Parameterized Method Calls

The EL offers support for parameterized method calls. Method calls can use parameters without having to use static EL functions.

Both the . and [] operators can be used for invoking method calls with parameters, as shown in the following expression syntax:

• expr-a[expr-b](parameters)

• expr-a.identifier-b(parameters)

In the first expression syntax, expr-a is evaluated to represent a bean object. The expression expr-b is evaluated and cast to a string that represents a method in the bean represented by expr-a. In the second expression syntax, expr-a is evaluated to represent a bean object, and identifier-b is a string that represents a method in the bean object. The parameters in parentheses are the arguments for the method invocation. Parameters can be zero or more values or expressions, separated by commas.

Parameters are supported for both value expressions and method expressions. In the following example, which is a modified tag from the guessnumber application, a random number is provided as an argument rather than from user input to the method call:

<h:inputText value="#{userNumberBean.userNumber('5')}">

The preceding example uses a value expression.

Consider the following example of a JavaServer Faces component tag that uses a method expression:

<h:commandButton action="#{trader.buy}" value="buy"/>

The EL expression trader.buy calls the trader bean’s buy method. You can modify the tag to pass on a parameter. Here is the revised tag where a parameter is passed:

<h:commandButton action="#{trader.buy('SOMESTOCK')}" value="buy"/>

In the preceding example, you are passing the string 'SOMESTOCK' (a stock symbol) as a parameter to the buy method.

For more information on the updated EL, see https://uel.dev.java.net.