Struts - release notes

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Supported software and specifications
3.0 Changes from the previous release
4.0 Known problems
   4.1 General
   4.2 Wizards
   4.3 Editors
   4.4 Page Designer

1.0 Introduction

Struts is a set of Java classes and JSP tag libraries that provides a framework for developing well-structured Web applications. Struts is open source and was developed as part of the Apache Software Foundation's Jakarta project. Struts helps you develop applications that are divided into three functional areas: model (business logic), view (JSPs and associated Java beans), and controller (Struts actions and configuration).

Note: The Struts tools include Struts versions 1.0.2 and 1.1, which are distributed under the terms of the Apache Software License, Version 1.1 (see http://www.apache.org/LICENSE). This license defines the terms under which you may use Struts (and other software licensed by Apache). For more information on the Apache Software Foundation, see http://www.apache.org/.

2.0 Supported software and specifications

Jakarta Struts

The Struts tools support Struts versions 1.0.2. and Struts 1.1. Other versions of Struts, including any modifications by you or other third parties, are not supported by the Struts tools.

3.0 Changes from the previous release

• Upgraded the version of Struts included to 1.1. Struts 1.0.2 is still also included.
• Much more complete support for Struts 1.1 has been added.
• Performance improvements:
  • For large workspaces that contain a lot of Java code and at least one Struts project, the amount of time it takes to do a build has been dramatically improved. For example, some situations that used to take hours to build now complete in seconds.
  • The time it takes to load the workspace and J2EE perspective has been significantly reduced.
  • The time it takes to open the Web diagram editor has been greatly reduced.
• Struts configuration file editor updates:
  • The Struts configuration file editor now fully supports the Struts 1.1 configuration file DTD. It also now has the same "flat" look and feel as the deployment descriptor editor does.
• Web diagram editor updates:
  • A context menu option has been added to enable a user to change the module association of the diagram without having to use the properties viewer.
• Wizard updates:
  • There is now a Form-Bean Wizard for generating Struts form-beans, which may be backed by either ActionForm classes or dynaforms.
  • TheAction Mapping Wizard and Form-Bean Wizard now allow one to reuse existing classes, as well as generate new ones.

4.0 Known problems

4.1 General

• The source code for the Struts run-time classes is not included. So, for example, source code is unavailable when stepping through the Struts run-time code itself in the debugger. This does not affect the visibility of any other source code (your own, for example). To make the Struts run-time source code available, download the source distribution of the corresponding version of Struts from the Struts web site and manually attach it to the Struts run-time jar file(s) in your project.
• Regarding the validation of Struts configuration files:
  • The workbench validation preferences settings may affect whether or not all XML syntax errors are detected. To ensure that all errors are detected and reported, you may need to increase the maximum number of validation messages on a project above the default value of 200.
  • Struts tools now validate that any specified Java types correctly extend or implement the appropriate superclass or interface. However, if this kind of error is detected, the resulting error marker will not automatically go away when the class is fixed (to extend or implement the appropriate superclass or interface). To remove the error marker, you must force validation to be run against the Struts configuration file. For example, you could open the file and save it.

4.2 Wizards

• In the Action Class Wizard, Action Mapping Wizard, ActionForm Wizard, and Form-Bean Wizard, you can remove only a single item at a time from the tables therein. If you select multiple items (rows) and click on the Remove button, only the first selected item is removed.
• Using Linux as the development Operating System, in the New JSP File wizard when creating a JSP that has a Struts JSP model, the Form Field Selection page fails to correctly populate the Form Bean Entry pull-down list. Entering a valid bean name will still correctly populate the Fields text area.

4.3 Editors

• The Web diagram editor and Struts configuration file editor behave unpredictably if they are editing a file when the project in which the file resides is renamed. Before you rename a project, make sure that you are not using either of these editors to edit any files within that project.
• In the Web diagram editor, a line between an action node and a bean or a form bean that is not the action's input form bean is never realized. This is because the line represents the intention that the action implementation (Action subclass) references the bean, which our tools cannot currently detect.
• The Web diagram editor, does not correctly handle forward connections named ""input"" (where quotation marks are included in the name of the forward). Forward connections named "input" (where quotation marks are not included in the name of the forward) are handled correctly.
• The Design view of the Page Designer does not render custom tags (including Struts tags) that are outside the <body> element.
• If you create an entry in either the Action or the Form Bean page of the Struts configuration file editor, add mapping information to the editor's page, and then attempt to create an implementing class by pressing the "Edit..." button, the information you have entered is not displayed in the mappings page of the wizard, even if you check the Add new mapping box. However, in this use case, the mapping is generated by the editor, not by the wizard.

4.4 Page Designer

Page Designer in most cases correctly renders Struts 1.1 tags on the design page.  The following limitations currently apply:

• The struts-tiles tags are not rendered.
• The html:frame tag is not rendered.
• The format attribute bean:write tag is not enabled for rendering.

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