JSF - ui:param Tag

Using ui:param tag, we can pass parameters to template file or an included file.

In JSF - template tags chapter, we've learned how to create and use template tags. We defined various section such as header, footer, content, and a template combining all the sections.

Now we'll learn −

How to pass parameter(s) to various section of a template
How to pass parameter(s) to a template

Parameter to Section of a Template

Create parameter : common.xhtml

Add parameter to ui:include tag. Use ui:param tag to define a parameter containing a value to be passed to Header section.

<ui:insert name = "header" >
   <ui:include src = "/templates/header.xhtml" >
      <ui:param name = "defaultHeader" value = "Default Header" />
   </ui:include>
</ui:insert>

Use parameter : header.xhtml

<ui:composition> 		
   <h1>#{defaultHeader}</h1>
</ui:composition>

Parameter to Template

Create parameter : home.xhtml

Add parameter to ui:composition tag. Use ui:param tag to define a parameter containing a value to be passed to template.

<ui:composition template = "templates/common.xhtml">	
   <ui:param name = "title" value = "Home" />
</ui:composition>

Use parameter : common.xhtml

<h:body> 
   <h2>#{title}</h2>
</h:body>

Example Application

Let us create a test JSF application to test the template tags in JSF.

Step	Description
1	Create a project with a name helloworld under a package com.tutorialspoint.test as explained in the JSF - Templates Tag chapter.
2	Modify header.xhtml,and common.xhtml files under src → main → webapp → templates folder. Modify them as explained below.
3	Modify home.xhtml as explained below. Keep rest of the files unchanged.
4	Compile and run the application to make sure business logic is working as per the requirements.
5	Finally, build the application in the form of war file and deploy it in Apache Tomcat Webserver.
6	Launch your web application using appropriate URL as explained below in the last step.

header.xhtml

<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" 
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

<html xmlns = "http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"   
   xmlns:ui = "http://java.sun.com/jsf/facelets">
   
   <body>
      <ui:composition> 
         <h1>#{defaultHeader}</h1>
      </ui:composition>	
   </body>
</html>

common.xhtml

<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" 
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

<html xmlns = "http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"   
   xmlns:h = "http://java.sun.com/jsf/html"
   xmlns:ui = "http://java.sun.com/jsf/facelets"> 
   
   <h:head></h:head>
   <h:body>
      <h2>#{title}</h2>
      
      <div style = "border-width:2px; border-color:green; border-style:solid;">
         <ui:insert name = "header" >
            <ui:include src = "/templates/header.xhtml" >
               <ui:param name = "defaultHeader" value = "Default Header" />
            </ui:include>
         </ui:insert> 
      </div>
      <br/>
      
      <div style = "border-width:2px; border-color:black; border-style:solid;">
         <ui:insert name = "content" >
            <ui:include src = "/templates/contents.xhtml" />
         </ui:insert>    
      </div>
      <br/>
      
      <div style = "border-width:2px; border-color:red; border-style:solid;">
         <ui:insert name = "footer" >
            <ui:include src = "/templates/footer.xhtml" />
         </ui:insert>
      </div>
   
   </h:body>
</html>

home.xhtml

<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" 
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

<html xmlns = "http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"   
   xmlns:h = "http://java.sun.com/jsf/html"
   xmlns:ui = "http://java.sun.com/jsf/facelets">
   
   <h:body>
      <ui:composition template = "templates/common.xhtml">
         <ui:param name = "title" value = "Home" />
         
         <ui:define name = "content">				
            <br/><br/>
             <h:link value = "Page 1" outcome = "page1" />
             <h:link value = "Page 2" outcome = "page2" />			
            <br/><br/>
         </ui:define>
      </ui:composition>
   </h:body>
</html>

Once you are ready with all the changes done, let us compile and run the application as we did in JSF - First Application chapter. If everything is fine with your application, this will produce the following result.

jsf_facelets_tags.htm