JSP-XML DataGrid I

This is a simple procedure to show how to use an XML file as datasource to
build a datagrid in JSP. This code basically shows how to display and
navigate/page-thru and xml data file

Figure 1

Consider an xml file (plants.xml) of the following format

<CATALOG>
  <PLANT>
    <COMMON>Bloodroot</COMMON>
    <BOTANICAL>Sanguinaria canadensis</BOTANICAL>
    <ZONE>4</ZONE>
    <LIGHT>Mostly Shady</LIGHT>
    <PRICE>$2.44</PRICE>
    <AVAILABILITY>031599</AVAILABILITY>
  </PLANT>  
  <PLANT></PLANT>
</CATALOG>

If you want to generate a datagrid (figure 1) that will display and navigate
through the plants information, simple procedure to accomplish this using java
in JSP will be as follows:

public String getDataGrid(String fileName,
	int startIndex,int pageSize, String script){
	int stopIndex; //the stop index used to control the pagesize 
	int totalRecs; //total number of palnts  
	String bgColor="white"; //grid background color  

	try{
			
		//Step 2: Get your DOM document. 
			
		//Get Document Builder Factory 
		DocumentBuilderFactory factory = 
			DocumentBuilderFactory.newInstance();
	
		//Get the Builder 
		DocumentBuilder builder = 
			factory.newDocumentBuilder(); 
				
		//Get your DOM document by loading your plants file 
		Document document = 
			builder.parse(new java.io.File(fileName));
				
		//Get all plants 			
		NodeList nodeList = 
			document.getElementsByTagName("PLANT");
		totalRecs = nodeList.getLength();
			
		//check the number of records returned 
		if(totalRecs<1){
			return "No plants in file";
		}
			
		//validate start index 
		if(startIndex<0){
			startIndex=0;
		}
				
		//set your stop index  
        stopIndex = startIndex+pageSize; 
	        
     	//validate your stop index  
        if (stopIndex>totalRecs-1){ 
            stopIndex=totalRecs-1 ;
    	}
	    	
    	//build your string 
    	StringBuffer buf = new StringBuffer();	    	
    	buf.append("Records " + (startIndex+1) + " to " + (stopIndex+1) +  
            " (" + totalRecs + " records)<hr size=\"1\" noshade>");
            
        buf.append("<table border=0 cellspacing=1 cellpadding=1 bgcolor=gray >");     
             
        //print headers 
        buf.append("<tr bgcolor=teal>");
            
        int i,j,k;
        //NodeList nodeList2 = nodeList.item(0).getChildNodes(); 
        for (i=0;i<nodeList.item(0).getChildNodes().getLength();i++){
        	Node node=nodeList.item(0).getChildNodes().item(i);
        	if(node.getNodeType()==Node.ELEMENT_NODE){  
            	buf.append("<td><b>" + node.getNodeName() + 
            		"</b></td>"); 
            }
        } 
        buf.append("</tr>"); 
             
        //navigate list and print records 
        for (i=startIndex; i<=stopIndex;i++){            
            //alternate your rows background colors  
            if(bgColor=="#cccccc"){ 
                bgColor="white"; 
            }else{
                bgColor="#cccccc"; 
            } 
                 
                 
            buf.append("<tr bgcolor="+ bgColor +">"); 
            for (j=0; j<nodeList.item(i).getChildNodes().getLength();j++){     
            	Node thisNode = nodeList.item(i).getChildNodes().item(j); 
            	if(thisNode.getNodeType()==Node.ELEMENT_NODE){  
            		buf.append("<td>"+ getNodeValue(thisNode) +
            			"</td>"); 
            	}
            } 
            buf.append("</tr>"); 
        }             
        buf.append("</table>");             
             
        //print navigation controls  
        ....
			
	} catch (Exception e) {
  		return(e.toString());
  	} 	  	
	  	
}

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