	border-color
tableBorderWidth	border-width

Table 6.509. Skin parameters for header rows and cells

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size
tableBorderWidth	border-bottom-width
tableBorderColor	border-bottom-color
tableBorderWidth	border-right-width
tableBorderColor	border-right-color

Table 6.510. Skin parameters for footer rows and cells

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableSubfooterBackgroundColor	background-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size
tableBorderColor	border-right-color
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalSizeFont	font-size

Table 6.511. Skin parameters for column cells

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tableBorderColor	border-right-color
tableBorderColor	border-bottom-color

Table 6.512. Skin parameters for active rows

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabDisabledTextColor	color

Table 6.513. Skin parameters for selected rows

Skin parameters	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color

6.84.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.258. Classes names

Table 6.514. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-sdt	Defines styles for a component appearance

Table 6.515. Classes names that define footer and header elements

Class name	Description
rich-sdt-header-cell	Defines styles for header cells
rich-sdt-header-row	Defines styles for a header raw
rich-sdt-column-cell	Defines styles for column cells
rich-sdt-footer-cell	Defines styles for footer cells
rich-sdt-footer-row	Defines styles for a footer raw
rich-sdt-hsep	Defines styles for header separators

Table 6.516. Classes names that define different states

Class name	Description
rich-sdt-row-active	Defines styles for an active row
rich-sdt-row-selected	Defines styles for a selected row
rich-sdt-column-sort-up	Defines styles for ascending sorted column
rich-sdt-column-sort-down	Defines styles for descending sorted column

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:scrollableDataTable> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-sdt-header-cell{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.259. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font style for header cell was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:scrollableDataTable> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:scrollableDataTable> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    background-color:#ffead9;

}

...

The "selectedClass" attribute for <rich:scrollableDataTable> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:scrollableDataTable ... selectedClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.260. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, background color for selected item was changed.

6.84.11. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:scrollableDataTable> usage.

Cookbook article Scrollable dataTable Selection Usage provides a simple example of how you can use the "selection" attribute in order to get row selection in rich:scrollableDataTable.

6.85. < rich:separator >

6.85.1. Description

A horizontal line to use as a separator in a layout. The line type can be customized with the "lineType" parameter.

Figure 6.261. <rich:separator> component

6.85.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Leveraging layout elements creation

Table 6.517. rich : separator attributes

Attribute Name	Description
align	This attribute specifies a position of the separator according to the document. The possible values are "left", "center" and "right". Default value is "left".
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
height	The separator height. Default value is "6px".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
lineType	A line type. The possible values are "beveled", "dotted", "dashed", "double", "solid" and "none". Default value is "beveled"
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	HTML: An advisory title for this element. Often displayed as a tooltip
width	The separator width that can be defined in pixels or in percents. Default value is "100%".

Table 6.518. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.separator
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlSeparator
component-family	org.richfaces.separator
renderer-type	org.richfaces.SeparatorRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.SeparatorTag

6.85.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used on a page:


...

<rich:separator/>

...

6.85.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<rich:separator> is a simple layout component, which represents a separator stylized as a skin. Thus, the main attributes that define its style are "style" and "styleClass". In addition there are "width" and "height" attributes that should be specified in pixels. On the HTML page the component is transposed into HTML <div> tag.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlSeparator;

...

HtmlSeparator mySeparator = new HtmlSeparator();

...

6.85.5. Details of Usage

The line type can be customized with the "lineType" parameter. For example, different line types are shown after rendering with the following initial settings lineType="double"and lineType="solid".

Figure 6.262. Different line types of <rich:separator>

Except style attributes, there are also event definition attributes:

"onmouseover"
"onclick"
"onmouseout"
etc.

6.85.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method.

To redefine the appearance of all <rich:separator> components at once, you should add to your style sheets the style class used by a <rich:separator> component.

6.85.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Table 6.519. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-separator	Defines styles for a component appearance

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:separator> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-separator{

    background-color:#ff7700;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.263. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example background color for separator was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:separator> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:separator> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    background-color:#ffead9;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:separator> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:separator ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.264. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above,background color for separator was changed.

6.85.8. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:separator> usage and sources for the given example.

6.86. < rich:simpleTogglePanel >

6.86.1. Description

A collapsible panel, which content shows/hides after activating a header control.

Figure 6.265. <rich:simpleTogglePanel> component

6.86.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Support for any content inside
Collapsing expanding content
Three modes of collapsing/expanding

Table 6.520. rich : simpleTogglePanel attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bodyClass	A class that defines a style for a panel content
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
headerClass	Class that defines the style for panel header
height	Height of a simple toggle panel content area might be defined as pixels or in percents. By default height is not defined
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
label	Marker to be rendered on a panel header
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncollapse	HTML: script expression; before a panel is collapsed
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onexpand	HTML: script expression; before a panel is expanded
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
opened	A "false" value for this attribute makes the panel closed by default. Default value is "true".
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
switchType	Panels switch mode: "client", "server"(default), "ajax"
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
value	The current value for this component
width	Width of a simple toggle panel might be defined as pixels or in percents. By default width is not defined

Table 6.521. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.SimpleTogglePanel
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlSimpleTogglePanel
component-family	org.richfaces.SimpleTogglePanel
renderer-type	org.richfaces.SimpleTogglePanelRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.SimpleTogglePanelTag

6.86.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

<rich:simpleTogglePanel>

    ...

</rich:simpleTogglePanel>

...

6.86.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The component is a simplified version of toggle panel that initially has a defined layout as a panel with a header playing a role of a mode switching control. On a component header element, it's possible to define a label using an attribute with the same name.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlSimpleTogglePanel;

...

HtmlSimpleTogglePanel myPanel = new HtmlSimpleTogglePanel();

...

6.86.5. Details of Usage

Switching mode could be defined with the "switchType" attribute with three possible parameters.

Server (DEFAULT)
The common submission is performed around simpleTogglePanel and a page is completely rendered on a called panel. Only one at a time panel is uploaded onto the client side.
Ajax
AJAX form submission is performed around the panel, content of the called panel is uploaded on Ajax request and additionally specified elements in the "reRender" attribute are rendered. Only one at a time panel is uploaded on the client side.
Client
All panels are uploaded on the client side. Switching from the active to the hidden panel is performed with client JavaScript.

The <rich:simpleTogglePanel> component also has an "opened" attribute responsible for keeping a panel state. It gives an opportunity to manage state of the component from a model. If the value of this attribute is"true" the component is expanded.

"onmouseover "
"onclick "
"onmouseout "
etc.

Figure 6.266. <rich:simpleTogglePanel> states

With help of "openMarker" and "closeMarker" facets you can set toggle icon for simpleTogglePanel .

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find " Decide what to process " guide section.

6.86.6. Facets

Table 6.522. Facets

Facet name	Description
openMarker	Redefines the icon for expanding the panel
closeMarker	Redefines the icon for collapsing the panel

6.86.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:simpleTooglePanel> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:simpleTooglePanel> component

6.86.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.523. Skin parameters for a whole component

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.524. Skin parameters for a header element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
headerBackgroundColor	border-color
headerSizeFont	font-size
headTextColor	color
headerWeightFont	font-weight
headerFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.525. Skin parameters for a body element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalBackgroundColor	background-color
generalSizeFont	font-size
panelTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family

6.86.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.267. Style classes

Table 6.526. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Class description
rich-stglpanel	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a component
rich-stglpanel-header	Defines styles for header element of a component
rich-stglpnl-marker	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a marker
rich-stglpanel-body	Defines styles for a component content

Table 6.527. Style component classes

Class name	Class description
styleClass	The class defines panel common style. It's used in the outside <div> element
bodyClass	applicable to panels body elements
headerClass	applicable to header elements

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:simpleTogglePanel> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-stglpanel-header{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.268. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font style for header was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:simpleTogglePanel> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:simpleTogglePanel> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    background-color:#ffead9;

}

...

The "bodyClass" attribute for <rich:simpleTogglePanel> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:simpleTogglePanel ... bodyClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.269. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above,background color for body was changed.

6.86.10. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:simpleTogglePanel> usage and sources for the given example.

6.87. < rich:spacer >

6.87.1. Description

A spacer that is used in layout and rendered as a transparent image.

Figure 6.270. <rich:spacer> component

6.87.2. Key Features

Easily used as a transparent layout spacer
Horizontal or vertical spacing is managed by an attribute
Easily customizable sizes parameters

Table 6.528. rich : spacer attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
height	The height of the spacer defined in pixels. Default value is "1px".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
title	HTML: An advisory title for this element. Often used by the user agent as a tooltip
width	The width of the spacer defined in pixels. Default value is "1px".

Table 6.529. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.spacer
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlSpacer
component-family	org.richfaces.spacer
renderer-type	org.richfaces.SpacerRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.SpacerTag

6.87.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax::


...

    <rich:spacer/>

...

6.87.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

<rich:spacer> is a simple layout component which represents a transparent spacer. Thus, the main attributes that define its style are "style" and "styleClass".

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlSpacer;

...

HtmlSpacer mySpacer = new HtmlSpacer();

...

6.87.5. Details of Usage

In addition, the attributes are responsible for the component size: "width" and "height".

Moreover, to add e.g. some JavaScript effects, events defined on it are used.

"onmouseover "
"onclick "
"onmouseout "
etc.

6.87.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

On the component generation, the framework presents a default rich-spacer class in "styleClass" of a generated component, i.e. in order to redefine appearance of all spacers at once, it's necessary to redefine this class in your own CSS (replacing in the result properties defined in a skin with your own).

To define appearance of the particular spacer, it's possible to write your own CSS classes and properties in the component style attributes ( "style", "styleClass" ) modifying component property.

6.87.7. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:spacer> usage and sources for the given example.

6.88. < rich:suggestionbox >

6.88.1. Description

The component adds on-keypress suggestions capabilities to any input text component (like <h:inputText> ). When a key is pressed in the field Ajax request is sent to the server. When the suggestion action returns a list of possible values, it pop ups them inside the <div> element bellow the input.

Figure 6.271. <rich:suggestionbox> component

6.88.2. Key Features

Fully skinnable component
Adds "onkeypress" suggestions capabilities to any input text component
Performs suggestion via Ajax requests without any line of JavaScript code written by you
Possible to render table as a popup suggestion
Can be pointed to any Ajax request status indicator of the page
Easily customizable size of suggestion popup
Setting rules that appear between cells within a table of popup values
"Event queue" and "request delay" attributes present to divide frequently requests
Managing area of components submitted on Ajax request
Flexible list of components to update after Ajax request managed by attributes
Setting restriction to Ajax request generation
Easily setting action to collect suggestion data
Keyboard navigation support

Table 6.530. rich : suggestionbox attributes

Attribute Name	Description
ajaxSingle	Boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only. Default value is "true"
bgcolor	Deprecated. This attribute sets the background color for the document body or table cells. This attribute sets the background color of the canvas for the document body (the BODY element) or for tables (the TABLE, TR, TH, and TD elements). Additional attributes for specifying text color can be used with the BODY element. This attribute has been deprecated in favor of style sheets for specifying background color information
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
border	This attributes specifies the width (in pixels only) of the frame around a table
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
cellpadding	This attribute specifies the amount of space between the border of the cell and its contents. If the value of this attribute is a pixel length, all four margins should be this distance from the contents. If the value of the attribute is percentage length, the top and bottom margins should be equally separated from the content based on percentage of the available vertical space, and the left and right margins should be equally separated from the content based on percentage of the available horizontal space
cellspacing	This attribute specifies how much space the user agent should leave between the table and the column on all four sides. The attribute also specifies the amount of space to leave between cells
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
entryClass	Name of the CSS class for a suggestion entry element. (table row)
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
fetchValue	A value to set in the target input element on a choice suggestion that isn't shown in the suggestion table. It can be used for descriptive output comments or suggestions. If not set, all text in the suggestion row is set as a value
first	A zero-relative row number of the first row to display
for	id (or full path of id's) of target components, for which this element must provide support. If a target component inside of the same <code>NamingContainer</code> (UIForm, UIData in base implementations), can be simple value of the "id" attribute. For other cases must include id's of <code>NamingContainer</code> components, separated by ':'. For search from the root of components, must be started with ':'.
frame	This attribute specifies which sides of the frame surrounding a table will be visible. Possible values: "void", "above", "below", "hsides", "lhs", "rhs", "vsides", "box" and "border". The default value is "void".
frequency	Delay (in seconds) before activating the suggestion pop-up. Default value is 400ms
height	Height of the pop-up window in pixels. Default value is "200".
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase.
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
minChars	Minimal number of chars in input to activate suggestion pop-up
nothingLabel	"nothingLabel" is inserted to popup list if the autocomplete returns empty list. It isn't selectable and list is closed as always after click on it and nothing is put to input.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
onobjectchange	HTML: script expression; selected objects are changed
onselect	HTML: script expression; after value of target element is updated
onsubmit	HTML: script expression; before ajax event is submited
param	Name the HTTP request parameter with the value of input element token. If not set, it be will sent as an input element name. In this case, input will perform validation and update the value. Default value is "inputvalue".
popupClass	HTML CSS class attribute of element for pop-up suggestion content
popupStyle	HTML CSS style attribute of element for pop-up suggestion content
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rowClasses	A comma-delimited list of CSS style classes that is applied to popup table rows. A space separated list of classes may also be specified for any individual row. The styles are applied, in turn, to each row in the table. For example, if the list has two elements, the first style class in the list is applied to the first row, the second to the second row, the first to the third row, the second to the fourth row, etc. In other words, we keep iterating through the list until we reach the end, and then we start at the beginning again
rules	This attribute specifies which rules will appear between cells within a table. The rendering of rules is user agent dependent. Possible values: * none: No rules. This is the default value. * groups: Rules will appear between row groups (see THEAD, TFOOT, and TBODY) and column groups (see COLGROUP and COL) only. * rows: Rules will appear between rows only. * cols: Rules will appear between columns only. * all: Rules will appear between all rows and columns
selectedClass	Name of the CSS class for a selected suggestion entry element (table row)
selectValueClass	Name of the CSS class for a selected suggestion entry element (table cell)
selfRendered	If "true", forces active Ajax region render response directly from stored components tree, bypasses page processing. Can be used for increase performance. Also, must be set to 'true' inside iteration components, such as dataTable.
shadowDepth	Pop-up shadow depth for suggestion content
shadowOpacity	Attribute defines shadow opacity for suggestion content
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
suggestionAction	Method calls an expression to get a collection of suggestion data on request. It must have one parameter with a type of Object with content of input component and must return any type allowed for <h:datatable>
summary	This attribute provides a summary of the table's purpose and structure for user agents rendering to non-visual media such as speech and Braille
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
tokens	The list (or single value) of symbols which can be used for division chosen of suggestion pop-up values in a target element. After input of a symbol from the list suggestion pop-up it is caused again
usingSuggestObjects	if true, a suggested object list will be created and will be updated every time when an input value is changed. Default value is "false".
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current row will be used when iterating
width	Width of the pop-up window in pixels. Default value is "200".
zindex	Attribute is similar to the standard HTML attribute and can specify window placement relative to the content. Default value is "200".

Table 6.531. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.SuggestionBox
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlSuggestionBox
component-family	org.richfaces.SuggestionBox
renderer-type	org.richfaces.SuggestionBoxRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.SuggestionBoxTag

6.88.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:

Here is the bean.autocomplete method that returns the collection to pop up:


...

    <h:inputText value="#{bean.property}" id="suggest"/>

    <rich:suggestionbox for="suggest" suggestionAction="#{bean.autocomplete}"  var="suggest">

        <h:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{suggest.text}"/> 

        </h:column>

    </rich:suggestionbox>

...

public List autocomplete(Object event) {

    String pref = event.toString();

    //collecting some data that begins with "pref" letters.

        ...

        return result;

    }

6.88.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

As it is shown in the example above, the main component attribute are:

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlSuggestionBox;

...

HtmlSuggestionBox myList = new HtmlSuggestionBox();

...

6.88.5. Details of Usage

"for"
The attribute where there is an input component which activation causes a suggestion activation
"suggestionAction"
is an accepting parameter of a suggestionEvent type that returns as a result a collection for rendering in a tool tip window.
"var"
a collection name that provides access for inputting into a table in a popup

There are also two size attributes ( "width" and "height" ) that are obligatory for the suggestion component. The attributes have initial Defaults but should be specified manually in order to be changed.

The suggestionbox component, as it is shown on the screenshot, could get any collection for an output and outputs it in a ToolTip window the same as a custom dataTable (in several columns)


...

    <rich:suggestionbox for="test" suggestionAction="#{bean.autocomplete}" var="cit" fetchValue="#{cit.text}">

        <h:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{cit.label}"/>

        </h:column>

        <h:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{cit.text}"/>

        </h:column>

    </rich:suggestionbox>

...

It looks on a page in the following way:

Figure 6.272. <rich:suggestionbox> with ToolTip window

When some string is chosen input receives the corresponding value from the second column containing #{cit.text}

There is also one more important attribute named "tokens" that specifies separators after which a set of some characters sequence is defined as a new prefix beginning from this separator and not from the string beginning.

Example:


...

    <rich:suggestionbox for="test" suggestionAction="#{bean.autocomplete}" var="cit" selfRendered="true" tokens=","> 

        <h:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{cit.text}"/>

        </h:column>

    </rich:suggestionbox>

...

This example shows that when a city is chosen and a comma and first letter character are input, Ajax request is called again, but it submits a value starting from the last token:

Figure 6.273. <rich:suggestionbox> with chosen word

For a multiple definition use either ",.; " syntax as a value for tokens or link a parameter to some bean property transmitting separators collection.

The component also encompasses "style" attributes corresponding to dataTable ones for a table appearing in popup (for additional information, read JSF Reference) and custom attribute managing AJAX requests sending (for additional information, see Ajax4JSF Project).

In addition to these attributes common for Ajax action components and limiting requests quantity and frequency, suggestionbox has one more its own attribute limiting requests (the "minChars" attribute). The attribute defines characters quantity inputted into a field after which Ajax requests are called to perform suggestion.

There is possibility to define what be shown if the autocomplete returns empty list. Attribute "nothingLabel" or facet with the same name could be used for it.

Example:


...

    <rich:suggestionbox nothingLabel="Empty" for="test" suggestionAction="#{bean.autocomplete}" var="cit"> 

        <h:column>

            <h:outputText value="#{cit.text}"/>

        </h:column>

    </rich:suggestionbox>

...

Example:


...

<rich:suggestionbox for="test" suggestionAction="#{bean.autocomplete}" var="cit"> 

    <f:facet name="nothingLabel">

        <h:outputText value="Empty"/>

    </f:facet>      

    <h:column>

        <h:outputText value="#{cit.text}"/>

    </h:column>

</rich:suggestionbox>

...

It looks on a page in the following way:

Figure 6.274. <rich:suggestionbox> with empty list

There is such feature in <rich:suggestionbox> component as object selection. If you want that selected item has been represented as object, you could set to "true" the value for "usingSuggestObjects" attribute, "false" value means that selected item represents as string.

Example:


...

<rich:suggestionbox for="test" suggestionAction="#{bean.autocomplete}" var="cit" usingSuggestObjects="true"> 

        <h:column>

                <h:outputText value="#{cit.text}"/>

        </h:column>

</rich:suggestionbox>

...

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can findin the "Decide what to process" guide section.

In RichFaces Wiki article about Additional Properties you can find example of getting additional properties.

6.88.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.532. JavaScript API

Function	Description
callSuggestion()	Calls the suggestion. If the "ignoreMinChars" value is "true" then the number of symbols to send a query is no longer actual for callSuggestion()
getSelectedItems()	Returns the array of objects

6.88.7. Facets

Table 6.533. Facets

Facet name	Description
nothingLabel	Redefines the content item if the autocomplete returns empty list. Related attribute is "nothingLabel"
popup	Redefines the content for the popup list of the suggestion
header	Defines the header content
footer	Defines the footer content

6.88.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:suggestionbox> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:suggestionbox> component

6.88.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.534. General skin parameters redefinition for popup list

Parameters for popup list	CSS properties
additionalBackgroundColor	background-color
panelBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.535. Skin parameters redefinition for shadow element of the list

Parameters for shadow element of the list	CSS properties
shadowBackgroundColor	background-color
shadowBackgroundColor	border-color
shadowOpacity	opacity

Table 6.536. Skin parameters redefinition for popup table rows

Parameters for popup table rows	CSS properties
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalTextColor	color
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.537. Skin parameters redefinition for selected row

Parameters for selected row	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	background-color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family
headerTextColor	color

6.88.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Figure 6.275. Classes names

On the screenshot, there are classes names defining specified elements.

Table 6.538. Classes names that define a suggestionbox

Class name	Description
rich-sb-common-container	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a suggestion container
rich-sb-ext-decor-1	Defines styles for the first wrapper <div> element of a suggestion box exterior
rich-sb-ext-decor-2	Defines styles for the second wrapper <div> element of a suggestion box exterior
rich-sb-ext-decor-3	Defines styles for the third wrapper <div> element of a suggestion box exterior
rich-sb-overflow	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element
rich-sb-int-decor-table	Defines styles for a suggestion box table
rich-sb-int	Defines the styles for a suggestion box table rows (tr)
rich-sb-cell-padding	Defines the styles for suggestion box table cells (td)
rich-sb-int-sel	Defines styles for a selected row
rich-sb-shadow	Defines styles for a suggestion boxshadow

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:suggestionbox> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-sb-int{

        font-weight:bold;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.276. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font weight for rows was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:suggestionbox> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:suggestionbox> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        background-color:#f0ddcd;

}

...

The "selectedClass" attribute for <rich:suggestionbox> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:suggestionbox ... selectedClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.277. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above,background color for selected item was changed.

6.88.11. Relevant Resources Links

Vizit SuggestionBox page at RichFaces Livedemo for examples of component usage and sources.

RichFaces cookbook at JBoss Portal includes some articles that cover different aspects of working with <rich:suggestionbox> :

6.89. < rich:tabPanel >

6.89.1. Description

A tab panel displaying tabs for grouping content of the panel.

Figure 6.278. <rich:tabPanel> component

6.89.2. Key Features

Skinnable tab panel and child items
Disabled/enabled tab options
Customizable headers
Group any content inside a tab
Each tab has a unique name for direct access (e.g. for switching between tabs)
Switch methods can be easily customized with attribute to:
Switch methods can be selected for the whole tab panel and for the each tab separately

Table 6.539. rich : tabPanel attributes

Attribute Name	Description
activeTabClass	A CSS class to be applied to an active tab
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
contentClass	A CSS class for content of a tab panel
contentStyle	A CSS style is for the content of a tab panel
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Valid values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left)
disabledTabClass	A CSS class to be applied to a disabled tab
headerAlignment	Sets tab headers alignment. It can be "left" or "right". Default value is "left".
headerClass	A CSS style is for the header of a tab panel.
headerSpacing	Sets tab headers spacing. It should be a valid size unit expression. Default value is "1px".
height	Height of a tab panel defined in pixels or in percents
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
inactiveTabClass	CSS class to be applied to an inactive (but not disabled) tab
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
ontabchange	HTML: a script expression; a tab has been changed
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
required	If "true", this component is checked for non-empty input
requiredMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validation message for the "required" facility, if the "required" facility is used
selectedTab	Attribute defines name of selected tab
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
switchType	Tabs switch mode: "client", "server"(default), "ajax"
tabClass	A CSS class to be applied to all tabs
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The current value of this component
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes
width	Width of a tab panel defined in pixels or in percents. The default value is 100%

Table 6.540. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.tabPanel
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmltabPanel
component-family	org.richfaces.tabPanel
renderer-type	org.richfaces.tabPanelRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.tabPanelTag

6.89.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:tabPanel>

        <!--//Set of Tabs inside-->

        <rich:tab>

            ...

        </rich:tab>

    </rich:tabPanel>

...

6.89.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmltabPanel;

... 

HtmltabPanel mytabPanel = new HtmltabPanel();

...

6.89.5. Details of Usage

As it was mentioned above, tabPanel groups content on panels and performs switching from one to another. Hence, modes of switching between panels are described first of all.

Note:

All tabPanels should be wrapped into a form element so as content is correctly submitted inside. If a form is placed into each tab, the Action elements of Tab controls appear to be out of the form and content submission inside the panels could be performed only for Action components inside tabs.

Switching mode could be chosen with the tabPanel attribute "switchType" with three possible parameters.

Server (DEFAULT)
The common submission is performed around tabPanel and a page is completely rendered on a called panel. Only one at a time tabPanel is uploaded onto the client side.
Ajax
AJAX form submission is performed around the tabPanel, content of the called tabPanel is uploaded on Ajax request. Only one at a time tabPanel is uploaded on the client.
Client
All tabPanels are uploaded on the client side. The switching from the active to the hidden panel is performed with client JavaScript.

As a result, the tabPanel is switched to the second tab according to the action returning outcome for moving onto another page and switching from the second to the first tab is performed.

There is also the "selectedTab" attribute. The attribute keeps an active tab name; therefore, an active tabPanel could be changed with setting a name of the necessary tab to this attribute.

There is also the "headerAlignment" attribute responsible for rendering of tabPanel components. The attribute has several values: "left" (Default), "right", "center", which specify Tabs components location on the top of the tabPanel.

Example:


...

    <rich:tabPanel width="40%" headerAlignment="right">

        <rich:tab label="Canon">

            ...

        </rich:tab>

        <rich:tab label="Nikon">

            ...

        </rich:tab>

        <rich:tab label="Olympus">

            ...

        </rich:tab>

    </rich:tabPanel>

...

Figure 6.279. <rich:tabPanel> with right aligned tabs

Except the specific attributes, the component has all necessary attributes for JavaScript events definition.

"onmouseover"
"onmouseout"
etc.

6.89.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:tabPanel> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:tabPanel> component

6.89.7. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.541. Skin parameters redefinition for a header

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-top-color

Table 6.542. Skin parameters redefinition for an internal content

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalBackgroundColor	background-color
generalTextColor	color
panelBorderColor	border-bottom-color
panelBorderColor	border-right-color
panelBorderColor	border-left-color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family

6.89.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.280. Style classes

Table 6.543. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-tabpanel	Defines styles for all tabPanel
rich-tabpanel-content	Defines styles for an internal content
rich-tabpanel-content-position	Defines styles for a wrapper element of a tabPanel content. It should define a shift equal to borders width in order to overlap panel tabs
rich-tabhdr-side-border	Defines styles for side elements of a tabPanel header
rich-tabhdr-side-cell	Defines styles for a header internal element
rich-tab-bottom-line	Defines styles for a tab bottom line element of a tabPanel

Table 6.544. Classes names that define different tab header states (corresponds to rich-tabhdr-side-cell)

Class name	Description
rich-tabhdr-cell-active	Defines styles for an internal element of an active header
rich-tabhdr-cell-inactive	Defines styles for an internal element of an inactive label
rich-tabhdr-cell-disabled	Defines styles for an internal element of a disabled label

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:tabPanel> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the table above) and define necessary properties in them. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.rich-tabhdr-cell-active{

    font-weight: bold;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.281. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a tab active font weight and text color were changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:tabPanel> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:tabPanel> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

       font-style: italic;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:tabPanel> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:tabPanel ... activeTabClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.282. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, font style on inactive tab was changed.

6.89.9. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:tabPanel> usage and sources for the given example.

6.90. < rich:tab >

6.90.1. Description

A tab section within a tab panel.

Figure 6.283. <rich:tab> component

6.90.2. Key Features

Fully skinnable tabs content
Disabled/enabled tab options
Groups any content inside a tab
Each tab has a unique name for a direct access (e.g. for switching between tabs)
Switch methods can be easily customized for every tab separately with attribute to:

Table 6.545. rich : tab attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
disabled	Disables a tab in a tab panel
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
label	Text for the actual "tab" in a tab section
labelWidth	Length for the actual "tab" in a tab section defined in pixels. If it is not defined, the length is calculated basing on a tab label text length
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
name	Attribute defines tab name. Default value is "getId()".
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onlabelclick	A JavaScript event handler; a label of the tab is clicked
onlabeldblclick	A JavaScript event handler; a pointer within label is double-clicked
onlabelkeydown	A JavaScript event handler; a key within label is pressed down
onlabelkeypress	A JavaScript event handler; a key within label is pressed and released
onlabelkeyup	A JavaScript event handler; a key within label is released
onlabelmousedown	A JavaScript event handler; a pointer within label is pressed down
onlabelmousemove	A JavaScript event handler; a pointer is moved within label
onlabelmouseup	A JavaScript event handler; a pointer within label is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
ontabenter	Event must occur on the tab which has been entered
ontableave	Event must occur on the tab which has been left
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
switchType	Tabs switch mode. Possible values are "client", "server", "ajax", "page".
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
title	HTML: An advisory title for this element. Often displayed as a tooltip

Table 6.546. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.Tab
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlTab
component-family	org.richfaces.Tab
renderer-type	org.richfaces.TabRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.TabTag

6.90.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:tabPanel>

        <!--Set of Tabs inside-->

            <rich:tab>

                ...

            </rich:tab>

    </rich:tabPanel>

...

6.90.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The main component function is to define a content group that is rendered and processed when the tab is active, i.e. click on a tab causes switching onto a tab containing content corresponded to this tab.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlTab;

... 

HtmlTab myTab = new HtmlTab();

...

6.90.5. Details of Usage

The "label" attribute defines text to be represented. If you can use the "label" facet, you can even not use the "label" attribute.

A marker on a tab header defined with the "label" attribute. Moreover, each tab could be disabled (switching on this tab is impossible) with the "disable" attribute.


...

    <rich:tab>

        <f:facet name="label">  

            <h:graphicImage value="/images/img1.png"/>

        </f:facet>

        ...

        <!--Any Content inside-->

        ...

    </rich:tab>

...

With this example it's possible to generate the tab panel with the last disabled and three active tabs (see the picture).


...

    <rich:tabPanel width="20%"> 

        <tabs:tab  label="Canon">

        <h:outputText value="Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT" />

              ...

      </tabs:tab>

      <tabs:tab  label="Nikon">

          <h:outputText value="Nikon D70s" />

             ...

        </tabs:tab>

        <tabs:tab label="Olympus">

            <h:outputText value="Olympus EVOLT E-500" />

                ...

            </tabs:tab>

            <tabs:tab disabled="true" name="disabled" label="Disabled"/>

    </rich:tabPanel>

...

Figure 6.284. <rich:tabPanel> with disabled <rich:tab>

Switching mode could be defined not only for the whole panel tab, but also for each particular tab, i.e. switching onto one tab could be performed right on the client with the corresponding JavaScript and onto another tab with an Ajax request on the server. Tab switching modes are the same as tabPanel ones.

Each tab also has an attribute name (alias for "id" attribute). Using this attribute value it's possible e.g. to set an active tab on a model level specifying this name in the corresponding attribute of the whole tab.

Except the specific component attributes it has all necessary attributes for JavaScript event definition.

"onmouseover"
"onmouseout"
etc.

Some event could be performed on the tab which has been entered/left using "ontabenter" / "ontableave" attributes. See the example below.

Example:


...

    <rich:tabPanel>

        <rich:tab label="Tab1" ontabenter="alert()">

            ...

        </rich:tab>

        ...

    </rich:tabPanel>

...

The following example shows how on the client side to get the names of entered/left tabs.

ontabenter="alert(leftTabName)"

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find in the "Decide what to process" guide section.

6.90.6. Facets

Table 6.547. Facets

Facet name	Description
label	Defines the text for the actual "tab" in a tab section

6.90.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

Note:

A panel appearance and content is defined with a tab panel i.e. on the tab level it's possible to define only an appearance of this tab header.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:tab> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:tab> component

6.90.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.548. Skin parameters redefinition for a tab header

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.549. Skin parameters redefinition for an active tab

Skin parameters	CSS properties
generalTextColor	color
subBorderColor	border-color
generalBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.550. Skin parameters redefinition for an inactive tab

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabBackgroundColor	background-color
subBorderColor	border-color

Table 6.551. Skin parameters redefinition for a disabled tab

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tabBackgroundColor	background-color
subBorderColor	border-color
tabDisabledTextColor	color

6.90.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Figure 6.285. Classes names

Table 6.552. Classes names that define a tab

Class name	Description
rich-tab-header	Defines styles for a tab header
rich-tab-label	Defines styles for a tab label

Table 6.553. Classes names that define a tab states

Class name	Description
rich-tab-active	Defines styles for an active tab
rich-tab-inactive	Defines styles for an inactive tab
rich-tab-disabled	Defines styles for a disabled tab

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:tab> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-tab-header{

        font-weight: bold;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.286. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a header font weight was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:tab> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:tab> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

        border-color: #5d9ffc;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:tab> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:tab ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.287. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the border color was changed.

6.91. < rich:togglePanel >

6.91.1. Description

A wrapper component with named facets, where every facet is shown after activation of the corresponding toggleControl (the other is hidden).

Figure 6.288. <rich:togglePanel> component

6.91.2. Key Features

Support for any content inside
Three modes of facets switching
Controls for togglePanel can be everywhere in layout

Table 6.554. rich : togglePanel attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
converter	Id of Converter to be used or reference to a Converter
converterMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the converter message, replacing any message that comes from the converter
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (that is, during Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
initialState	It contains a name of the first active facet
label	A localized user presentable name for this component.
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
stateOrder	Names of the facets in the switching order. If ToggleControl doesn't contain information about a next facet to be shown it is switched corresponding to this attribute
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
switchType	Facets switch mode: "client", "server"(default), "ajax".
validator	MethodBinding pointing at a method that is called during Process Validations phase of the request processing lifecycle, to validate the current value of this component
validatorMessage	A ValueExpression enabled attribute that, if present, will be used as the text of the validator message, replacing any message that comes from the validator
value	The initial value to set when rendered for the first time. It contains information about an active facet
valueChangeListener	Listener for value changes

Table 6.555. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.TogglePanel
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlTogglePanel
component-family	org.richfaces.TogglePanel
renderer-type	org.richfaces.TogglePanelRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.Taglib.togglePanelTag

6.91.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it could be used in a page:


...

    <rich:togglePanel>

        <f:facet name="first">

            ...

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="second">

            ...

        </f:facet>

            ...

    </rich:togglePanel>

    ...

    <!--//Set of the toggleControls somewhere on a page.-->

...

6.91.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The component doesn't have its own representation rendering only content of its facets, thus all look and feel is set only for content.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmltogglePanel;

... 

HtmltogglePanel myPanel = new HtmltogglePanel();

...

6.91.5. Details of Usage

As it was mentioned above, togglePanel splits content into named facets that become rendered and processed when a click performed on controls linked to this togglePanel (either switched on the client or send requests on the server for switching).

The initial component state is defined with "initialState" attribute, where a facet name that is shown at first is defined.

Note:

It's also possible to define an "empty" facet to implement the functionality as drop-down panels have and make the facet active when no content is required to be rendered.

Switching mode could be defined with the "switchType" attribute with three possible parameters:

Server (DEFAULT)
The common submission is performed around togglePanel and a page is completely rendered on a called panel. Only one at a time the panel is uploaded onto the client side.
Ajax
AJAX form submission is performed around the panel, content of the called panel is uploaded on an Ajax request . Only one at a time the panel is uploaded on the client side.
Client
All panels are uploaded on the client side. The switching from the active to the hidden panel is performed with client JavaScript.

"Facets" switching order could be defined on the side of <rich:toggleControl> component or on the panel. On the side of the togglePanel it's possible to define facets switching order with the "stateOrder" attribute. The facets names are enumerated in such an order that they are rendered when a control is clicked, as it's not defined where to switch beforehand.

Example:


...

    <rich:togglePanel id="panel" initialState="panelB" switchType="client"

                        stateOrder="panelA,panelB,panelC">

        <f:facet name="panelA">

            ...

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="panelB">

            ...

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="panelC">

            ...

        </f:facet>

    </rich:togglePanel> 

    <rich:toggleControl for="panel" value="Switch"/>

...

The example shows a togglePanel initial state when the second facet (panelB) is rendered and successive switching from the first to the second happens.

6.91.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

6.91.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Table 6.556. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-toggle-panel	Defines styles for all component
rich-tglctrl	Defines styles for a toggle control

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:togglePanel> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-toggle-panel{

    font-style:italic;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.289. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example the font style for output text was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:togglePanel> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:togglePanel> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    background-color:#bed6f8;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:togglePanel> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:togglePanel ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.290. Redefinition styles with own classes and "styleClass" attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, background color for panel was changed.

6.91.8. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:togglePanel> usage and sources for the given example.

6.92. < rich:toggleControl >

6.92.1. Description

A link type control for switching between togglePanel facets. Target Panel is specified with "for" attribute. It can be located inside or outside the togglePanel. As the result of switching between facets previous facet is hidden and another one (specified with "switchToState" or panel "stateOrder" attributes) is shown.

Figure 6.291. <rich:toggleControl> component

6.92.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Can be located anywhere in a page layout
Switching is provided in the three modes

Table 6.557. rich : toggleControl attributes

Attribute Name	Description
accesskey	Access key that, when pressed, transfers focus to this element
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	Boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only.
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase skip updates of model beans an force render response. Can be used for validate components input
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
dir	Direction indication for text that does not inherit directionality. Possible values are "LTR" (left-to-right) and "RTL" (right-to-left).
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move, etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
for	String, which contains id (in the format of a UIComponent.findComponent() call) of the target Toggle Panel.
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
lang	Code describing the language used in the generated markup for this component
limitToList	If "true", updates on client side ONLY elements from this 'reRender' property. if "false" (default) updates all rendered by ajax region components
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onblur	JavaScript code executed when this element loses focus
onclick	JavaScript code executed when a pointer button is clicked over this element
oncomplete	JavaScript code for call after request completed on client side
ondblclick	JavaScript code executed when a pointer button is double clicked over this element
onfocus	JavaScript code executed when this element receives focus
onkeydown	JavaScript code executed when a key is pressed down over this element
onkeypress	JavaScript code executed when a key is pressed and released over this element
onkeyup	JavaScript code executed when a key is released over this element
onmousedown	JavaScript code executed when a pointer button is pressed down over this element
onmousemove	JavaScript code executed when a pointer button is moved within this element
onmouseout	JavaScript code executed when a pointer button is moved away from this element
onmouseover	JavaScript code executed when a pointer button is moved onto this element
onmouseup	JavaScript code executed when a pointer button is released over this element
panelId	Attribute defines Id for corresponding panel
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Space-separated list of CSS style class(es) to be applied when this element is rendered. This value must be passed through as the "class" attribute on generated markup
switchToState	Contains one of the facets names where target togglePanel is switched to
tabindex	Position of this element in the tabbing order for the current document. This value must be an integer between 0 and 32767
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
title	Advisory title information about markup elements generated for this component
value	Initial value to set when rendered for the first time

Table 6.558. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ToggleControl
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlToggleControl
component-family	org.richfaces.ToggleControl
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ToggleControlRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ToggleControlTag

6.92.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:toggleControl for="panel"/>

        ...

        <rich:togglePanel id="panel" stateOrder="[facets order to be switched]">

            <!--//Set of Facets-->

        </rich:togglePanel>

...

6.92.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlToggleControl;

...

HtmlToggleControl myControl = new HtmlToggleControl();

...

6.92.5. Details of Usage

As it was mentioned above, the control could be in any place in layout and linked to a switching panel that is managed with "for" attribute (in the "for" attribute the full component "id" is specified according to naming containers).

The togglePanel could be also switched from the side of the control instead of being strictly defined in "switchOrder" attribute of <rich:togglePanel>.

Example:


...

    <rich:togglePanel id="panel" initialState="empty" switchType="client">

        <f:facet name="first">

            <h:panelGroup>

                <rich:toggleControl for="helloForm:panel" value="Empty" switchToState="empty"/>

                <rich:toggleControl for="helloForm:panel" value=" Second" switchToState="second"/>

                ...//Some Content

            </h:panelGroup>

        </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="second">

            <h:panelGroup>

                <rich:toggleControl for="helloForm:panel" value="Empty" switchToState="empty"/>

                <rich:toggleControl for="helloForm:panel" value=" first" switchToState="first"/>

                ...//Some Content

            </h:panelGroup>

        </f:facet>

        <f:facet name="empty">

            <h:panelGroup>

                <rich:toggleControl for="helloForm:panel" value="first" switchToState="first"/>

                <rich:toggleControl for="helloForm:panel" value=" second" switchToState="second"/>

            </h:panelGroup>

        </f:facet>

    </rich:togglePanel>

...

In this example the switching is performed on facets specified in the "switchToState" attribute.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find " Decide what to process " guide section.

6.92.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

To redefine the appearance of all <rich:toggleControl> components at once, you should add to your style sheets style class used by a <rich:toggleControl> component.

6.92.7. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Table 6.559. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-tglctrl	Defines styles for a toggle control

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:toggleControl> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-tglctrl {

      font-family: monospace;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.292. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example font family was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:toggleControl> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:toggleControl> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass {

      font-style: italic;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:toggleControl> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:toggleControl ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.293. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, the font style was changed.

6.93. < rich:toolBar >

6.93.1. Description

A horizontal bar with Action items on it that accepts any JSF components as children.

Figure 6.294. <rich:toolBar> with action items

6.93.2. Key Features

Skinnable menu panel and child items
Standard top menu bar that can be used in accordance with a menu component
Grouping bar content
Easily place content on any side of a menu bar using predefined group layout
Predefined separators for menu items and groups
Any content inside

Table 6.560. rich : toolBar attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
contentClass	A CSS style is to be applied to each element of tool bar content. Use this style, for example, to setup parameters of the font.
contentStyle	A CSS style is to be applied to each element of tool bar content.
height	A height of a bar in pixels. If a height is not defined, a bar height depends of the "headerFontSize" skin parameter.
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
itemSeparator	A separator between items on a bar. Possible values are "none", "line", "square", "disc" and "grid". Default value is "none".
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
onitemclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked on an item
onitemdblclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked on an item
onitemkeydown	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed down on an item
onitemkeypress	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed and released on an item
onitemkeyup	HTML: a script expression; a key is released on an item
onitemmousedown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down on an item
onitemmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved on an item
onitemmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away from an item
onitemmouseover	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto an item
onitemmouseup	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released on an item
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
separatorClass	A CSS class to be applied to tool bar separators.
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
width	A width of a bar that can be defined in pixels or as percentage. Default value is "100%".

Table 6.561. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ToolBar
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlToolBar
component-family	org.richfaces.ToolBar
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ToolBarRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ToolBarTag

6.93.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:toolBar>

        <!--//...Set of action or other JSF components-->

    </rich:toolBar>

...

6.93.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

A toolBar is a wrapper component that facilitates creation of menu and tool bars. All components defined inside are located on a stylized bar with possibility to group, arrange on the both bar sides, and place predefined separators between them.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlToolBar;

...

HtmlToolBar myToolBar = new HtmlToolBar();

...

6.93.5. Details of Usage

Grouping and an input side definition is described for toolBarGroup that defines this functionality.

Separators are located between components with the help of the "itemSeparator" attribute with four predefined values:

"none"
"line"
"square"
"disc"

For example, when setting a separator of a disc type, the following result is produced:

Figure 6.295. <rich:toolBar> with a "disc" separator

Moreover, for toolBar style "width" and "height" attributes are placed above all.

A custom separator can be added with the help of "itemSeparator" facet.

Example:


...

<f:facet name="itemSeparator"> 

    <rich:separator width="2" height="14" /> 

</f:facet>

...

Custom separator can be also specified by URL to the separator image in the attribute "itemSeparator" of the <rich:toolBar> .

Example:


...

<rich:toolBar id="toolBar" width="#{bean.width}" height="#{bean.height}" itemSeparator="/images/separator_img.jpg"/>

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.296. <rich:toolBar> with "itemSeparator" attribute.

As it could be seen in the picture above, the image for itemSeparator was changed.

6.93.6. Facets

Table 6.562. Facets

Facet name	Description
itemSeparator	Defines the custom separator. Related attribute is "itemSeparator"

6.93.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:toolBar> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:toolBar> component

6.93.8. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.563. Skin parameters redefinition for a component exterior

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelBorderColor	border-color
headerBackgroundColor	background-color

Table 6.564. Skin parameters redefinition for a component item

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerSizeFont	font-size
headerTextColor	color
headerWeightFont	font-weight
headerFamilyFont	font-family

6.93.9. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Table 6.565. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-toolbar	Defines styles for a toolbar element
rich-toolbar-item	Defines styles for a toolbar item

Figure 6.297. Classes names

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:toolBar> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the tables above) and define necessary properties in them.

Example:


...

.rich-toolbar-item{

    font-weight:bold;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.298. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example font weight for items was changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:toolBar> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:toolBar> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    font-style:italic;

    font-weight:bold;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:toolBar> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:toolBar ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.299. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above,the font style and the font weight for items was changed.

The component also has the standard attributes "style" and "styleClass" that could redefine an appearance of a particular component variants.

6.93.10. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:toolBar> usage and sources for the given example.

6.94. < rich:toolBarGroup >

6.94.1. Description

A group of items inside a tool bar.

Figure 6.300. <rich:toolbarGroup> with items on it

6.94.2. Key Features

Fully skinnable with its child items
Grouping bar content
Easily place content on either side of tool bar using a predefined group layout
Predefined separators for menu items and groups
Any content inside

Table 6.566. rich : toolBarGroup attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
itemSeparator	A separator for the items in a group. Possible values are "none", "line", "square", "disc" and "grid" Default value is "none".
location	A location of a group on a tool bar. Possible values are "left" and "right". Default value is "left".
onitemclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked on an item
onitemdblclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked on an item
onitemkeydown	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed down on an item
onitemkeypress	HTML: a script expression; a key is pressed and released on an item
onitemkeyup	HTML: a script expression; a key is released on an item
onitemmousedown	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is pressed down on an item
onitemmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved on an item
onitemmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away from an item
onitemmouseover	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto an item
onitemmouseup	HTML: script expression; a pointer button is released on an item
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
separatorClass	A CSS class to be applied to tool bar group separators.
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute

Table 6.567. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.ToolBarGroup
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlToolBarGroup
component-family	org.richfaces.ToolBarGroup
renderer-type	org.richfaces.ToolBarGroupRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ToolBarGroupTag

6.94.4. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:toolBar>

        ...

        <rich:toolBarGroup>

            <!--...Set of action or other JSF components-->

        </rich:toolBarGroup>

        <rich:toolBarGroup>

            <!--...Set of action or other JSF components-->

        </rich:toolBarGroup>

        ...

    </rich:toolBar>

...

6.94.5. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

A toolBarGroup is a wrapper component that groups toolBar content and facilitates creation of menu and tool bars. All components defined inside are located on a stylized bar with a possibility to group, arrange on the both bar sides, and place predefined separators between them.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlToolBarGroup;

...

HtmlToolBarGroup myToolBarGroup = new HtmlToolBarGroup();

...

6.94.6. Details of Usage

Separators are located between components with the help of the "itemSeparator" attribute with four predefined values:

"none"
"line"
"square"
"disc"

To control the group location inside, use the "location" attribute with "left" (DEFAULT) and "right" values.

The code result is the following:


...

    <rich:toolBar itemSeparator="disc" width="500">

        <rich:toolBarGroup itemSeparator="line">

            <h:commandLink value="Command 1.1"/>

            <h:commandLink value="Command 2.1"/>

        </rich:toolBarGroup>

        <rich:toolBarGroup itemSeparator="line" location="right">

            <h:commandLink value="Command 1.2"/>

            <h:commandLink value="Command 2.2"/>

        </rich:toolBarGroup>

    </rich:toolBar>

...

Figure 6.301. Stylized <rich:toolbarGroup> with "location" , "itemSeparator" attributes

6.94.7. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:toolBarGroup> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:toolBarGroup> component

6.94.8. Definition of Custom Style Classes

It's possible to change styles of particular <rich:toolBarGroup> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:toolBarGroup> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:toolBarGroup> is defined as it's shown in the example below:


...

.myClass{

        font-style: italic;

}

...


<rich:toolBarGroup ... styleClass="myClass"/>

Some additional information about usage of component can be found on the component Live Demo page.

Figure 6.302. Redefinition styles with own classes and "styleClass" attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above,font style for first toolBarGroup was changed.

6.94.9. Relevant resources links

6.95. < rich:toolTip >

6.95.1. Description

The <rich:toolTip> component is used for creation of event-triggered non modal popup, that contains information regarding the page element, that event was applied to.

Figure 6.303. <rich:toolTip> component

6.95.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look and feel
Different ways of data loading to toolTip
Disablement support

Table 6.568. rich : toolTip attributes

Attribute Name	Description
action	MethodBinding pointing at the application action to be invoked, if this UIComponent is activated by you, during the Apply Request Values or Invoke Application phase of the request processing lifecycle, depending on the value of the immediate property
actionListener	MethodBinding pointing at method accepting an ActionEvent with return type void
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which sends the request only. Default value is "true"
attached	If the value of the "attached" attribute is "true", a component is attached to the parent component; if "false", component does not listen to activating browser events, but could be activated externally. Default value is "true"
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
direction	Defines direction of the popup list to appear. Possible values are "top-right", "top-left", "bottom-right", "bottom-left", "auto". Default value is "bottom-right"
disabled	If false the components is rendered on the client but JavaScript for calling disabled. Default value is "false"
event	DEPRECATED. Use showEvent instead. Default value is "mouseover"
followMouse	If "true" tooltip should follow the mouse while it moves over the parent element. Default value is "false"
for	Id of the target component
hideDelay	Delay in milliseconds before tooltip will be hidden. Default value is "0"
hideEvent	Event that triggers the tooltip disappearance. Default value is "none" (so, the component does not disappears)
horizontalOffset	Sets the horizontal offset between pop-up list and mouse pointer. Default value is "10"
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
immediate	True means, that the default ActionListener should be executed immediately (i.e. during Apply Request Values phase of the request processing lifecycle), rather than waiting until the Invoke Application phase
layout	Block/inline mode flag. Possible value are: "inline" or "block". Default value is "inline". Tooltip will contain div/span elements respectively
mode	Controls the way of data loading to a tooltip. May have following values: "client" (default) and "ajax"
onclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is clicked
oncomplete	JavaScript code for call after the tooltip shown
ondblclick	HTML: a script expression; a pointer button is double-clicked
onhide	JavaScript code for call after the tooltip hidden
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved within
onmouseout	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved away
onmouseover	HTML: a script expression; a pointer is moved onto
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onshow	JavaScript code for call after the tooltip called (some element overed) but before its requesting
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
showDelay	Delay in milliseconds before tooltip will be displayed. Default value is "0"
showEvent	Event that triggers the tooltip. Default value is "onmouseover"
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
value	The current value for this component
verticalOffset	Sets the vertical offset between pop-up list and mouse pointer. Default value is "10"
zorder	The same as CSS z-index for toolTip. Default value is "99"

Table 6.569. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.component.toolTip
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmltoolTip
component-family	org.richfaces.component.toolTip
renderer-type	org.richfaces.renderkit.html.toolTipRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.HtmltoolTipTag

6.95.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

The simplest way to create the <rich:toolTip> component on a page is as following:


...

<rich:panel>

    <rich:toolTip value="Hello, I am the content of this tooltip!"/>

</rich:panel>

...

6.95.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

Text information, labeled on the <rich:toolTip> , is specified with "value" attribute. Text that is put between tooltip start and end tags will also be rendered as tooltip content and could be marked with HTML tags. Images, links, buttons and other RichFaces components are also may be put and composed inside the <rich:toolTip> . The <rich:toolTip> borders are stretched automatically to enclose the contents.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmltoolTip;

...

HtmltoolTip mytoolTip = new  HtmltoolTip();

...

6.95.5. Details of Usage

There are three ways to attach the <rich:toolTip> to a page element. The first and simplest one is when the <rich:toolTip> is nested into a page element the tooltip is applied to. This way is shown on example in the Creating the Component with a Page Tag section. The "attached" attribute is "true" by default in this case, which means that the tolltip will be invoked automatically when the mouse cursor is hovered above the parent component.

The second one uses <rich:toolTip> "for" attribute. In this case the <rich:toolTip> is defined separately from a component it is applied to.

Example:


<rich:panel id="panelId">

...

</rich:panel>

<rich:toolTip value="This is a tooltip." for="panelId"/>

These two ways are also applicable for HTML elements that are not presented in components tree built by facelets. Use "for" attribute to attach the <rich:toolTip> in both cases.

Example:


<!-- The <rich:toolTip> is nested into the parent HTML element -->

<div id="para1">

      <p>This paragraph and tooltip are nested into the same <div> element.</p>

      <rich:toolTip for="para1">This is a tooltip.</rich:toolTip>

</div>



<!-- The <rich:toolTip> is defined separately -->

<div id="para2">

      <p>The tooltip for this paragraph is defined separately.</p>

</div>

<rich:toolTip for="para2">This is a tooltip.</rich:toolTip>

The third way to invoke the <rich:toolTip> uses JS API function. List of JS API functions available for <rich:toolTip> is listed below. JS API functions are defined for a component the <rich:toolTip> is applied to. The <rich:toolTip> "attached" attribute should be set to "false" in this case.

Example:


<rich:panel id="panelId" onclick="#{rich:component("tooltipId")}.show(event);" />

<a4j:form>

      <rich:toolTip id="tooltipId" attached="false" value="This is a tooltip."/>

</a4j:form>

Notes:

To provide <rich:toolTip> component proper work in complex cases do the following:

specify "id's" for both <rich:toolTip> and component it is applied to;
define the <rich:toolTip> as last child, when nesting it into the component the <rich:toolTip> is applied to;
put the <rich:toolTip> into <a4j:form> when invoking it with JS API function.

The "mode" attribute is provided you to control the way of data loading to <rich:toolTip> . The component works properly in client and Ajax modes. In client mode <rich:toolTip> content is rendered once on the server and could be rerendered only via external submit. In Ajax mode <rich:toolTip> content is requested from server for every activation. For Ajax mode there is possibility to define a facet "defaultContent" , which provides default <rich:toolTip> content to be displayed, while main content is loading into the <rich:toolTip> (see the example below).

Example:


...

<h:commandLink value="Simple Link" id="link">

    <rich:toolTip followMouse="true" direction="top-right" mode="ajax" value="#{bean.toolTipContent}" horizontalOffset="5" 

        verticalOffset="5" layout="block">

        <f:facet name="defaultContent">

            <f:verbatim>DEFAULT TOOLTIP CONTENT</f:verbatim>

        </f:facet>

    </rich:toolTip>

</h:commandLink>

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.304. <rich:toolTip> component with default content

And after <rich:toolTip> loaded it is changed to next one:

Figure 6.305. <rich:toolTip> component with loaded content

<rich:toolTip> appears attached to the corner dependent on the "direction" attribute. By default it is positioned bottom-right. <rich:toolTip> activation occurs after an event, defined on the parent component, takes into consideration the "delay" attribute or after calling JS API function show(). "hideEvent" attribute defines the way how <rich:toolTip> disappears. It default value is "none", so the <rich:toolTip> does not disappears. Deactivation may be set for example on mouseout event on the parent component (excepting the situation when the mouse is hovered onto the <rich:toolTip> itself) or after calling JS API function hide().

By default, <rich:toolTip> appears smart positioned. But as you can see from the previous example, you can define an appearance direction via the corresponding attribute "direction" . And also it's possible to define vertical and horizontal offsets relatively to a mouse position.

Disabled <rich:toolTip> is rendered to a page as usual but JS that responds for its activation is disabled until enable() is called.

Moreover, to add some JavaScript effects, client events defined on it are used:

Standart:

"onclick"
"ondblclick"
"onmouseout"
"onmousemove"
"onmouseover"

Special:

"onshow" - Called after the tooltip is called (some element hovered) but before its request
"oncomplete" - Called just after the tooltip is shown
"onhide" - Called after the tooltip is hidden

6.95.6. JavaScript API

Table 6.570. JavaScript API

Function	Description
show()	Shows the corresponding toolTip
hide()	Hides the corresponding toolTip
enable()	Enables the corresponding toolTip
disable()	Disables the corresponding toolTip

6.95.7. Facets

Table 6.571. Facets

Facet name	Description
defaultContent	Defines the default content for toolTip. It is used only if mode = "ajax"

6.95.8. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:toolTip> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:toolTip> component

6.95.9. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.572. Skin parameters redefinition for a component

Skin parameters	CSS properties
tipBackgroundColor	background-color
tipBorderColor	border-color
generalSizeFont	font-size
generalFamilyFont	font-family
generalFontColor	color

6.95.10. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Table 6.573. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-tool-tip	Defines styles for a wrapper <span> or <div> element of a toolTip

It depends on <rich:toolTip> layout what a wrapper element <span> or <div> to choose.

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:toolTip> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the table above) and define necessary properties in them. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.rich-tool-tip{

    background-color: #eef2f8;

    border-color: #7196c8;

    

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.306. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a tool tip background color, border color and font style were changed.

Also it's possible to change styles of particular <rich:toolTip> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:toolTip> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

     font-style: italic;

}

...

The "styleClass" attribute for <rich:toolTip> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:toolTip ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.307. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it could be seen on the picture above, background color and border color of tool tip were changed.

6.95.11. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:toolTip> usage and sources for the given example.

6.96. < rich:treeNode >

6.96.1. Description

The <rich:treeNode> component is designed for creating sets of tree elements within a <rich:tree> component.

Figure 6.308. <rich:treeNode> component

6.96.2. Key Features

Possibility to assign different icon images for each node within a tree
Drag and Drop support
Look-and-Feel customization

Table 6.574. rich : treeNode attributes

Attribute Name	Description
acceptCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates when acceptable draggable over dropzone
acceptedTypes	A list of drag zones types, which elements are accepted by a drop zone
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
ajaxSubmitSelection	An algorithm of AJAX request submission. Possible values are "inherit", "true", "false". Default value is "inherit".
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
changeExpandListener	Listener called on expand/collapse event on the node
cursorTypeMapping	Mapping between drop types and acceptable cursors
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
dragIndicator	Id of a component that is used as drag pointer during the drag operation
dragListener	MethodBinding representing an action listener method that will be notified after drag operation
dragType	A drag zone type that is used for zone definition, which elements can be accepted by a drop zone
dragValue	Data to be sent to the drop zone after a drop event. Default value is "getUITree().getDragValue()".
dropListener	MethodBinding representing an action listener method that will be notified after drop operation
dropValue	Data to be processed after a drop event. Default value is "getUITree().getDropValue()".
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
grabbingCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates when you has grabbed something
grabCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates when you can grab and drag an object
highlightedClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute. Applied to highlighted node
icon	The icon for node
iconCollapsed	The icon for collapsed node
iconExpanded	The icon for expanded node
iconLeaf	An icon for component leaves
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
nodeClass	Name of node CSS class
nodeSelectListener	MethodBinding representing an action listener method that will be notified after selection of node.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncollapse	HTML: script expression to invoke on node collapsing
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
oncontextmenu	JavaScript handler to be called on right click. Returning false prevents default browser context menu from being displayed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
ondragend	A JavaScript event handler called after a drag operation. Default value is "getDefaultOndragend()".
ondragenter	A JavaScript event handler called on enter draggable object to zone. Default value is "getDefaultOndragenter()".
ondragexit	A JavaScript event handler called after a drag object leaves zone. Default value is "getDefaultOndragexit()".
ondragstart	A JavaScript event handler called before drag object. Default value is "getDefaultOndragstart()".
ondrop	It's an event that is called when something is dropped on a drop zone. Default value is "getDefaultOndrop()".
ondropend	A JavaScript handler for event fired on a drop even the drop for a given type is not available. Default value is "getDefaultOndropend()".
ondropout	A JavaScript event handler called after a out operation
ondropover	A JavaScript event handler called after a drop operation
onexpand	HTML: script expression to invoke on node expansion
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselected	HTML: script expression to invoke on node selection
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rejectCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates when rejectable draggable over dropzone
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection. Default value is "getDefaultReRender()".
selectedClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute. Applied to selected node
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
timeout	Gets timeout in ms. Default value is "getDefaultTimeout()".
type	A node type
typeMapping	The attribute associates a type of dragable zone (dragType) with <rich:dndParam> defined for <rich:dropSupport> for passing parameter value to <rich:dragIndicator>. It uses JSON format: (drag_type: parameter_name).

Table 6.575. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.TreeNode
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlTreeNode
component-family	org.richfaces.TreeNode
renderer-type	org.richfaces.TreeNodeRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.TreeNodeTag

6.96.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

Here is a simple example as it can be used on a page:


...

    <rich:tree ... faceNode="simpleNode">

        <rich:treeNode type="simpleNode">

            <!--Tree node data displaying template-->

        </rich:treeNode>

    </rich:tree>

...

6.96.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The "icon" , "iconCollapsed" , "iconExpanded" , "iconLeaf" attributes define icons for the component. Also you can define icons using facets with the same names. If the facets are defined, the corresponding attributes are ignored and facets contents are used as icons. The width of a rendered facet area is 16px.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlTreeNode;

...

HtmlTreeNode myPanel = new HtmlTreeNode();

...

6.96.5. Details of Usage


...

    <rich:tree ...>

        ...

        <rich:treeNode ...>

            <f:facet name="icon">

                <outputText value="A"/>

            </f:facet>

            <f:facet name="iconCollapsed">

                <outputText value="B"/>

            </f:facet>      

            <f:facet name="iconExpanded">

                <outputText value="C"/>

            </f:facet>

            <f:facet name="iconLeaf">

                <outputText value="D"/>

            </f:facet>

        </rich:treeNode>

        ...

    </rich:tree>

...

As it has been mentioned above, <rich:treeNode> defines a template for nodes rendering in a tree. Thus, during XML document rendering (a web.xml application) as a tree, the following nodes output (passed via var="data" on a tree) happens:

Example:


...

    <rich:tree ... faceNode="simpleNode" ... value="#{bean.data}" var="data">

        <rich:treeNode type="simpleNode">

            <h:outputText value="context-param:"/>

            <h:inputText value="#{data.name}"/>

        </rich:treeNode>

    </rich:tree >

...

Figure 6.309. Nodes output

Hence, <h:outputText /> tag outputs the "context-param" string and then the <h:inputText /> outputs the data.name element of this node.

Different nodes for rendering could be defined depending on some conditions on the tree level. Each condition represents some rendering template. To get more information on various treeNodesAdaptorAdaptor definition for nodes, see the tree component chapter.

Switching between expanded/collapsed modes is also managed on the tree level and defined in the corresponding section.

Default nodes of the tree level as well as the ones defined with the treeNodesAdaptorAdaptor component could send Ajax requests when selected with the mouse, it's managed with the "ajaxSubmitSelection" attribute (true/false).

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find " Decide what to process " guide section.

6.96.6. Built-in Drag and Drop

The main information on Drag and Drop operations is given in the corresponding paragraph of the tree component chapter. It's only necessary to mention that each node could also be a Drag element as well as a Drop container, i.e. the container and the element have all attributes, listeners and ways of behavior similar to the ones of the <rich:dragSupport > and <rich:dropSupport > components simultaneously.

6.96.7. Events Handling

Just as Drag and Drop operations it corresponds to the one described on the tree component level for a default Node.

6.96.8. Facets

Table 6.576. Facets

Facet name	Description
icon	Redefines the icon for node. Related attribute is "icon"
iconCollapsed	Redefines the icon for collapsed node. Related attribute is "iconCollapsed"
iconExpanded	Redefines the icon for expanded node. Related attribute is "iconExpanded"
iconLeaf	Redefines the icon for component leaves. Related attribute is "iconLeaf"

6.96.9. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:treeNode> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:treeNode> component

6.96.10. Skin Parameters Redefinition

Table 6.577. Skin parameters for a node element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
panelTextColor	color
preferableDataSizeFont	font-size
preferableDataFamilyFont	font-family

Table 6.578. Skin parameters for a selected element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
headerBackgroundColor	border-color
panelTextColor	color
selectControlColor	color

Table 6.579. Skin parameters for a mouseovered element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
selectControlColor	color

6.96.11. Definition of Custom Style Classes

On the screenshot there are classes names that define styles for component elements.

Figure 6.310. Classes names

Table 6.580. Classes names that define a node element

Class name	Description
rich-tree-node	Defines styles for a tree node
rich-tree-node-handle	Defines styles for a tree node handle
rich-tree-node-handleicon	Defines styles for a tree node handle icon
rich-tree-node-children	Defines styles for all tree node subnodes
rich-tree-node-text	Defines styles for a tree node text
rich-tree-node-icon	Defines styles for a tree node icon
rich-tree-node-icon-leaf	Defines styles for a tree node icon leaf

Table 6.581. Classes names that define states for a node element

Class name	Description
rich-tree-node-selected	Defines styles for a selected tree node
rich-tree-node-highlighted	Defines styles for a highlighted tree node
rich-tree-node-handleicon-collapsed	Defines styles for a collapsed tree node handleicon
rich-tree-node-handleicon-expanded	Defines styles for a expanded tree node handleicon

In order to redefine the style for all <rich:treeNode> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names and define the necessary properties in them.

To change the style of particular <rich:treeNode> components define your own style classes in the corresponding <rich:treeNode> attributes.

It is also possible to change look and feel of specific <rich:treeNode> with the help of defining for them "selectedClass" and "highlightedClass" attributes by their specific classes.

6.96.12. Relevant Resources Links

How to Expand/Collapse Tree Nodes from code see in this wiki article.

6.97. < rich:tree >

6.97.1. Description

The component is designed for hierarchical data presentation and is applied for building a tree structure with a drag-and-drop capability.

Figure 6.311. Expanded <rich:tree> with child elements

6.97.2. Key Features

Highly customizable look-and-feel
Built-in drag and drop capability, than enable relocating tree nodes within the tree
Built-in Ajax processing
Possibility to define a visual representation by node type
Support of several root elements in a tree

Table 6.582. rich : tree attributes

Attribute Name	Description
acceptCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates when acceptable draggable over dropzone
acceptedTypes	A list of drag zones types, which elements are accepted by a drop zone
adviseNodeOpened	MethodBinding pointing at a method accepting an org.richfaces.component.UITree with return of java.lang.Boolean type. If returned value is: java.lang.Boolean. TRUE, a particular treeNode is expanded; java.lang.Boolean.FALSE, a particular treeNode is collapsed; null, a particular treeNode saves the current state
adviseNodeSelected	MethodBinding pointing at a method accepting an org.richfaces.component.UITree with return of java.lang.Boolean type. If returned value is: java.lang.Boolean. TRUE, a particular treeNode is selected; java.lang.Boolean.FALSE, a particular treeNode is unselected; null, a particular treeNode saves the current state
ajaxChildActivationEncodeBehavior	Defines which nodes keys will be added to AjaxNodeKeys automatically on the request from the children of the node. Values: "none" - nothing, "node" - only current node, "subtree" - node and all its children.
ajaxKeys	This attribute defines row keys that are updated after an AJAX request.
ajaxNodeKeys	Keys of the nodes (without subtree) to be updated for ajax request risen by the node itself
ajaxNodeSelectionEncodeBehavior	Defines which nodes keys will be added to AjaxNodeKeys automatically on selecting ajax request from the node. Values: "none" - nothing, "node" - only current node, "subtree" - node and all its children.
ajaxSingle	boolean attribute which provides possibility to limit JSF tree processing(decoding, conversion/validation, value applying) to the component which send the request only
ajaxSubmitSelection	If "true", an Ajax request to be submit when selecting node. Default value is "false".
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
bypassUpdates	If "true", after process validations phase it skips updates of model beans on a force render response. It can be used for validating components input
changeExpandListener	Listener called on expand/collapse event on the node
componentState	It defines EL-binding for a component state for saving or redefinition
cursorTypeMapping	Mapping between drop types and acceptable cursors
data	Serialized (on default with JSON) data passed on the client by a developer on AJAX request. It's accessible via "data.foo" syntax
disableKeyboardNavigation	Disables keyboard navigation. Default value is "false"
dragIndicator	Id of a component that is used as drag pointer during the drag operation
dragListener	MethodBinding representing an action listener method that will be notified after drag operation
dragType	A drag zone type that is used for zone definition, which elements can be accepted by a drop zone
dragValue	Data to be sent to the drop zone after a drop event. Default value is "getRowKey()".
dropListener	MethodBinding representing an action listener method that will be notified after drop operation
dropValue	Data to be processed after a drop event. Default value is "getRowKey()".
eventsQueue	Name of requests queue to avoid send next request before complete other from same event. Can be used to reduce number of requests of frequently events (key press, mouse move etc.)
focus	id of element to set focus after request completed on client side
grabbingCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates when you has grabbed something
grabCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates when you can grab and drag an object
highlightedClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute. Applied to highlighted node
icon	The icon for node
iconCollapsed	The icon for collapsed node
iconExpanded	The icon for expanded node
iconLeaf	An icon for component leaves
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
ignoreDupResponses	Attribute allows to ignore an Ajax Response produced by a request if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already. ignoreDupResponses="true" does not cancel the request while it is processed on the server, but just allows to avoid unnecessary updates on the client side if the response isn't actual now
immediate	A flag indicating that this component value must be converted and validated immediately (during an Apply Request Values phase), rather than waiting until a Process Validations phase
limitToList	If "true", then of all AJAX-rendered on the page components only those will be updated, which ID's are passed to the "reRender" attribute of the describable component. "false"-the default value-means that all components with ajaxRendered="true" will be updated.
nodeFace	Node face facet name
nodeSelectListener	MethodBinding representing an action listener method that will be notified after selection of node.
onbeforedomupdate	The client side script method to be called before DOM is updated
onclick	The clientside script method to be called when the element is clicked
oncollapse	HTML: script expression to invoke on node collapsing
oncomplete	The client side script method to be called after the request is completed
oncontextmenu	JavaScript handler to be called on right click. Returning false prevents default browser context menu from being displayed
ondblclick	The client side script method to be called when the element is double-clicked
ondragend	A JavaScript event handler called after a drag operation
ondragenter	A JavaScript event handler called on enter draggable object to zone
ondragexit	A JavaScript event handler called after a drag object leaves zone
ondragstart	A JavaScript event handler called before drag operation
ondrop	It's an event that is called when something is dropped on a drop zone
ondropend	A JavaScript handler for event fired on a drop even the drop for a given type is not available
ondropout	A JavaScript event handler called after a out operation
ondropover	A JavaScript event handler called after a drop operation
onexpand	HTML: script expression to invoke on node expansion
onkeydown	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed down over the element
onkeypress	The client side script method to be called when a key is pressed over the element and released
onkeyup	The client side script method to be called when a key is released
onmousedown	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is pressed down over the element
onmousemove	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved within the element
onmouseout	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved away from the element
onmouseover	The client side script method to be called when a pointer is moved onto the element
onmouseup	The client side script method to be called when a mouse button is released
onselected	HTML: script expression to invoke on node selection
preserveDataInRequest	If "true", data is preserved in a request. Default value is "true".
preserveModel	Possible values are "state", "request", "none". Default value is "request"
process	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, processed at the phases 2-5 in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rejectCursors	List of comma separated cursors that indicates when rejectable draggable over dropzone
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
requestDelay	Attribute defines the time (in ms.) that the request will be wait in the queue before it is ready to send. When the delay time is over, the request will be sent to the server or removed if the newest 'similar' request is in a queue already
reRender	Id['s] (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of components, rendered in case of AjaxRequest caused by this component. Can be single id, comma-separated list of Id's, or EL Expression with array or Collection
rightClickSelection	Allow to select tree item using mouse right click
rowKeyConverter	Converter for a row key object
rowKeyVar	The attribute provides access to a row key in a Request scope
selectedClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute. Applied to selected node
showConnectingLines	If "true", connecting lines are show
similarityGroupingId	If there are any component requests with identical IDs then these requests will be grouped.
stateAdvisor	ValueBinding pointing at instance of class implementing org.richfaces.component.state.TreeStateAdvisor interface.
stateVar	The attribute provides access to a component state on the client side
status	ID (in format of call UIComponent.findComponent()) of Request status component
style	CSS style(s) is/are to be applied when this component is rendered
styleClass	Corresponds to the HTML class attribute
switchType	Tree Nodes switch mode: "client", "server", "ajax"
timeout	Response waiting time on a particular request. If a response is not received during this time, the request is aborted
toggleOnClick	If "false" do not toggle node state on click. If "true", than node will be toggles on click on ether node content, or node icon. Default value is "false".
treeNodeVar	The attribute provides access to a TreeNode instance in a Request scope
typeMapping	The attribute associates a type of dragable zone (dragType) with <rich:dndParam> defined for <rich:dropSupport> for passing parameter value to <rich:dragIndicator>. It uses JSON format: (drag_type: parameter_name).
value	The current value for this component
var	Attribute contains a name providing an access to data defined with value

Table 6.583. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.Tree
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlTree
component-family	org.richfaces.Tree
renderer-type	org.richfaces.TreeRenderer
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.TreeTag

6.97.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

There are two ways to set up a tree

Using model (org.richfaces.model.TreeNode or javax.swing.tree.TreeNode)

Using model tags <rich:recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor> , <rich:treeNodesAdaptor> .


...

<rich:tree value="#{library.data}" var="item" >

    <rich:treeNode  icon="/images/tree/singer.png" >

        <h:outputText value="#{item.name}" />

    </rich:treeNode>

    ...

</rich:tree>

...


...

<rich:tree>

    <rich:recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor roots="#{fileSystemBean.sourceRoots}" var="item" nodes="#{item.nodes}" />

</rich:tree>

...

6.97.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlTree;

...

HtmlTree myTree = new HtmlTree();

...

6.97.5. Details of Usage

As it has been mentioned above the <rich:tree> component allows rendering any tree-like data model.

You can build your <rich:tree> using model (org.richfaces.model.TreeNode or javax.swing.tree.TreeNode). In this case the <rich:tree> component interacts with data model via "TreeNode" interface ( org.richfaces.model.TreeNode ) that is used for the <rich:tree> nodes representation.

Actually you can develop and use your own implementation of the "TreeNode" interface or use a default one, which is defined with a default class "TreeNodeImpl" ( org.richfaces.model.TreeNodeImpl ).

The "value" attribute of the <rich:tree> component contains a nodes structure defined in a bean property.

When the <rich:tree> component is being rendered it iterates over the model nodes and renders them using one of its immediate <rich:treeNode> children. Data property of the current model TreeNode is exposed using "var" attribute, so if var="station" you can refer to that data using #{station} syntax.

In the following example the <rich:tree> is built from a simple org.richfaces.model.TreeNode model:

...

private TreeNodeImpl<String> stationRoot = new TreeNodeImpl<String>();

private TreeNodeImpl<String> stationNodes = new TreeNodeImpl<String>(); 

private String[] kickRadioFeed = { "Hall & Oates - Kiss On My List",

    "David Bowie - Let's Dance", "Lyn Collins - Think (About It)",

    "Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes",

    "KC & the Sunshine Band - Give It Up" };

    ... 

stationRoot.setData("KickRadio");

stationNodes.addChild(0, stationRoot);

for (int i = 0; i < kickRadioFeed.length; i++){

    TreeNodeImpl<String> child = new TreeNodeImpl<String>();

    child.setData(kickRadioFeed[i]);

    stationRoot.addChild(i, child);

}

...

As it is mentioned before you need to pass #{stations.stationNodes} property to the "value" attribute and define the "var" attribute in order to refer to the data:


...

<rich:tree value="#{stations.stationNodes}" var="station">

    <rich:treeNode>

        <h:outputText value="#{station}" />

    </rich:treeNode>

</rich:tree>

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.312. A simple <rich:tree> from a org.richfaces.model.TreeNode

Implementation of the <rich:tree> component provides another way to build a tree. This approach implies using a "XmlTreeDataBuilder" class ( org.richfaces.component.xml.XmlTreeDataBuilder ) that allows to transform XML into structures of objects containing "XmlNodeData" ( org.richfaces.component.xml.XmlNodeData ) instances as data, which could be represented by the <rich:tree> component.

Let's try to build a simple <rich:tree> from a local XML file. In the following example a simple XML file (stations.xml) is used as a radio station playlist:


<?xml version="1.0"?>

<station name="KickRadio">

        <feed date="today">

            <song time="07:00">Hall & Oates - Kiss On My List</song>

            <song time="07:03">David Bowie - Let's Dance</song> 

            <song time="07:06">Lyn Collins - Think (About It)</song>

            <song time="07:10">Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes</song>

            <song time="07:15">KC & the Sunshine Band - Give It Up</song>

        </feed>

</station>

Now you need to create a bean that holds a model nodes:

...

private TreeNode data;

    ...

FacesContext context = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance();

data = XmlTreeDataBuilder.build(new InputSource(getClass().getResourceAsStream("stations.xml")));

...

Finally you should set the "value" attribute to the data bean property and define the "var" attribute in order to refer to the data of nodes:


...

<rich:tree id="treeXML" value="#{stations.data}" var="vardata">

    <rich:treeNode>

        <h:outputText value="#{vardata.attributes['name']}" />

        <h:outputText value="#{vardata.attributes['date']}" />

        <h:outputText value="#{vardata.attributes['time']}" />

        <h:outputText value=" #{vardata.text}" />

    </rich:treeNode>

</rich:tree>

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.313. A simple <rich:tree> from a local XML file

It's possible to define a visual representation of a node data model (to define a node icon) and its behavior in correspondence with the data contained in this node (with a value of the "var" attribute). The node behavior is defined by the components nested into the <rich:treeNode> (e.g. links or buttons). For these purposes you should use "nodeFace" attribute. For each tree node a value of "nodeFace" attribute is evaluated and <rich:treeNode> with a value of "type" attribute equal to a value of "nodeFace" is used for node representation. See an example below.


...

<h:form>

    <rich:tree style="width:300px" value="#{library.data}" var="item" nodeFace="#{item.type}">

        <rich:treeNode type="artist" iconLeaf="/images/tree/singer.png" icon="/images/tree/singer.png">

            <h:outputText value="#{item.name}" />

        </rich:treeNode>

        <rich:treeNode type="album" iconLeaf="/images/tree/disc.png" icon="/images/tree/disc.png">

            <h:outputText value="#{item.title}" />

        </rich:treeNode>

        <rich:treeNode type="song" iconLeaf="/images/tree/song.png" icon="/images/tree/song.png">

            <h:outputText value="#{item.title}" />

        </rich:treeNode>

    </rich:tree>

</h:form>

...

Words "built-in" in this context mean, that <rich:tree> component has its own attributes, that provide drag-and-drop capability. These attributes can be divided into two groups: those ones which provide drag and those which provide drop operations (see the tables below).

Figure 6.314. The "nodeFace" attribute usage

In the example above, when each node of data model is processed, data contained in the "data" property of "TreeNode" interface is assigned to a request scope variable, which name is defined with "var" attribute. The value of the "nodeFace" attribute is evaluated in correspondence with the data assigned to the "var" attribute. The corresponding <rich:treeNode> component (with a value of "type" attribute equal to a value of "nodeFace" ) is used for the node representation. For example, during data model processing, an object with a name "Chris Rea" was inserted in the "var" attribute. Then the value of "nodeFace" attribute was evaluated as "artist". Thus, for the node representation the <rich:treeNode> with "type" equal to "artist" was used.

You can also assign an EL-expression as value of the "nodeFace" attribute. See an example below:

Example:



nodeFace="#{data.name != 'param-value' ? 'artist' : 'album'}"

There are some essential points in a "nodeFace" attribute usage: you need to define notions for typeless and a default nodes.

The typeless node is the first <rich:treeNode> component (from all children nodes nested to the <rich:tree> component) with not defined "type" attribute and defined "rendered" attribute. The typeless node is used for representation when "nodeFace" attribute is null.

Default node has the following interior presentation:

Example:


...

<h:outputText value="#{varAttributeName}">

...

"varAttributeName" is a value for "var" attribute.

Default node is used in the following cases:

"nodeFace" attribute is defined, but its value isn't equal to any "type" attribute value from all children nodes;
"nodeFace" attribute is defined and its value is equal to a value of some "type" attribute from all children nodes, but the value of "rendered" attribute for this node is "false".

There is also one thing that has to be remembered using "type" and "rendered" attributes: it's possible to define several <rich:treeNode> components with equal values of "type" attribute and different values of "rendered" attribute. It provides a possibility to define different representation styles for the same node types. In the example with artists and their albums (see above) it's possible to represent albums that are available for sale and albums that are not available. Please study the example below:

Example:


...

<h:form>

    <rich:tree style="width:300px" value="#{library.data}" var="item" nodeFace="#{item.type}">

    ...

        <rich:treeNode type="album" iconLeaf="/images/tree/album.gif" icon="/images/tree/album.gif"

                      rendered="#{item.exist}">

            <h:outputText value="#{item.name}" />

        </rich:treeNode>

        <rich:treeNode type="album" iconLeaf="/images/tree/album_absent.gif" icon="/images/tree/album_absent.gif"

                      rendered="#{not item.exist}">

            <h:outputText value="#{item.name}" />

        </rich:treeNode>

    ...

    </rich:tree>

</h:form>

...

This is a result of the code:

Figure 6.315. The "type" and the "rendered" attributes usage

In the example the <rich:treeNode> components has equal values of the "type" attribute. Depending on value of the "rendered" attribute the corresponding <rich:treeNode> component is selected for node representation. If an album is available for sale the value of the "rendered" for the first <rich:treeNode> component is "true", for the second one is "false". Thus, the first <rich:treeNode> is selected for node representation.

Tree node can be run in tree modes. Modes can be specified with "switchType" attribute for <rich:tree> component.

Ajax (default value) - Ajax submission is used performing the functionality. Note, that for collapse/expand operations an Ajax request is sent to the server and it can cause a short delay.
Server - regular form of submission request is used.
Client – all operations are performed totally on the client; no interaction with a server is involved. Full page content is reloaded after every action.

The "icon" , "iconCollapsed" , "iconExpanded" , "iconLeaf" attributes set the icons' images for the component. You can also define icons using facets with the same names. If the facets are defined, the corresponding attributes are ignored and facets' content is used as icons. By default the width of a rendered facet area is 16px.

Example:


...

<rich:tree value="#{library.data}" var="item">

    ...

    <f:facet name="icon">

        <h:graphicImage value="/images/tree/singer.png "/>

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="iconCollapsed">

        <h:graphicImage value="/images/tree/singer.png" />

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="iconExpanded">

        <h:graphicImage value="/images/tree/singer.png" />

    </f:facet>

    <f:facet name="iconLeaf">

        <h:graphicImage value="/images/tree/song.png" />

    </f:facet>

    ...

</rich:tree>

...

The <rich: tree> component can be used together with <rich: treeNodeAdaptor> . In this case there is no need to specify the attributes "value" and "var" . Besides, visual representation shouldn't be defined right in the tree. In this case a <rich: tree> tag is applied mainly for defining common attributes such as "ajaxSubmitSelection" etc.

Information about the "process" attribute usage you can find in the "Decide what to process" guide section.

As it's mentioned before, the <rich:tree> component uses a data model to represent the tree-like nodes structure on the page. To identify a particular node during a client request, the model provides a set of unique keys for tree nodes. The tree can use strings as keys values which may contain special characters not allowed by browsers, such as the left angle bracket (<), ampersand (&), ant etc. Thus, to have a possibility to use unallowed characters in the tree nodes, the following converters are provided:

org.richfaces.TreeRowKeyConverter that is used for "TreeNode" based trees. The key should be of a java.lang.String type.
org.richfaces.TreeAdaptorRowKeyConverter that is used for adaptor-based trees (see <rich:treeNodesAdaptor> , <rich:recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor> ). The key should be of a java.lang.String type.
org.richfaces.TreeAdaptorIntegerRowKeyConverter which is provided for adaptor-based trees. The key should be of a java.lang.Integer type.

The converters can be extended in order to have a possibility for implementing custom converters.

To apply a converter to the <rich:tree> component, you should define it as a value of the "rowKeyConverter" attribute.

Have a look at the example of a tree which contains the RichFaces components as its nodes and the components attributes as the nodes child elements. As the components have unallowed characters (< and >) in their names, the org.richfaces.TreeRowKeyConverter is used here.

Example:


...

<rich:tree value="#{treeBean.data}" var="node" switchType="ajax"    rowKeyConverter="org.richfaces.TreeRowKeyConverter">

     <rich:treeNode ajaxSingle="true">

          <h:outputText value="#{node}"/>

     </rich:treeNode>

</rich:tree>

...

In the example the tree uses the following data model:

...

String[ ] components = {"< a4j:ajaxListener >", "< a4j:keepAlive >", "< a4j:actionparam >" };

String[ ][ ] attributes = {{"type"},

                                {"ajaxOnly", "beanName"},

                                {"actionListener", "assignTo", "binding", "converter", "id", "name", "noEscape", "value"}};

                               

data = new TreeNodeImpl<String>();

            

for (int i = 0; i < components.length; i++) {

     TreeNode<String> child = new TreeNodeImpl<String>();

     child.setData(components[i]);

     data.addChild(components[i], child);

                

     for (int j = 0; j < attributes[i].length; j++) {

          TreeNode<String> grandChild = new TreeNodeImpl<String>();

          grandChild.setData(attributes[i][j]);

          child.addChild(attributes[i][j], grandChild);

     }

}          

...

This is the result:

Figure 6.316. The tree with the org.richfaces.TreeRowKeyConverter usage

6.97.6. Built-In Drag and Drop

Table 6.584. Drag group

Attribute Name	Description
dragValue	Element value drag passed into processing after a Drop event
dragListener	A listener that processes a Drag event
dragIndicator	Id of a component that is used as a drag pointer during the drag operation
dragType	Defines a drag zone type that is used for definition of a dragged element, which can be accepted by a drop zone

Table 6.585. Drop group

Attribute Name	Description
dropValue	Element value drop passed into processing after Drop events
dropListener	A listener that processes a Drop event.
acceptedTypes	Drag zone names are allowed to be processed with a Drop zone
typeMapping	Drag zones names mapping on the corresponding drop zone parameters

Consider drag-and-drop inside a tree. All zones, which are assumed to be dragged, must be marked. In terms of <rich:tree> these zones completely correspond to tree nodes. So, all dragging nodes should be marked with "dragType" attribute. Then, to mark zone(-s), where the dragging node could be dropped, pass the type of dragging node to the "acceptedTypes" attribute of the drop zone. It would be good to itemize, that each tree node in the <rich:tree> component’s structure has its own key. Depending on how the component is used, these keys can be generated by the component itself or can be taken from the component’s data model. Keys help to identify each node in a tree; key is what exactly being passing from one node to another in drag-and-drop operations. Finally, the method binding, that will process drag-and-drop operation, should be pointed via "dropListener" attribute of the <rich:tree> .

Chapters "6.40 <dragIndicator>" and "6.39 <dndParam>" describes how to apply visual element, that show some additional information (e.g. dragging item name) while operating with drag-and-drop.

Page code, that describes a tree with built in drag-and-drop in the way it is considered, is shown below.

Example:


...

<h:form>

     <rich:tree style="width:300px" value="#{libraryAjaxTree.data}" nodeFace="#{item.type}" var="item" dragIndicator=":treeDragIndicator" dropListener="#{libraryAjaxTree.processDrop}">

          <rich:treeNode type="artist" icon="/images/tree/group.png" iconLeaf="/images/tree/group.png" acceptedTypes="album">

               <h:outputText value="#{item.name}" />

          </rich:treeNode>

          <rich:treeNode type="album" icon="/images/tree/cd.png" iconLeaf="/images/tree/cd.png" dragType="album" acceptedTypes="song">

               <h:outputText value="#{item.title}" />

               <rich:dndParam name="label" type="drag" value="Album: #{item.title}" />

          </rich:treeNode>

          <rich:treeNode type="song" icon="/images/tree/music.png" iconLeaf="/images/tree/music.png" dragType="song">

               <h:outputText value="#{item.title}" />

               <rich:dndParam name="label" type="drag" value="Song: #{item.title}" />

          </rich:treeNode>

    </rich:tree>

</h:form>

...

This code renders following tree:

Figure 6.317. Drag-and-drop operations

6.97.7. Events handling

Listeners classes that process events on the server side are defined with the help of:

changeExpandListener processes expand/collapse event of a treeNode
dropListener processes a Drop event
dragListener processes a Drag event
nodeSelectListener is called during request sending on a node selecting event (if request sending on this event is defined)

Listener methods can be defined using the following attributes or using nested tags.

Client event attributes are:

"onexpand" is a script expression to invoke when a node is expanded
"oncollapse" is a script expression to invoke when a node is collapsed
"ondragexit" is a script expression to invoke when an element passing out from a tree zone
"ondragstart" is a script expression to invoke when dragging starts
"ondragend" is a script expression to invoke when dragging ends (a drop event)
"ondragenter" is a script expression to invoke when a dragged element appears on a tree

They can be used to add some JavaScript effects.

Standart HTML event attributes like "onclick" , "onmousedown" , "onmouseover" etc. can be also used. Event handlers of a <rich:tree> component capture events occured on any tree part. But event handlers of treeNode capture events occured on treeNode only, except for children events.

6.97.8. Facets

Table 6.586. Facets

Facet name	Description
icon	Redefines the icon for node. Related attribute is "icon"
iconCollapsed	Redefines the icon for collapsed node. Related attribute is "iconCollapsed"
iconExpanded	Redefines the icon for expanded node. Related attribute is "iconExpanded"
iconLeaf	Redefines the icon for component leaves. Related attribute is "iconLeaf"

6.97.9. Look-and-Feel Customization

For skinnability implementation, the components use a style class redefinition method. Default style classes are mapped on skin parameters.

There are two ways to redefine the appearance of all <rich:tree> components at once:

Redefine the corresponding skin parameters
Add to your style sheets style classes used by a <rich:tree> component

6.97.10. Skin Parameters Redefinition:

There is only one skin parameter for <rich:tree> . As it's a wrapper component for <rich:treeNode> components, look and feel customization is described in the corresponding section.

Table 6.587. Skin parameters for a wrapper element

Skin parameters	CSS properties
overAllBackground	background-color

6.97.11. Definition of Custom Style Classes

Table 6.588. Classes names that define a component appearance

Class name	Description
rich-tree	Defines styles for a wrapper <div> element of a tree

In order to redefine styles for all <rich:tree> components on a page using CSS, it's enough to create classes with the same names (possible classes could be found in the table above) and define necessary properties in them. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

 .rich-tree{

    font-weight:bold;

}

...

This is a result:

Figure 6.318. Redefinition styles with predefined classes

In the example a tree font weight was changed to bold.

Also it's possible to change styles of a particular <rich:tree> component. In this case you should create own style classes and use them in corresponding <rich:tree> styleClass attributes. An example is placed below:

Example:


...

.myClass{

    font-weight:bold;

}

...

The "highlightedClass" attribute for <rich:tree> is defined as it's shown in the example below:

Example:


<rich:tree ... styleClass="myClass"/>

This is a result:

Figure 6.319. Redefinition styles with own classes and styleClass attributes

As it's shown on the picture above, font weight of highlighted text node of a tree was changed to bold.

6.97.12. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:tree> usage and sources for the given example.

How to Expand/Collapse Tree Nodes from code, see in thiswiki article.

6.98. < rich:changeExpandListener >

6.98.1. Description

The <rich:changeExpandListener> represents an action listener method that is notified on an expand/collapse event on the node.

6.98.2. Key Features

Allows to define some "changeExpand" listeners for the component

Table 6.589. rich : changeExpandListener attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
type	The fully qualified Java class name for the listener

Table 6.590. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
listener-class	org.richfaces.event.NodeExpandedListener
event-class	org.richfaces.event.NodeExpandedEvent
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.ChangeExpandListenerTag

6.98.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:changeExpandListener type="demo.Bean"/>

...

6.98.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:changeExpandListener> is used as a nested tag with <rich:tree> and <rich:treeNode> components.

package demo;

public class ImplBean implements org.richfaces.event.NodeExpandedListener{

    ...

}

import demo.ImplBean;

...

ImplBean myListener = new ImplBean();

...

6.98.5. Details of Usage

Attribute "type" defines the fully qualified Java class name for the listener. This class should implement org.richfaces.event.NodeExpandedListener interface.

The typical variant of using:


...

<rich:tree switchType="server" value="#{project.data}" var="item" nodeFace="#{item.type}">

    <rich:changeExpandListener type="demo.ListenerBean"/>

    ...

    <!-- Tree nodes --> 

    ...

</rich:tree>

...

Java bean source:

package demo;

import org.richfaces.event.NodeExpandedEvent;

public class ListenerBean implements org.richfaces.event.NodeExpandedListener{

... 

    public void processExpansion(NodeExpandedEvent arg0){

        //Custom Developer Code 

    }

...

}

...

6.98.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:changeExpandListener> has no skin parameters and custom style classes, as the component isn't visual.

6.99. < rich:nodeSelectListener >

6.99.1. Description

The <rich:nodeSelectListener> represents an action listener method that is notified after selection of a node.

6.99.2. Key Features

Allows to define some "nodeSelect" listeners for the component

Table 6.591. rich : nodeSelectListener attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
type	The fully qualified Java class name for the listener

Table 6.592. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
listener-class	org.richfaces.event.NodeSelectedListener
event-class	org.richfaces.event.NodeSelectedEvent
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.NodeSelectListenerTag

6.99.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag

To create the simplest variant on a page use the following syntax:


...

    <rich:nodeSelectListener type="demo.Bean"/>

...

6.99.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:nodeSelectListener> is used as a nested tag with <rich:tree> and <rich:treeNode> components.

package demo;  

public class ImplBean implements org.richfaces.event.NodeSelectListener{

    ...

}



import demo.ImplBean;

...

ImplBean myListener = new ImplBean();

...

6.99.5. Details of Usage

Attribute "type" defines the fully qualified Java class name for listener. This class should implement org.richfaces.event.NodeSelectedListener . interface

The typical variant of using:


...

<rich:tree switchType="server" value="#{project.data}" var="item" nodeFace="#{item.type}">

    <rich:nodeSelectListener type="demo.ListenerBean"/>

    ...

    <!-- Tree nodes --> 

    ...

</rich:tree>

...

Java bean source:

package demo;

import org.richfaces.event.NodeSelectedEvent;

public class ListenerBean implements org.richfaces.event.NodeSelectedListener{

... 

    public void processSelection(NodeSelectedEvent arg0){

        //Custom Developer Code 

    }

...

}

6.99.6. Look-and-Feel Customization

<rich:nodeSelectListener> has no skin parameters and custom style classes, as the component isn't visual.

6.100. < rich:treeNodesAdaptor >

6.100.1. Description

The <rich:treeNodesAdaptor> provides the possibility to define data models and create representations for them.

Figure 6.320. Expanded tree with <rich:treeNodesAdaptor>

6.100.2. Key Features

Allows to define combined data models
Possibility to define nodes for processing via attributes

Table 6.593. rich : treeNodesAdaptor attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
includedNode	This boolean expression is used to define which elements are processed. Default value is "true".
nodes	Defines collection to use at the other (non-top) levels of iteration
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current collection element will be used when iterating

Table 6.594. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.TreeNodesAdaptor
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlTreeNodesAdaptor
component-family	org.richfaces.TreeNodesAdaptor
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.TreeNodesAdaptorTag

6.100.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag


...

<rich:treeNodesAdaptor var="issue" nodes="#{model.issues}">

    <rich:treeNode>

        <h:commandLink action="#{project.click}" value="Project: #{project.name}" />

    </rich:treeNode>

    ... 

    <!-- Others nodes -->                           

    ...

</rich:treeNodesAdaptor>

...

6.100.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:treeNodesAdaptor> component has a "nodes" attribute that defines a collection of elements to iterate through.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlTreeNodesAdaptor;

...

HtmlTreeNodesAdaptor myTreeNodesAdaptor = new HtmlTreeNodesAdaptor();

...

6.100.5. Details of Usage

Collections are allowed to include lists, arrays, maps, XML NodeList and NamedNodeMap either as a single object.

The "var" attribute is used to access to the current collection element.

The <rich:treeNodesAdaptor> component can be nested without any limitations. See the following example.

The <rich:recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor> is an extension of a <rich:treeNodesAdaptor> component that provides the possibility to define data models and process nodes recursively.


...

<rich:tree adviseNodeOpened="#{treeModelBean.adviseNodeOpened}" switchType="client">

    <rich:treeNodesAdaptor id="project" nodes="#{loaderBean.projects}" var="project">

        <rich:treeNode>

            <h:commandLink action="#{project.click}" value="Project: #{project.name}" />

        </rich:treeNode>

    <rich:treeNodesAdaptor id="srcDir" var="srcDir" nodes="#{project.srcDirs}">

        <rich:treeNode>

            <h:commandLink action="#{srcDir.click}" value="Source directory: #{srcDir.name}" />

        </rich:treeNode>

    <rich:treeNodesAdaptor id="pkg" var="pkg" nodes="#{srcDir.packages}">

        <rich:treeNode>

            <h:commandLink action="#{pkg.click}" value="Package: #{pkg.name}" />

        </rich:treeNode>

    <rich:treeNodesAdaptor id="class" var="class" nodes="#{pkg.classes}">

        <rich:treeNode>

            <h:commandLink action="#{class.click}" value="Class: #{class.name}" />

        </rich:treeNode>

    </rich:treeNodesAdaptor>    

    </rich:treeNodesAdaptor>

    </rich:treeNodesAdaptor>

    </rich:treeNodesAdaptor>

</rich:tree>

...

6.100.6. Relevant Resources Links

On the component LiveDemo page you can see the example of <rich:treeNodesAdaptor > usage and sources for the given example.

6.101. < rich:recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor >

6.101.1. Description

Figure 6.321. Expanded tree with <rich:recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor>

6.101.2. Key Features

Allows to define combined data models
Possibility to define nodes for processing via attributes
Allows to process nodes recursively

Table 6.595. rich : recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor attributes

Attribute Name	Description
binding	The attribute takes a value-binding expression for a component property of a backing bean
id	Every component may have a unique id that is automatically created if omitted
included	This boolean expression is used to define which elements of both collections are processed. Default value is "true".
includedNode	This boolean expression is used to define which elements are processed. Default value is "true".
includedRoot	This boolean expression is used to define which elements are processed applying to "roots" collection. Default value is "true".
nodes	Defines collection to use at the other (non-top) levels of iteration
recursionOrder	The attribute is used to control a recursion order. Possible values are "first", "last", "[id of adaptor]" ("first" and "last" are reserved values). When "[id of the adaptor]" is set it means that recursion occurs after these adaptor component nodes are processed. The default value is "last"
rendered	If "false", this component is not rendered
roots	Defines collection to use at the top of iteration
var	A request-scope attribute via which the data object for the current collection element will be used when iterating

Table 6.596. Component identification parameters

Name	Value
component-type	org.richfaces.RecursiveTreeNodesAdaptor
component-class	org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlRecursiveTreeNodesAdaptor
component-family	org.richfaces.RecursiveTreeNodesAdaptor
tag-class	org.richfaces.taglib.RecursiveTreeNodesAdaptorTag

6.101.3. Creating the Component with a Page Tag


...

<rich:tree switchType="ajax" stateAdvisor="#{treeDemoStateAdvisor}">

    <rich:recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor roots="#{fileSystemBean.sourceRoots}" var="item" nodes="#{item.nodes}" />

</rich:tree>

...

6.101.4. Creating the Component Dynamically Using Java

The <rich:recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor> component has a "roots" attribute that defines collection to use at the top of recursion.

import org.richfaces.component.html.HtmlRecursiveTreeNodesAdaptor;

...

HtmlRecursiveTreeNodesAdaptor myRecursiveTreeNodesAdaptor = new HtmlRecursiveTreeNodesAdaptor();

...

6.101.5. Details of Usage

The "nodes" attribute defines collection to use on another recursion levels.

The "var" attribute is used to access to the current collection element.

The <rich:recursiveTreeNodesAdaptor> component can be nested without any limitations. See the following example.