Error in using .equals in JSP

Question

i'm using .equals to compare string value but every time i refresh the page it returns an error.
<%@include file = "connection/dbconnect.js"%>
<select name="List_Type" style="width:150px;height:23px" class="styleFieldEntry">
<%if(request.getParameter("Found")==null || request.getParameter("Type1")==""){%>
<option value="" selected>All</option>
<%}else{%>
<option value="" selected>All</option>
<%}%>
<%rs = statement.executeQuery("SELECT Type1 From somain group by Type1 order by Type1 ");
rs.next();
while (rs.next())
{ if(request.getParameter("List_Type").equals(rs.getString("Type1"))){%>
<option value="<%=rs.getString("Type1")%>" selected><%=rs.getString("Type1")%></option>
<%}else{%>
<option value="<%=rs.getString("Type1")%>"><%=rs.getString("Type1")%></option>
<%}}%>
</select>      Error:
exception
org.apache.jasper.JasperException
     org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServletWrapper.service(JspServletWrapper.java:373)
     org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.serviceJspFile(JspServlet.java:295)
     org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.service(JspServlet.java:245)
     javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:802)
root cause
java.lang.NullPointerException
     org.apache.jsp.inventory.soFind_jsp._jspService(org.apache.jsp.inventory.soFind_jsp:143)
     org.apache.jasper.runtime.HttpJspBase.service(HttpJspBase.java:99)
     javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:802)
     org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServletWrapper.service(JspServletWrapper.java:325)
     org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.serviceJspFile(JspServlet.java:295)
     org.apache.jasper.servlet.JspServlet.service(JspServlet.java:245)
     javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:802)

Answer 1

This is very hard to read
insert standard rant about mixing ugly scriptlet code into a JSP like this.
Recommend the use of JSTL to reduce scriptlet code.
Also comment on how SQL should never be in a JSP, but rather be in a bean somewhere.
Particularly if it is a static list, that doesn't depend on any parameters.
And why call rs.getString("Type1") four seperate times? Call it once and reuse the variable.
I can't see the reason for that first if statement, as it does the same thing on either branch of the if.
Also, you have an extra rs.next() that you might not need.
[ end rants]
Oh - your null pointer exception.
It could be coming from several places:
Most likely is request.getParameter("List_Type").equals...
If the parameter List_Type is not present, then it will fail.
Also you have request.getParameter("Type1")=="")
that should be
if (request.getParameter("Type1")==null || request.getParameter("Type1".equals("")