jsp - Using <s:set /> to dynamically build element's name -

i want reuse set of html field elements , have struts build 'name' attributes variable. saw how generate unique html id attributes within struts 2 iterator tag , figured use similar can't work. seems can build name attribute struts variable in iterator loop. how can simple variable instead?

here code, first trying use variable, second using iterator :

<s:set var="type" value="main" /> <s:textfield name="prefix%{#type}.name"/>  <s:set var="alist" value="{'main'}" /> <s:iterator value="alist" var="ltype">     <s:textfield name="prefix%{#ltype}.name"/> </s:iterator> 

this generates 2 elements :

<input type="text" name="prefix.name"     value=""> <input type="text" name="prefixmain.name" value=""> 

with first not substituting variable, , iterator loop working.

why doesn't work , how can this?

you assigning value first variable, not string literal, , since there isn't an object called main in valuestack, assigning an empty string type variable:

<s:set var="type" value="main" /> 

while doing (almost) great in second example:

<s:set var="alist" value="{'main'}" /> 

just use

<s:set var="alist" value="%{'main'}" /> 

or

<s:set var="alist" value="'main'" /> 

everywhere , work.

{} alone useless , dangerous, because has special meaning in ognl (list projection, list selection, etc.)