javax.servlet
public interface ServletContext
Defines a set of methods that a servlet uses to communicate with its servlet container, for example, to get the MIME type of a file, dispatch requests, or write to a log file.
There is one context per "web application" per Java Virtual Machine. (A "web application" is a collection of servlets and content installed under a specific subset of the server's URL namespace such as /catalog
and possibly installed via a .war
file.)
In the case of a web application marked "distributed" in its deployment descriptor, there will be one context instance for each virtual machine. In this situation, the context cannot be used as a location to share global information (because the information won't be truly global). Use an external resource like a database instead.
The ServletContext
object is contained within the ServletConfig
object, which the Web server provides the servlet when the servlet is initialized.
Servlet.getServletConfig()
,
ServletConfig.getServletContext()
Method Summary | |
---|---|
java.lang.Object |
getAttribute(java.lang.String name) Returns the servlet container attribute with the given name, or null if there is no attribute by that name. |
java.util.Enumeration |
getAttributeNames() Returns an Enumeration containing the attribute names available within this servlet context. |
ServletContext |
getContext(java.lang.String uripath) Returns a ServletContext object that corresponds to a specified URL on the server. |
java.lang.String |
getContextPath() Returns the context path of the web application. |
java.lang.String |
getInitParameter(java.lang.String name) Returns a String containing the value of the named context-wide initialization parameter, or null if the parameter does not exist. |
java.util.Enumeration |
getInitParameterNames() Returns the names of the context's initialization parameters as an Enumeration of String objects, or an emptyEnumeration if the context has no initialization parameters. |
int |
getMajorVersion() Returns the major version of the Java Servlet API that this servlet container supports. |
java.lang.String |
getMimeType(java.lang.String file) Returns the MIME type of the specified file, or null if the MIME type is not known. |
int |
getMinorVersion() Returns the minor version of the Servlet API that this servlet container supports. |
RequestDispatcher |
getNamedDispatcher(java.lang.String name) Returns a RequestDispatcher object that acts as a wrapper for the named servlet. |
java.lang.String |
getRealPath(java.lang.String path) Returns a String containing the real path for a given virtual path. |
RequestDispatcher |
getRequestDispatcher(java.lang.String path) Returns a RequestDispatcher object that acts as a wrapper for the resource located at the given path. |
java.net.URL |
getResource(java.lang.String path) Returns a URL to the resource that is mapped to a specified path. |
java.io.InputStream |
getResourceAsStream(java.lang.String path) Returns the resource located at the named path as an InputStream object. |
java.util.Set |
getResourcePaths(java.lang.String path) Returns a directory-like listing of all the paths to resources within the web application whose longest sub-path matches the supplied path argument. |
java.lang.String |
getServerInfo() Returns the name and version of the servlet container on which the servlet is running. |
Servlet |
getServlet(java.lang.String name) Deprecated. As of Java Servlet API 2.1, with no direct replacement. This method was originally defined to retrieve a servlet from a In lieu of this method, servlets can share information using the |
java.lang.String |
getServletContextName() Returns the name of this web application corresponding to this ServletContext as specified in the deployment descriptor for this web application by the display-name element. |
java.util.Enumeration |
getServletNames() Deprecated. As of Java Servlet API 2.1, with no replacement. This method was originally defined to return an |
java.util.Enumeration |
getServlets() Deprecated. As of Java Servlet API 2.0, with no replacement. This method was originally defined to return an |
void |
log(java.lang.Exception exception, java.lang.String msg) Deprecated. As of Java Servlet API 2.1, use log(String message, Throwable throwable) instead. This method was originally defined to write an exception's stack trace and an explanatory error message to the servlet log file. |
void |
log(java.lang.String msg) Writes the specified message to a servlet log file, usually an event log. |
void |
log(java.lang.String message, java.lang.Throwable throwable) Writes an explanatory message and a stack trace for a given Throwable exception to the servlet log file. |
void |
removeAttribute(java.lang.String name) Removes the attribute with the given name from the servlet context. |
void |
setAttribute(java.lang.String name, java.lang.Object object) Binds an object to a given attribute name in this servlet context. |
Method Detail |
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java.lang.String getContextPath()
The context path is the portion of the request URI that is used to select the context of the request. The context path always comes first in a request URI. The path starts with a "/" character but does not end with a "/" character. For servlets in the default (root) context, this method returns "".
It is possible that a servlet container may match a context by more than one context path. In such cases theHttpServletRequest.getContextPath()
will return the actual context path used by the request and it may differ from the path returned by this method. The context path returned by this method should be considered as the prime or preferred context path of the application.
HttpServletRequest.getContextPath()
ServletContext getContext(java.lang.String uripath)
ServletContext
object that corresponds to a specified URL on the server.
This method allows servlets to gain access to the context for various parts of the server, and as needed obtain RequestDispatcher
objects from the context. The given path must be begin with "/", is interpreted relative to the server's document root and is matched against the context roots of other web applications hosted on this container.
In a security conscious environment, the servlet container may return null
for a given URL.
uripath
- a
String
specifying the context path of another web application in the container.
ServletContext
object that corresponds to the named URL, or null if either none exists or the container wishes to restrict this access.
RequestDispatcher
int getMajorVersion()
int getMinorVersion()
java.lang.String getMimeType(java.lang.String file)
null
if the MIME type is not known. The MIME type is determined by the configuration of the servlet container, and may be specified in a web application deployment descriptor. Common MIME types are
"text/html"
and
"image/gif"
.
file
- a
String
specifying the name of a file
String
specifying the file's MIME type
java.util.Set getResourcePaths(java.lang.String path)
path
- the partial path used to match the resources, which must start with a /
java.net.URL getResource(java.lang.String path) throws java.net.MalformedURLException
This method allows the servlet container to make a resource available to servlets from any source. Resources can be located on a local or remote file system, in a database, or in a .war
file.
The servlet container must implement the URL handlers and URLConnection
objects that are necessary to access the resource.
This method returns null
if no resource is mapped to the pathname.
Some containers may allow writing to the URL returned by this method using the methods of the URL class.
The resource content is returned directly, so be aware that requesting a .jsp
page returns the JSP source code. Use a RequestDispatcher
instead to include results of an execution.
This method has a different purpose than java.lang.Class.getResource
, which looks up resources based on a class loader. This method does not use class loaders.
path
- a
String
specifying the path to the resource
null
if there is no resource at that path
java.net.MalformedURLException
- if the pathname is not given in the correct form
java.io.InputStream getResourceAsStream(java.lang.String path)
InputStream
object.
The data in the InputStream
can be of any type or length. The path must be specified according to the rules given in getResource
. This method returns null
if no resource exists at the specified path.
Meta-information such as content length and content type that is available via getResource
method is lost when using this method.
The servlet container must implement the URL handlers and URLConnection
objects necessary to access the resource.
This method is different from java.lang.Class.getResourceAsStream
, which uses a class loader. This method allows servlet containers to make a resource available to a servlet from any location, without using a class loader.
path
- a
String
specifying the path to the resource
InputStream
returned to the servlet, or
null
if no resource exists at the specified path
RequestDispatcher getRequestDispatcher(java.lang.String path)
RequestDispatcher
object that acts as a wrapper for the resource located at the given path. A
RequestDispatcher
object can be used to forward a request to the resource or to include the resource in a response. The resource can be dynamic or static.
The pathname must begin with a "/" and is interpreted as relative to the current context root. Use getContext
to obtain aRequestDispatcher
for resources in foreign contexts. This method returns null
if the ServletContext
cannot return a RequestDispatcher
.
path
- a
String
specifying the pathname to the resource
RequestDispatcher
object that acts as a wrapper for the resource at the specified path, or
null
if the
ServletContext
cannot return a
RequestDispatcher
RequestDispatcher
,
getContext(java.lang.String)
RequestDispatcher getNamedDispatcher(java.lang.String name)
RequestDispatcher
object that acts as a wrapper for the named servlet.
Servlets (and JSP pages also) may be given names via server administration or via a web application deployment descriptor. A servlet instance can determine its name using ServletConfig.getServletName()
.
This method returns null
if the ServletContext
cannot return a RequestDispatcher
for any reason.
name
- a
String
specifying the name of a servlet to wrap
RequestDispatcher
object that acts as a wrapper for the named servlet, or
null
if the
ServletContext
cannot return a
RequestDispatcher
RequestDispatcher
,
getContext(java.lang.String)
,
ServletConfig.getServletName()
Servlet getServlet(java.lang.String name) throws ServletException
This method was originally defined to retrieve a servlet from a ServletContext
. In this version, this method always returns null
and remains only to preserve binary compatibility. This method will be permanently removed in a future version of the Java Servlet API.
In lieu of this method, servlets can share information using the ServletContext
class and can perform shared business logic by invoking methods on common non-servlet classes.
ServletException
java.util.Enumeration getServlets()
This method was originally defined to return an Enumeration
of all the servlets known to this servlet context. In this version, this method always returns an empty enumeration and remains only to preserve binary compatibility. This method will be permanently removed in a future version of the Java Servlet API.
java.util.Enumeration getServletNames()
This method was originally defined to return an Enumeration
of all the servlet names known to this context. In this version, this method always returns an empty Enumeration
and remains only to preserve binary compatibility. This method will be permanently removed in a future version of the Java Servlet API.
void log(java.lang.String msg)
msg
- a
String
specifying the message to be written to the log file
void log(java.lang.Exception exception, java.lang.String msg)
log(String message, Throwable throwable)
instead.
This method was originally defined to write an exception's stack trace and an explanatory error message to the servlet log file.
void log(java.lang.String message, java.lang.Throwable throwable)
Throwable
exception to the servlet log file. The name and type of the servlet log file is specific to the servlet container, usually an event log.
message
- a
String
that describes the error or exception
throwable
- the
Throwable
error or exception
java.lang.String getRealPath(java.lang.String path)
String
containing the real path for a given virtual path. For example, the path "/index.html" returns the absolute file path on the server's filesystem would be served by a request for "http://host/contextPath/index.html", where contextPath is the context path of this ServletContext..
The real path returned will be in a form appropriate to the computer and operating system on which the servlet container is running, including the proper path separators. This method returns null
if the servlet container cannot translate the virtual path to a real path for any reason (such as when the content is being made available from a .war
archive).
path
- a
String
specifying a virtual path
String
specifying the real path, or null if the translation cannot be performed
java.lang.String getServerInfo()
The form of the returned string is servername/versionnumber. For example, the JavaServer Web Development Kit may return the stringJavaServer Web Dev Kit/1.0
.
The servlet container may return other optional information after the primary string in parentheses, for example, JavaServer Web Dev Kit/1.0 (JDK 1.1.6; Windows NT 4.0 x86)
.
String
containing at least the servlet container name and version number
java.lang.String getInitParameter(java.lang.String name)
String
containing the value of the named context-wide initialization parameter, or
null
if the parameter does not exist.
This method can make available configuration information useful to an entire "web application". For example, it can provide a webmaster's email address or the name of a system that holds critical data.
name
- a
String
containing the name of the parameter whose value is requested
String
containing at least the servlet container name and version number
ServletConfig.getInitParameter(java.lang.String)
java.util.Enumeration getInitParameterNames()
Enumeration
of
String
objects, or an empty
Enumeration
if the context has no initialization parameters.
Enumeration
of
String
objects containing the names of the context's initialization parameters
ServletConfig.getInitParameter(java.lang.String)
java.lang.Object getAttribute(java.lang.String name)
null
if there is no attribute by that name. An attribute allows a servlet container to give the servlet additional information not already provided by this interface. See your server documentation for information about its attributes. A list of supported attributes can be retrieved using
getAttributeNames
.
The attribute is returned as a java.lang.Object
or some subclass. Attribute names should follow the same convention as package names. The Java Servlet API specification reserves names matching java.*
, javax.*
, and sun.*
.
name
- a
String
specifying the name of the attribute
Object
containing the value of the attribute, or
null
if no attribute exists matching the given name
getAttributeNames()
java.util.Enumeration getAttributeNames()
Enumeration
containing the attribute names available within this servlet context. Use the
getAttribute(java.lang.String)
method with an attribute name to get the value of an attribute.
Enumeration
of attribute names
getAttribute(java.lang.String)
void setAttribute(java.lang.String name, java.lang.Object object)
If listeners are configured on the ServletContext
the container notifies them accordingly.
If a null value is passed, the effect is the same as calling removeAttribute()
.
Attribute names should follow the same convention as package names. The Java Servlet API specification reserves names matching java.*
,javax.*
, and sun.*
.
name
- a
String
specifying the name of the attribute
object
- an
Object
representing the attribute to be bound
void removeAttribute(java.lang.String name)
getAttribute(java.lang.String)
to retrieve the attribute's value will return
null
.
If listeners are configured on the ServletContext
the container notifies them accordingly.
name
- a
String
specifying the name of the attribute to be removed
java.lang.String getServletContextName()