JSF outputLink not appearing as a clickable URL link

Question

I have a URL as a string stored as an attribute in a class, and I am trying to retrieve it through EL in the outputLink like below:

<h:dataTable value="#{flagData.countries}" var="country"
            styleClass="table table-striped table-hover" border="1">
            <h:column>
                <f:facet name="header">Name</f:facet>
                #{country.name}
            </h:column>
            <h:column>
                <f:facet name="header">Flag</f:facet>
                <h:outputLink value="#{country.flag}"></h:outputLink>
                #{country.flag}
            </h:column> 
</h:dataTable>

But this isn't working.

I want the URL stored in #{country.flag} to be a clickable URL link. How do I do this?

EDIT:

This is the generated html:

<td>
                Argentina
            </td>
<td><a href="http://www.flags-and-anthems.com/flag-argentina.html" class="btn btn-link"></a>
                http://www.flags-and-anthems.com/flag-argentina.html
            </td>

Did you check how the generated HTML output looks like? Does it look all right? Hint: This is not a JSF specific problem. You'd have had exactly the same problem when using plain vanilla HTML the same way. — BalusC, May 11 '16 at 12:03
@BalusC, oh yes I remember that. The solution had to do with using the class for the CSS bootstrap template I was using for my web app. thanks — Kingamere, May 11 '16 at 12:34
@BalusC, actually removing the CSS didn't work. Here is the source that is generated: ` Belgium http://www.flags-and-anthems.com/flag-belgium.html ` — Kingamere, May 11 '16 at 13:32
"You'd" stands for "You would". And, does the generated HTML output look all right? The link's body is actually empty, right? — BalusC, May 11 '16 at 13:36
@BalusC please see edit above. Seems like in the `` tag where `href` is stored the body isn't empty — Kingamere, May 11 '16 at 13:45
Surely it is empty. Look once again, the text you want to appear in the link is displayed outside `` element and not inside (its body). — BalusC, May 11 '16 at 13:45
@BalusC hmm that's strange that the link isn't clickable. let me try making a simple html file with `href` — Kingamere, May 11 '16 at 13:46
How would you solve it if you were to edit the plain HTML code? Once you figure out that, it's merely a matter of doing exactly the same in JSF side (so that it generates exactly the desired HTML output). — BalusC, May 11 '16 at 13:47
@BalusC oh wow, `#{country.flag}` had to go inside inside ``. Wonder how I missed that, seems obvious thinking about it — Kingamere, May 11 '16 at 13:55

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered May 12 '16 at 15:30

you have to put the url you want to render as a clickable URL inside the tag

<h:outputLink value="#{country.flag}">#{country.flag}</h:outputLink>

the value of the output link is the url you will reach and the content of the tag is the text you have to click on

JSF outputLink not appearing as a clickable URL link

1 Answers1