Button values in dynamic columns and rows

Question

Hi,
I am working on webpage that allows the user to dynamically browse a database. I already did this as an applet and was asked to convert it to server-side intensive. Thus began my adventure into JSP and servlets.
The problem i am having is that at some point a table is generated with a number of columns having submit buttons instead of just text. I want to get the column number and the value of the button that user clicks and use it in my servlet.
Can anyone suggest a way to do this ?
My current train of thoughts is to attach the column index to the name of the button and use javascript's onclick to call a function to set a hidden parameter. I am a novice to javascript - will it be possible to pass the name attribute of the button to the function ?
Also, can I use jsp tags inside the javascript function ?
TIA
-Harry
Below is the code for generating the page.
<jsp:useBean id="tableData" scope="session" class="beans.TableBean" />
<table border="1">
<% int columnCount = tableData.getColumnCount(); %>
<% int rowCount = tableData.getRowCount(); %>
<tr align="center">
<%for(int i=0; i < columnCount; i++)
{%>
<td>
<%= tableData.getColumnTitle(i) %>
</td>
<%}%>
</tr>
<% for(int i=0; i<rowCount;i++)
{%>
<tr>
<%for(int j=0; j<columnCount; j++)
String val = tableData.getValueAt(i,j);
%>
<td>
<%if(tableData.isDrill(j))
%>
<input type="submit" name="<%=val%>" value="<%=val%>" >
<%}
else
{%>
<%=val %>
</td>
<%}
}%>
</tr>
<%}%>
</table>

Answer 1

Is there other data being passed to the servlet also... by the looks of the code you're using now, there isn't. If this is the case, why bother with submit buttons? You can just use an HTML button, and link it to the servlet passing the information you need, sending your column numbers as parameters inside the url,
<input type="button" value="<%=val%>" onClick="window.location.href='myServlet?col=<%=j%>&val=<%=val%>';"