Button - Command

Button - Command

This component creates a push button that has either a text label or an image. The button can be used to submit or reset a form. Additionally, it can be programmed to perform a server-side or client-side action or to navigate to another page.

Component at design time

Drag and drop a
Button - Command component onto the page:

The
Button - Command component on the page at design time:

Component at runtime

The
Button - Command component on the page at runtime:

Properties and All Attributes views

The Properties view for a component shows the most common set of attributes you can set on a component, and, depending on the component, you might also see options for adding controls, actions, or other components. To open the Properties view, click

Window | Show View | Properties.

These common attributes for the Button - Command component display on the hx:commandExButton, Display Options, Parameter, and Accessibility tabs in the Properties view. See the All Button - Command attributes table for a complete list of attributes. Additional configuration options to add parameters and actions are on the hx:commandExButton and hx:commandExButton>Parameter tabs:

Configuration option

Description

Add the parameters that are passed to the action

Specifies what parameters are passed to the action by the component.

Click to code the action this button performs

Switches to the Quick Edit view so that actions for the command button to perform may be programmed. Additionally, rules can be defined based upon the actions and outcomes returned.

The All Attributes view shows a table of all the attributes you can set on a component, which includes those attributes you can access from the Properties view. To switch to the All Attributes view, click the
All Attributes icon in the upper right corner of the Properties view.

Table 1. All Button - Command attributes

Attribute name

Represented in Properties view by

Description

accesskey

Accessibility>Access Key

Specifies a single keyboard key as an access key. Pressing the specified access key at runtime gives focus to this component. Pressing ALT plus the specified access key at runtime gives focus to this component (or executes the component if it is a kind of button).

action

Not represented

Specifies the value returned when the component is clicked. The value is passed to the default NavigationHandler, that then matches the value against a set of navigation rules defined in the application configuration file.

actionListener

Not represented

An expression that points to a method with an ActionEvent argument and a
"void" return type.

alt

Accessibility>Alternate Text

Specifies alternate text for a component. The alternative text is displayed when the element cannot be rendered normally, for example, in browsers that do not support forms and in browsers set to not display images.

binding

Not represented

An expression that binds the component's instance (usually a user interface component) to a bean property (usually in the backing file).

confirm

Prompt Text

Specifies text to be displayed requesting confirmation when a commandExButton is pressed. If no value is set for this attribute, a confirm dialog will not be shown.

converter

Not represented

Specifies the data type to which the value is converted. The JavaServer Faces implementation provides a set of Converter implementations that you can use to convert your component data to a type not supported by its renderer.

dimage

Type>Image: Disabled Image

Specifies the image to be displayed when the component is disabled.

dir

Not represented

Specifies the component's direction when rendered at runtime. The values can be either:

ltr - left to right

rtl - right to left
If the direction is not specified, a direction appropriate to the encoding of the component is used.

disabled

Not represented

If disabled is set to true, the component is displayed at runtime but is not functional. If left blank, the default value is false.

himage

Type>Image: Moused Image

Specifies the image to display when the user's mouse pointer passes over the component.

id

ID

Assigns a name to a component. Should be a unique name within a JSP.

image

Type>Image: Normal Image

Specifies an URL/URI to an image to be displayed in the component.

immediate

Not represented

If true, skip straight to render phase of life cycle.

lang

Not represented

The language of the component's value(s) and text content. If omitted, the language is inherited from the containing tags (notably the view. Specified as an ISO-standard language abbreviation code. For example, "en" for English, "en-US" for American English, "fr" for French, "de" for German.

Note: This does not "translate" the text in the component, rather, it identifies the language of the component so that operations such as searching, sorting, collating and the like are done correctly.

pimage

Type>Image: Depressed Image

Specifies the image to display when a user clicks on the component.

readonly

Not represented

Specifies that the value of the component cannot be changed from its initial value.

rendered

Not represented

Can be set to true or false:

false - Component will not be rendered to the browser at runtime.

true - Component will get rendered. This is the default value.

size

Not represented

Specifies the initial width of the component. The width is given in pixels except in the case of a text input component where its value refers to the number of characters.

styleClass

Style: Classes

Space-separated list of CSS style classes to be applied when this element is rendered. This value must be passed through as the class attribute on generated markup. Defines the classes (such as style sheets) of the selected component. This may be done manually, or by clicking the button and selecting the desired Classes from within the window.

style

Style: Props

Specifies CSS style information for the component (for example, style="font-size : 8pt ; color : red"). Defines the properties (such as font and color) of the selected component. This may be done manually, or by clicking the button and selecting the desired properties from within the window.

tabindex

Accessibility>Tab order index

Specifies the position of the component in the tabbing order in the JSP. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767.

title

Accessibility>Title

Specifies the title text, shown in browser as a tooltip at runtime. Used by a browser as the alternative text of a component if the alternative text is not specified.

type

Type

Specifies the button type, either
Submit,
Reset, or
Plain .

value

Type>Text: Button Label

Specifies the text to be displayed within the command button.

Configuration option	Description
Add the parameters that are passed to the action	Specifies what parameters are passed to the action by the component.
Click to code the action this button performs	Switches to the Quick Edit view so that actions for the command button to perform may be programmed. Additionally, rules can be defined based upon the actions and outcomes returned.

Attribute name	Represented in Properties view by	Description
accesskey	Accessibility>Access Key	Specifies a single keyboard key as an access key. Pressing the specified access key at runtime gives focus to this component. Pressing ALT plus the specified access key at runtime gives focus to this component (or executes the component if it is a kind of button).
action	Not represented	Specifies the value returned when the component is clicked. The value is passed to the default NavigationHandler, that then matches the value against a set of navigation rules defined in the application configuration file.
actionListener	Not represented	An expression that points to a method with an ActionEvent argument and a "void" return type.
alt	Accessibility>Alternate Text	Specifies alternate text for a component. The alternative text is displayed when the element cannot be rendered normally, for example, in browsers that do not support forms and in browsers set to not display images.
binding	Not represented	An expression that binds the component's instance (usually a user interface component) to a bean property (usually in the backing file).
confirm	Prompt Text	Specifies text to be displayed requesting confirmation when a commandExButton is pressed. If no value is set for this attribute, a confirm dialog will not be shown.
converter	Not represented	Specifies the data type to which the value is converted. The JavaServer Faces implementation provides a set of Converter implementations that you can use to convert your component data to a type not supported by its renderer.
dimage	Type>Image: Disabled Image	Specifies the image to be displayed when the component is disabled.
dir	Not represented	Specifies the component's direction when rendered at runtime. The values can be either: ltr - left to right rtl - right to left If the direction is not specified, a direction appropriate to the encoding of the component is used.
disabled	Not represented	If disabled is set to true, the component is displayed at runtime but is not functional. If left blank, the default value is false.
himage	Type>Image: Moused Image	Specifies the image to display when the user's mouse pointer passes over the component.
id	ID	Assigns a name to a component. Should be a unique name within a JSP.
image	Type>Image: Normal Image	Specifies an URL/URI to an image to be displayed in the component.
immediate	Not represented	If true, skip straight to render phase of life cycle.
lang	Not represented	The language of the component's value(s) and text content. If omitted, the language is inherited from the containing tags (notably the view. Specified as an ISO-standard language abbreviation code. For example, "en" for English, "en-US" for American English, "fr" for French, "de" for German. Note: This does not "translate" the text in the component, rather, it identifies the language of the component so that operations such as searching, sorting, collating and the like are done correctly.
pimage	Type>Image: Depressed Image	Specifies the image to display when a user clicks on the component.
readonly	Not represented	Specifies that the value of the component cannot be changed from its initial value.
rendered	Not represented	Can be set to true or false: false - Component will not be rendered to the browser at runtime. true - Component will get rendered. This is the default value.
size	Not represented	Specifies the initial width of the component. The width is given in pixels except in the case of a text input component where its value refers to the number of characters.
styleClass	Style: Classes	Space-separated list of CSS style classes to be applied when this element is rendered. This value must be passed through as the class attribute on generated markup. Defines the classes (such as style sheets) of the selected component. This may be done manually, or by clicking the button and selecting the desired Classes from within the window.
style	Style: Props	Specifies CSS style information for the component (for example, style="font-size : 8pt ; color : red"). Defines the properties (such as font and color) of the selected component. This may be done manually, or by clicking the button and selecting the desired properties from within the window.
tabindex	Accessibility>Tab order index	Specifies the position of the component in the tabbing order in the JSP. This value must be a number between 0 and 32767.
title	Accessibility>Title	Specifies the title text, shown in browser as a tooltip at runtime. Used by a browser as the alternative text of a component if the alternative text is not specified.
type	Type	Specifies the button type, either Submit, Reset, or Plain .
value	Type>Text: Button Label	Specifies the text to be displayed within the command button.