Dynamic vs. Declarative HtmlDataTable pagination/scolling issue

Question

I've been struggling with trying to create a paginating HtmlDataTable dynamically to replace my current jsf declarative datatable. I've tried to crib from the BalusC examples and multiple google searches. I've removed a lot of the 'read-only' data column
Here's the current declarative jsp code with my dynamic hook added to it:
<h:panelGroup binding="#{searchHandler.searchResults}"/>
///// Original code to be replaced with the above dynamic control
<center><h1><h:outputText value="#{i18n.searchResults}"/></h1></center>
<h:messages style="color:#FF0000;" globalOnly="true"/>
<f:subview id="searchResultsControls" rendered="#{myResultsHandler.hasResults}">
     <h:form id="mySearchResultsForm">
          <h:dataTable border="1" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2"
                   first="#{myResultsHandler.firstRowIndex}"
                   id="searchResultsId"
                   rows="#{myResultsHandler.noOfRows}" 
                   rowClasses="oddRows, evenRows"
                   value="#{myResultsHandler.results}"
                   var="result"  width="100%">
               <h:column>
                    <f:facet name="header" ><h:outputText value="#{i18n.username}"/></f:facet>
                    <h:commandLink action="#{userDetailsHandler.selectUserToSeeDetails}" value="#{result.userName}">
                         <f:param name="userId" value="#{result.userId}" />
                    </h:commandLink>
                    </h:column>
               </h:dataTable>
               <h:commandButton id="declNext" value=">" disabled="#{myResultsHandler.scrollNextDisabled}" action="#myResultsHandler.scrollNext}" />
     </h:form>
</f:subview>And here is my dynamic code I'm trying to use to replace it.
         private HtmlPanelGroup searchResults;
     public HtmlPanelGroup getSearchResults() {
          searchResults = (HtmlPanelGroup) FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getApplication().createComponent(HtmlPanelGroup.COMPONENT_TYPE);
          searchResults.setId("dyn_SRPanel");
          final HtmlForm form = (HtmlForm) FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getApplication().createComponent(HtmlForm.COMPONENT_TYPE);
          form.setId("dyn_CustForm");
          final HtmlDataTable table = new HtmlDataTable();
          table.setFirst(myResultsHandler.getFirstRowIndex());
          table.setId("dyn_my_results_table");
          table.setBorder(1);
          table.setCellpadding("2");
          table.setCellspacing("2");
          table.setRowClasses("oddRows, evenRows");
          table.setRows(myResultsHandler.getNoOfRows());
          table.setValueExpression("value", createValueExpression("#{myResultsHandler.results}", List.class));
          table.setVar("dyn_result");
          table.setWidth("100%");
          final HtmlColumn actionColumn = new HtmlColumn();
          table.getChildren().add(actionColumn);
          final HtmlOutputText commandHeader = new HtmlOutputText();
          commandHeader.setValueExpression("value", createValueExpression(resultHeaders[0], String.class));
          actionColumn.setHeader(commandHeader);
          HtmlCommandLink action = new HtmlCommandLink();
          action.setValueExpression("value", createValueExpression("#{dyn_result.userName}", String.class));
          action.setActionExpression(createActionExpression("#{userDetailsHandler.selectUserToSeeDetails}", String.class));
          final UIParameter param = new UIParameter();
          param.setName("userId");
          param.setValueExpression("value", createValueExpression("#{dyn_result.userId}", Long.class));
          action.getChildren().add(param);
          actionColumn.getChildren().add(action);
          form.getChildren().add(table);
          final HtmlCommandButton scrollNext = (HtmlCommandButton) FacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getApplication().createComponent(HtmlCommandButton.COMPONENT_TYPE);
          scrollNext.setValue(">");
          scrollNext.setId("dyn_next");
          scrollNext.setDisabled(myResultsHandler.isScrollNextDisabled());
          final FacesContext facesContext = FacesContext.getCurrentInstance();
          MethodExpression expr= facesContext.getApplication().getExpressionFactory().createMethodExpression(
              facesContext.getELContext(), "#{myResultsHandler.scrollNext}", String.class, new Class[]{});
          scrollNext.setActionExpression(expr);
          form.getChildren().add(scrollNext);
          searchResults.getChildren().add(form);
          return searchResults;
     }Now here's the odd thing, the dynamically created table doesn't scroll through the results like the declarative table. I've check the JSF event flow and the actions get invoke for the declarative/dynamic controls at the correct place in the event trace, but only the declarative version actually shows the correct model state. When either the dynamic or the declarative button are pressed, the correct backing action is called. All of the beans are session scoped.
What have I missed/messed up?
Thanks,

Answer 1

Yes, the action method gets invoked no matter if the dynamic or declarative button is pressed. In both cases, the table model is delegating to the same back end. I'm trying to re-wire this declarative component into a dynamic form. The correct list is being returned in both instances, as far as I can tell the next button event is called in the exact same place in the JSF event flow in both cases.
One curious thing I have noticed, is that if I click through the command link to the 'details' page, when I come back to the result table page both views are in sync with the same model state. I.e. the dynamic table will have been 'scolled' properly. I'm not sure if that is a useful clue or just an odd side-effect.
Thanks for your help so far though, I've spent 2.5 days trying to work through this.