Can't create dynamic html elements with jsp????? important

Question

Hi All,
I am having problem creating dynamic html elements with jsp tags, i have tried to use EL and java scriplet, both of them don't work.
i am trying to create dynamic menu in my "rightMenu.jspf", based on, if user has logged in or not.
some like this!
<jsp:if test ="${validUser == null}">
some simple text menu here
</jsp:if>
but it is not working. it simply loading all and images with in statement, regardless of whether user has logged in or not. i think some how if statement is not working properly.
"validUser" is a session bean, which is not creating at this point, it will created when user will log in successfully. and also this session bean does not exist at the page, where i am trying to check that .
Is there any way to create dynamic values in jsp. It is really important, is there any body who help me in this matter. i would be really grateful.
zaman

Answer 1

hi jaspre,
thanks for replying me. you know what, is it not something wrong with web.xml file. i remember once, i deleted some from there, a property with "*.jsp". i can't remember what exactly was it though.
all if statements works on files ending with extension ".jsp" but don't work only on with extension ".jspf". there must be to do with this.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<web-app version="2.4" xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/j2ee" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/j2ee http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/j2ee/web-app_2_4.xsd">
<servlet>
<servlet-name>ValidateServlet</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>ValidateServlet</servlet-class>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>ValidateServlet</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/ValidateServlet</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
<servlet>
<servlet-name>dwr-invoker</servlet-name>
<servlet-class>org.directwebremoting.servlet.DwrServlet</servlet-class>
<init-param>
<param-name>debug</param-name>
<param-value>true</param-value>
</init-param>
<init-param>
<param-name>pollAndCometEnabled</param-name>
<param-value>true</param-value>
</init-param>
</servlet>
<servlet-mapping>
<servlet-name>dwr-invoker</servlet-name>
<url-pattern>/dwr/*</url-pattern>
</servlet-mapping>
<session-config>
<session-timeout>
30
</session-timeout>
</session-config>
<welcome-file-list>
     <welcome-file>
main.jsp
</welcome-file>
</welcome-file-list>
</web-app>
if any one can figure it out. i would be grateful.
zaman