how to pass parameter values to a controller in springboot

Question

I've created a page to search students from the database using spring boot & thymeleaf. In my SearchStudent.html page, there are 3 fields as search parameters (firstName, lastName, city). My requirement is that the search should work even if I enter no parameter (Search All) or based on the parameters. 'Search All' condition is working but not sure how to change the controller to work when I pass some or all parameters in the search condition.

SearchController

@Controller
@ComponentScan
public class SearchController {

    @Autowired
    protected StudentRepository repository;

    @RequestMapping(value = {"/","/search"}, method = RequestMethod.GET)
    public String search(Model model) {
        model.addAttribute("student", new Student());
        model.addAttribute("allStudents", (ArrayList<Student>)repository.findAll());
        return "SearchStudent";
    }

SearchStudent.html

<div class="panel-body">
    <form th:object="${student}" th:action="@{/search}" action="#" method="get">
        <input type="text" th:field="*{firstName}" class="form-control" placeholder="First Name" />
        <div style="clear: both; display: block; height: 10px;"></div>
        <input type="text" th:field="*{lastName}" class="form-control" placeholder="Last Name" />
        <div style="clear: both; display: block; height: 10px;"></div>
        <input type="text" th:field="*{city}" class="form-control" placeholder="City" />
        <div style="clear: both; display: block; height: 10px;"></div>
        <input type="submit" class="btn btn-danger pull-right" value="Search">
        <input type="submit" class="btn btn-success pull-right" value="Clear">
    </form>
</div>

Finbarr O'B · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-01 15:14:26Z

1

Your form binds the form fields to a th:object ${student} which is the input parameter to a HTTP POST method which your controller needs to implement. It should be something like:

@RequestMapping(method=RequestMethod.POST, value="/search")
public ModelAndView doSearch(Student student){
    // do your conditional logic in here to check if form parameters were populated or not
    // then do something about getting results from the repository
    List<String> students = repository.find....;
    // return a model and a view (just as an example)
    ModelAndView mv = new ModelAndView();
    mv.addObject(students);
    mv.setViewName("/results");
    return mv;
}

You should also set the method of your form to 'post'

<form th:object="${student}" th:action="@{/search}" action="#" method="post">

Submitting a form with input field data to be put into a model and sent should be via HTTP POST, see here: http://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_form_method.asp

Alternatively, you could add a second different GET request mapping that parses the form fields from the URL parameters. LEaving the form method as 'get', you would add another GET request mapping as follows:

@RequestMapping(value = {"/search"}, method = RequestMethod.GET)
public String doSearch(@PathVariable String firstName, @PathVariable String lastName, @PathVariable String city) {
    // Add your conditional logic to search JPA repository based on @PathVariable values delivered from form submission using HTTP GET

    List<String> students = repository.find....;
    ModelAndView mv = new ModelAndView();
    mv.addObject(students);
    mv.setViewName("/results");
    return mv;
}

But do be aware of the limitations, and security implications of using form method='get' for sending form data.

edited Jul 1, 2016 at 15:14

answered Jul 1, 2016 at 13:35

Finbarr O'B

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6 Comments

Muhammad Over a year ago

I've used your example to findAll but getting error------------There was an unexpected error (type=Method Not Allowed, status=405). Request method 'GET' not supported---------------- if I remove method=RequestMethod.POST it works, but no record displayed.

Finbarr O'B Over a year ago

I think my edit above should help.. check it please: :)

Muhammad Over a year ago

I did try that as well but no luck :(

Finbarr O'B Over a year ago

Can you post up the current controller code? Method not allowed indicates there is no request mapping for the method you requested. You should have both a get and post method for the view which your form is in (SearchStudent.html), GET will display the SearchStudent.html view, POST will submit the form data from the view.

Muhammad Over a year ago

@RequestMapping(method=RequestMethod.POST, value="/search") public ModelAndView doSearch(Student student){ List<Student> students = (ArrayList<Student>)repository.findAll(); ModelAndView mv = new ModelAndView(); mv.addObject(students); mv.setViewName("/SearchStudent"); return mv; }

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