### Creating JSP Content

JSPs provide a convenient way to present dynamically generated content over the Internet. JSPs are used to implement portlets and can contain static HTML code, JSP tag libraries, JSP scriptlets that access EJB components, or any other application functionality available with the application server.

WebLogic Workshop makes it easy to create a JSP: click the target folder and choose File —> New —> JSP File. The JSP Editor opens and displays a JSP file with basic HTML content.

JSP Editor

The following table describes the JSP editing tools shown in the previous figure.

Tools for Designing JSPs

Callout # | Use this tool... | For these tasks...
--- | --- | ---
1 | Application Window | Create, view, and edit JSP files in your portal application projects. The names of JSP files end in .jsp.
2 | Design and Source Views | Design your JSP in this area. Switch between the Design and Source code views, as required; changes made in one view are automatically reflected in the other. In Design View, the HTML elements on the JSP page are rendered as they would be shown in a browser. The Java code and other elements are rendered in a schematic fashion.
3 | Palette Window | Add JSP tags to your JSP content by dragging components from the Palette window and dropping them onto the Design View canvas. JSP tags can be categorized as follows: HTML—Standard HTML element tags. NetUI—Page flow tags, including standard, data binding, and template tags. Portal—WebLogic Portal tags for content rendering, personalization, skeleton rendering, and so on. Custom controls—Tags for custom controls that you define for the project. The steps required to build a custom control are described in Building a Custom Control. Client-specific content—Tags for client-specific content. WebLogic Workshop includes the required tag libraries in the WEB-INF folder. The *.tld files are J2EE-standard tag library descriptor files. The *.tldx files are WebLogic Workshop specific files that contain information about how the tags behave within the IDE.
4 | Data Palette Window | View or add components in the following categories: Page—Add and view controls and view defined form beans. Page Flow—View the properties, controls, and actions defined for the page flow.
5 | Table Navigator Window | Navigate through the rows and columns of the selected table, and add, merge, or delete select cells and rows.
6 | Property Editor Window | Set properties for the JSP file component that is currently selected. You can select a JSP tag component by clicking on it in the Design View canvas, n the hierarchical tag structure shown in the Design View status bar (see Figure: JSP Tag Hierarchy in Design View Status Bar), or in the Document Structure window (described below).
7 | Document Structure Window | View the JSP tags in the JSP file in a hierarchical structure (see Figure: Document Structure Window for a JSP File). You can click any JSP component in the Document Structure window to select it in the Design View and edit its properties.

The following figure shows the Document Structure window for a JSP file.

Document Structure Window for a JSP File

The current JSP tag hierarchy is also reflected in the Design View status bar, as shown in the following figure.

JSP Tag Hierarchy in Design View Status Bar

To learn more about creating JSP content:

- View a demo, Creating JSP Content, that shows how to use the JSP design tools.
- See Designing User Interfaces in JSPs in the WebLogic Workshop Help.