Assignment % String sx = % search goes wrong

Question

Hello,
I have the following JavaScript function in my JSP:
On Button click
( <INPUT type="button" name="Search" value="Search for Service" onclick="searchService(document.myform.Keyword.value);"></TD> )
the function searchService is called:
<SCRIPT language="JavaScript">
function searchService(s) {
     var search = s;
     <% String sx = %> search;
     var output = "<%= agent.searchForService(sx).elementAt(0)%>";
</SCRIPT>
How can I assign <% String sx = %> search; ?
The error message I get is: incompatible type for declaration. Can't convert void to java.lang.String.
String sx = ^ 1 error
Can anybody help me out please?
Thanks
Simone

Answer 1

Think of the transaction of processing a JSP page as server-side, client-side and a long pipe in between (the http connection).
First the server-side stuff is executed on the server, then the result is sent down the pipe and then the client-side stuff is executed on the client.
If you want client-side stuff to change the server-side execution, you will need to do a round trip back to the server - i.e. post the data to another (or the same) JSP in order to continue processing.
Sometimes it helps to think of this process as above in order to clarify the timing of when things happen.
Hope that helped.