Avoid second request for list in dataTable

Question

Hi, I'm using a dataTable to display a productlist. The name of each product can be clicked to show product details, e.g.
<h:dataTable value="#{productList.list}" var="var">
<h:column>
<f:facet name="header">
<h:outputText value="Product" />
</f:facet>
<h:commandLink action="#{productList.showProduct}" immediate="true" >
<h:outputText value="#{var.name}" />
<f:param name="id" value="#{var.id}" />
</h:commandLink>
</h:column>
</h:dataTable>
When the page is loaded for the first time productList.getList() is called. But when a user clicks on a commandlink productList.getList() is called again, even before productList.showProduct() !
This means that, since the action is immediate, either the Restore View or the Apply Request Values phase somehow needs productList.list (but I don't see why...).
Since productList.getList() can be rather time consuming I would like to avoid this second call. Does anybody know how ?
ps. And I DON'T want to use a session scope bean to keep a copy of the product list !

Answer 1

I have a very similar piece of functionality in my application. I have a dynamic list of issues to display based on results that are retrieved from a database - so the number of items in my array is dynamic. I am able to write out the links in the datatable, but when I click on them nothing happens.
Here's my jsp:
<h:dataTable id="issuesList" value="#{topicList.issueList}" var="issue" >
<h:column>
          <h:commandLink id="issue" value="#{issue.issueDesc}" actionListener="#{billList.findBillsByIssue}" action="#{billList.displayBills}">
               <f:param value="#{issue.ID}" id="issueID" name="issueID"/>
          </h:commandLink>
          </h:column>
     </h:dataTable>
My topicList.getIssueList() is never being called after I submit the request. I don't think that my array is initialized correctly. Can you tell me how you are initializing your product list? Is it dynamic?
Thanks!