1 | <html><head><META http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"><title>Catalina Functional Specifications - Invoker Servlet</title><meta value="Craig McClanahan" name="author"><meta value="craigmcc@apache.org" name="email"></head><body vlink="#525D76" alink="#525D76" link="#525D76" text="#000000" bgcolor="#ffffff"><table cellspacing="0" width="100%" border="0"><!--PAGE HEADER--><tr><td><!--PROJECT LOGO--><a href="http://tomcat.apache.org/"><img border="0" alt=" |
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2 | Catalina Functional Specifications |
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3 | " align="right" src="../../../images/tomcat.gif"></a></td><td><font face="arial,helvetica,sanserif"><h1>Apache Tomcat 6.0</h1></font></td><td><!--APACHE LOGO--><a href="http://www.apache.org/"><img border="0" alt="Apache Logo" align="right" src="../../../images/asf-logo.gif"></a></td></tr></table><table cellspacing="4" width="100%" border="0"><!--HEADER SEPARATOR--><tr><td colspan="2"><hr size="1" noshade></td></tr><tr><!--RIGHT SIDE MAIN BODY--><td align="left" valign="top" width="80%"><table cellspacing="4" width="100%" border="0"><tr><td valign="top" align="left"><h1>Catalina Functional Specifications</h1><h2>Invoker Servlet</h2></td><td nowrap="true" valign="top" align="right"><img border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" height="1" width="1" src="../../../images/void.gif"></td></tr></table><table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#525D76"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Overview"><strong>Overview</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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4 | |
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5 | |
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6 | <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#828DA6"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Introduction"><strong>Introduction</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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7 | |
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8 | <p>The purpose of the <strong>Invoker Servlet</strong> is to allow a |
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9 | web application to dynamically register new <em>servlet definitions</em> |
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10 | that correspond with a <code><servlet></code> element in the |
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11 | <code>/WEB-INF/web.xml</code> deployment descriptor, and execute |
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12 | requests utilizing the new servlet definitions. From the perspective |
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13 | of the newly registered servlets, all servlet lifecycle requirements |
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14 | of the Servlet Specification (such as calling <code>init()</code> and |
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15 | <code>destroy()</code> at the correct times) will be respected.</p> |
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16 | |
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17 | </blockquote></td></tr></table> |
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18 | |
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19 | |
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20 | <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#828DA6"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="External Specifications"><strong>External Specifications</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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21 | |
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22 | <p>I do not know of any formal specification of the behavior of an |
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23 | invoker servlet that is publicly available. Anyone know of one?</p> |
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24 | |
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25 | </blockquote></td></tr></table> |
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26 | |
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27 | |
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28 | <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#828DA6"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Implementation Requirements"><strong>Implementation Requirements</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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29 | |
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30 | <p>The implementation of this functionality shall conform to the |
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31 | following requirements:</p> |
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32 | <ul> |
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33 | <li>Implemented as a servlet.</li> |
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34 | <li>Exist in the <code>org.apache.catalina.servlets</code> package |
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35 | so that it can be loaded by the Catalina class loader.</li> |
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36 | <li>Implement the <code>org.apache.catalina.ContainerServlet</code> |
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37 | interface, so that it gains knowledge of the <code>Wrapper</code> |
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38 | that is responsible for itself and, therefore, access to other |
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39 | internal Catalina components.</li> |
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40 | <li>Support a configurable debugging detail level.</li> |
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41 | <li>Log debugging and operational messages (suitably internationalized) |
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42 | via the <code>getServletContext().log()</code> method.</li> |
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43 | </ul> |
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44 | |
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45 | </blockquote></td></tr></table> |
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46 | |
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47 | |
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48 | </blockquote></td></tr></table><table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#525D76"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Dependencies"><strong>Dependencies</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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49 | |
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50 | |
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51 | <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#828DA6"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Environmental Dependencies"><strong>Environmental Dependencies</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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52 | |
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53 | <p>The following environmental dependencies must be met in order for |
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54 | the Invoker servlet to operate correctly:</p> |
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55 | <ul> |
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56 | <li>The invoker servlet must be registered in the application deployment |
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57 | descriptor (or the default deployment descriptor in file |
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58 | <code>$CATALINA_BASE/conf/web.xml</code>) using a "path mapped" |
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59 | servlet mapping. The historical default mapping is to URL pattern |
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60 | "<code>/servlet/*</code>", although the invoker servlet must operate |
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61 | correctly with an arbitrary mapping.</li> |
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62 | </ul> |
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63 | |
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64 | </blockquote></td></tr></table> |
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65 | |
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66 | |
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67 | <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#828DA6"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Container Dependencies"><strong>Container Dependencies</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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68 | |
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69 | <p>Correct operation of the invoker servlet depends on the following |
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70 | specific features of the surrounding container:</p> |
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71 | <ul> |
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72 | <li>Correct support for the <code>ContainerServlet</code> interface, |
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73 | including calling <code>setWrapper()</code> <strong>before</strong> |
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74 | the <code>init()</code> method of the invoker servlet is called.</li> |
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75 | <li>The web application class loader must be stored as the context |
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76 | class loader of the request processing thread.</li> |
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77 | </ul> |
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78 | |
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79 | </blockquote></td></tr></table> |
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80 | |
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81 | |
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82 | </blockquote></td></tr></table><table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#525D76"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Functionality"><strong>Functionality</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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83 | |
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84 | |
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85 | <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#828DA6"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Initialization Functionality"><strong>Initialization Functionality</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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86 | |
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87 | <p>The following processing must be performed when the <code>init()</code> |
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88 | method of the invoker servlet is called:</p> |
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89 | <ul> |
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90 | <li>Ensure that the container has called <code>setWrapper()</code>. If |
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91 | not, throw a permanent <code>UnavailableException</code>.</li> |
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92 | <li>Look up and cache the <code>Context</code> that corresponds to our |
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93 | <code>Wrapper</code>. This is the component with which new servlet |
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94 | definitions and mappings will be registered.</li> |
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95 | </ul> |
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96 | |
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97 | </blockquote></td></tr></table> |
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98 | |
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99 | |
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100 | <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#828DA6"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Per-Request Functionality"><strong>Per-Request Functionality</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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101 | |
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102 | <p>On each request, the following processing shall be performed:</p> |
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103 | <ol> |
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104 | <li>Calculate the <code>{ServletPath}</code> for this request, either from |
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105 | request attribute <code>javax.servlet.include.servlet_path</code> or |
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106 | by calling <code>request.getServletPath()</code>.</li> |
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107 | <li>Calculate the <code>{PathInfo}</code> for this request, either from |
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108 | request attribute <code>javax.servlet.include.path_info</code> or |
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109 | by calling <code>request.getPathInfo()</code>. If the calculated |
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110 | <code>{PathInfo}</code> is null, return HTTP status 400 |
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111 | (bad request).</li> |
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112 | <li>Parse the calculated <code>{PathInfo}</code> value as follows: |
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113 | <ol> |
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114 | <li>Ignore the leading slash character.</li> |
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115 | <li>Accumulate characters up to the next '/' (if any) as the |
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116 | <code>{ServletSelector}</code>.</li> |
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117 | <li>If a '/' was encountered, accumulate all characters from that |
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118 | slash (inclusive) to the end of the string as |
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119 | <code>{PathRemainder}</code>. If no slash was encountered, |
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120 | set <code>{PathRemainder}</code> to a zero-length string.</li> |
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121 | </ol></li> |
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122 | <li>Determine whether <code>{ServletSelector}</code> is the name of an |
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123 | existing servlet definition, and process it as follows: |
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124 | <ol> |
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125 | <li>Ask our associated <code>Context</code> to find and return a |
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126 | child <code>Wrapper</code> named <code>{ServletSelector}</code>. |
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127 | </li> |
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128 | <li>If there is no such child, skip to the next major step.</li> |
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129 | <li>Register a new servlet mapping for this <code>Wrapper</code>, |
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130 | using a URL pattern calculated as follows: |
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131 | <code>{ServletPath}</code> + "/" + <code>{ServletSelector}</code> |
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132 | + "/*"</li> |
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133 | <li>Create a request dispatcher using a path calculated as follows: |
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134 | <code>{ServletPath}</code> + "/" + <code>{ServletSelector}</code> |
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135 | + <code>{PathRemainder}</code></li> |
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136 | <li>Forward this request to the created request dispatcher, and |
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137 | exit from this request.</li> |
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138 | </ol></li> |
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139 | <li>Assume that <code>{ServletSelector}</code> is the fully qualified |
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140 | name of a Java class that implements <code>javax.servlet.Servlet</code> |
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141 | and process it as follows: |
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142 | <ol> |
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143 | <li>Synthesize a new <code>{ServletName}</code> for the servlet |
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144 | definition that will be created.</li> |
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145 | <li>If there is already a child <code>Wrapper</code> associated with |
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146 | this name, return HTTP status 500 (internal server error), because |
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147 | a mapping should have already been created for this servlet.</li> |
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148 | <li>Attempt to load a class named <code>{ServletSelector}</code> from |
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149 | the web application class loader (i.e. the context class loader |
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150 | for our current thread). If this fails, return HTTP status 404 |
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151 | (not found).</li> |
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152 | <li>Instantiate an instance of this class. If an error occurs, |
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153 | return HTTP status 404 (not found).</li> |
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154 | <li>If this class does not implement the |
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155 | <code>javax.servlet.Servlet</code> interface, return HTTP status |
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156 | 404 (not found).</li> |
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157 | <li>Create and register a new <code>Wrapper</code> child with our |
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158 | <code>Context</code>, under name <code>{ServletName}</code>.</li> |
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159 | <li>Register a new servlet mapping for this <code>Wrapper</code>, |
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160 | using a URL pattern calculated as follows: |
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161 | <code>{ServletPath}</code> + "/" + <code>{ServletSelector}</code> |
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162 | + "/*"</li> |
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163 | <li>Create a request dispatcher using a path calculated as follows: |
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164 | <code>{ServletPath}</code> + "/" + <code>{ServletSelector}</code> |
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165 | + <code>{PathRemainder}</code></li> |
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166 | <li>Forward this request to the created request dispatcher, and |
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167 | exit from this request.</li> |
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168 | </ol></li> |
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169 | </ol> |
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170 | |
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171 | </blockquote></td></tr></table> |
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172 | |
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173 | |
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174 | <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#828DA6"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Finalization Functionality"><strong>Finalization Functionality</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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175 | |
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176 | <p>No specific processing is required when the <code>destroy()</code> |
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177 | method is called:</p> |
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178 | |
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179 | </blockquote></td></tr></table> |
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180 | |
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181 | |
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182 | </blockquote></td></tr></table><table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td bgcolor="#525D76"><font face="arial,helvetica.sanserif" color="#ffffff"><a name="Testable Assertions"><strong>Testable Assertions</strong></a></font></td></tr><tr><td><blockquote> |
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183 | |
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184 | <p>In addition the the assertions implied by the functionality requirements |
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185 | listed above, the following additional assertions shall be tested to |
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186 | validate the behavior of the invoker servlet:</p> |
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187 | <ul> |
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188 | <li>It is possible to access an existing servlet definition by name |
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189 | through the invoker. The existing servlet definition can include |
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190 | either a <code><servlet-class></code> or |
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191 | <code><jsp-file></code> subelement.</li> |
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192 | <li>When an existing servlet definition is accessed by name, the request |
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193 | will be ultimately processed by the same servlet instance that would |
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194 | have processed it had a mapping to that servlet definition been used |
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195 | on the request directly.</li> |
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196 | <li>It is possible to access an anonymous servlet by class name |
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197 | through the invoker.</li> |
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198 | <li>When an anonymous servlet is accessed, the servlet instance is processed |
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199 | according to the lifecycle requirements of the Servlet Specification. |
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200 | </li> |
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201 | <li>When an anonymous servlet is accessed, the servlet instance receives |
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202 | a <code>ServletConfig</code> instance with no servlet initialization |
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203 | parameters.</li> |
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204 | <li>It is possible to utilize the invoker servlet via a direct request.</li> |
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205 | <li>It is possible to utilize the invoker servlet via a call to |
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206 | <code>RequestDispatcher.forward()</code>, or the corresponding |
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207 | <code><jsp:forward></code> tag in a JSP page.</li> |
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208 | <li>It is possible to utilize the invoker servlet via a call to |
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209 | <code>RequestDispatcher.include()</code>, or the corresponding |
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210 | <code><jsp:include></code> tag in a JSP page.</li> |
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211 | <li>It is possible to use any HTTP method (including GET and POST) that |
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212 | is supported by the Servlet class that is ultimately executed.</li> |
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213 | <li>The invoker servlet should never be asked to process a second or |
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214 | subsequent request for the same <code>{ServletSelector}</code> (because |
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215 | it will have registered an appropriate servlet mapping.</li> |
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216 | </ul> |
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217 | |
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218 | </blockquote></td></tr></table></td></tr><!--FOOTER SEPARATOR--><tr><td colspan="2"><hr size="1" noshade></td></tr><!--PAGE FOOTER--><tr><td colspan="2"><div align="center"><font size="-1" color="#525D76"><em> |
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219 | Copyright © 1999-2008, Apache Software Foundation |
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220 | </em></font></div></td></tr></table></body></html> |
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