JSP "include" errors ("Identifier not found") Workaround? Fix?

Question

Hi Folks,
I have inherited a large and reasonably horrible web-based Java application. Historically I'm a C++ programmer, but did about 6 weeks worth of java 12 years ago (apparently that makes me a java programmer to my boss?), so while I'm an experienced developer, I'm very much a beginner at Java.
Whenever I compile, I get several hundred errors. These are all of the "Identifier <variable name> not found" type.
The reason I'm getting these errors is that the guy that originally wrote the application often breaks a single webpage into multiple JSP pages. For example:
ParentPage.jsp:
<%
MyClass MyVar = MyOtherClass.GetMyClassInstance();
%>
<table>
<tr>
<td>Some Content Here</td>
<td>Some More Content Here</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<@ include file="ChildPage.jsp"%>
</tr>
</table>
ChildPage.jsp:
<%
String MyString = MyVar.GetSomeStringData();
%>
At runtime the above code is fine, however, when I compile the project in JDeveloper, I of course get an error on line 2 of ChildPage.jsp saying "Identifier MyVar not found"
Does anyone have any suggestions? Unfortunately, a wholesale rewrite of code is not allowed, but anything short of that is certainly on the table!
Many Thanks,
Riv

Answer 1

When you are using include directive static inclusion is taking place. So at the time your parent page translation takes place the included page to will be taken into account and considered as the same. So the variable that you declared at the top will be accessible inside the included page too. But if you compile the included file separately, definitely variable not found error will be thrown as no declaration inside there.