Insert a template with the possibility to pass parameters (called attributes). A template can be seen as a procedure that can take parameters or attributes. <tiles:insertTemplate> allows to define these attributes and pass them to the inserted jsp page, called template. Attributes are defined using nested tag <tiles:putAttribute> or <tiles:putListAttribute>.

You must specify template attribute, for inserting a template

Example :

        
          <tiles:insertTemplate template="/basic/myLayout.jsp" flush="true">
             <tiles:putAttribute name="title" value="My first page" />
             <tiles:putAttribute name="header" value="/common/header.jsp" />
             <tiles:putAttribute name="footer" value="/common/footer.jsp" />
             <tiles:putAttribute name="menu" value="/basic/menu.jsp" />
             <tiles:putAttribute name="body" value="/basic/helloBody.jsp" />
          </tiles:insertTemplate>
        
      

Insert a definition with the possibility to override and specify parameters (called attributes). A definition can be seen as a (partially or totally) filled template that can override or complete attribute values. <tiles:insertDefinition> allows to define these attributes and pass them to the inserted jsp page, called template. Attributes are defined using nested tag <tiles:putAttribute> or <tiles:putListAttribute>.

You must specify name tag attribute, for inserting a definition from definitions factory.

Example :

        
          <tiles:insertDefinition name=".my.tiles.defininition flush="true">
             <tiles:putAttribute name="title" value="My first page" />
             <tiles:putAttribute name="header" value="/common/header.jsp" />
             <tiles:putAttribute name="footer" value="/common/footer.jsp" />
             <tiles:putAttribute name="menu" value="/basic/menu.jsp" />
             <tiles:putAttribute name="body" value="/basic/helloBody.jsp" />
          </tiles:insertDefinition>
        
      

This tag can be flexibly used to insert the value of an attribute into a page. As in other usages in Tiles, every attribute can be determined to have a "type", either set explicitly when it was defined, or "computed". If the type is not explicit, then if the attribute value is a valid definition, it will be inserted as such. Otherwise, if it begins with a "/" character, it will be treated as a "template". Finally, if it has not otherwise been assigned a type, it will be treated as a String and included without any special handling.

Example :

        
          <tiles:insertAttribute name="body" />
        
      

Create a new definition at runtime. Newly created definition will be available across the entire request.

Enclosing attribute container tag can be :

• <initContainer>
• <definition>
• <insertAttribute>
• <insertDefinition>
• <putListAttribute>

Put tag can have following atributes :

• name : Name of the attribute
• value : value to put as attribute
• type : value type. Possible type are : string (value is used as direct string), template (value is used as a page url to insert), definition (value is used as a definition name to insert), object (value is used as it is)
• role : Role to check when 'insertAttribute' will be called.

Value can also come from tag body. Tag body is taken into account only if value is not set by one of the tag attributes. In this case Attribute type is "string", unless tag body define another type.

Declare a list that will be pass as attribute to tile. List elements are added using the tags 'addAttribute' or 'addListAttribute'. This tag can only be used inside 'insertTemplate', 'insertDefinition', 'definition' tags.

Add an element to the surrounding list. This tag can only be used inside 'putListAttribute' or 'addListAttribute' tags. Value can come from a direct assignment (value="aValue")

Declare a list that will be pass as an attribute . List elements are added using the tag 'addAttribute' or 'addListAttribute'. This tag can only be used inside 'insertTemplate', 'insertDefinition' or 'definition' tag.

Retrieve the value of the specified template attribute property, and render it to the current JspWriter as a String. The usual toString() conversions is applied on found value.

Throw a JSPException if named value is not found.

Declare a Java variable, and an attribute in the specified scope, using its attribute value.

Java variable and attribute will have the name specified by 'id', or the original name if not specified.

Import attribute(s) to requested scope. Attribute name and scope are optional. If not specified, all attributes are imported in page scope. Once imported, an attribute can be used as any other beans from jsp contexts.

In order to use the Tiles system, a TilesContainer must be instantiated. This initialization is generally done by the TilesListener (or perhaps the TilesServlet or TilesFilter).

If the intialization needs to be dynamic, you can initialize the container using this tag. Realize however, that this tag MUST be executed prior to invoking any other definitions. Additionally, the initilization may only be done once, and any subsequent invocations will be ignored.