JSP TableView Sorting Problem

Question

I have been trying to get a tableview to be sortable by clicking on the header of columns.  I have been reviewing existing threads on the forum in particular the one below.
https://forums.sdn.sap.com/thread.jspa?threadID=16417
I seem to understand the concept but for some reason my table does not sort, it just does nothing.  Could someone take a look and see if you can find any problems - I can't wait to give points.
Here is all my code.
Here is the Java....
package MSSPackage;
import MSSBeanPackage.PositionOverviewBean;
import MSSPackage.SortTableModel;
import com.sapportals.htmlb.page.DynPage;
import com.sapportals.htmlb.page.PageException;
import com.sapportals.portal.htmlb.page.JSPDynPage;
import com.sapportals.portal.htmlb.page.PageProcessorComponent;
import com.sapportals.portal.prt.component.IPortalComponentContext;
import com.sapportals.portal.prt.component.IPortalComponentProfile;
import com.sapportals.portal.prt.component.IPortalComponentRequest;
import com.sapportals.portal.prt.component.IPortalComponentSession;
import com.sapportals.htmlb.event.*;
import com.sapportals.htmlb.*;
import com.sapportals.htmlb.table.*;
import com.sapportals.htmlb.table.DefaultTableViewModel;
import javax.servlet.http.*;
// SAP RFC Imports
import com.sap.mw.jco.IFunctionTemplate;
import com.sap.mw.jco.JCO;
import com.sapportals.portal.prt.service.jco.IJCOClientPoolEntry;
import com.sapportals.portal.prt.service.jco.IJCOClientService;
import com.sapportals.portal.prt.runtime.PortalRuntime;
import java.util.*;
public class PositionOverview extends PageProcessorComponent {
  public DynPage getPage(){
     return new PositionOverviewDynPage();
  public static class PositionOverviewDynPage extends JSPDynPage{
     JCO.Repository mRepository;
     public JCO.Table tblRelations;
     public JCO.Table tblPositions;     
     public SortTableModel tableModel;
     public int visibleRow = 1;     
     private boolean OrgUnitSelected = false;
     public void doInitialization(){
          IPortalComponentSession oSession = ((IPortalComponentRequest)getRequest()).getComponentSession();
          PositionOverviewBean oBean = new PositionOverviewBean();
          // Table Start row
          oBean.setvisibleRow(new Integer(this.visibleRow).toString());          
          oSession.putValue("myBean", oBean);
          // Define request, context and profile containers         
          IPortalComponentRequest request = (IPortalComponentRequest) this.getRequest();
          IPortalComponentContext myContext = request.getComponentContext();
          IPortalComponentProfile myProfile = myContext.getProfile();
          // Define bean reference to bean
          PositionOverviewBean myBean = new PositionOverviewBean();
          // Table Start row
          myBean.setvisibleRow(new Integer(this.visibleRow).toString());
          // Place bean in user profile.          
          myProfile.putValue("myBean", myBean);
     public void doProcessAfterInput() throws PageException {
     public void doProcessBeforeOutput() throws PageException {
          String NavType = "RCORGUNIT";
          String OType = "O";
          //String OBjid = "10004399";
          String OBjid = "";
          String sapSystem = "SAP_R3_HumanResources";          
          IPortalComponentSession oSession = ((IPortalComponentRequest)getRequest()).getComponentSession();
          PositionOverviewBean myBean = (PositionOverviewBean) oSession.getValue("myBean");
          // Define request, context and profile containers         
          IPortalComponentRequest request = (IPortalComponentRequest) this.getRequest();
/*          IPortalComponentContext myContext = request.getComponentContext();
          IPortalComponentProfile myProfile = myContext.getProfile();
          //HttpSession session = request.getServletRequest().getSession();          //dmm
          //Get Bean from Profile
          PositionOverviewBean myBean = (PositionOverviewBean) myProfile.getValue("myBean");
          //PositionOverviewBean myDataBean = (PositionOverviewBean) session.getValue("POviewBean");               //dmm
          String ddlbSelection = "";
          String ddlbValue = "";
          DropdownListBox ddlbOrgUnits = (DropdownListBox) getComponentByName("ddlbOrgUnits");
          if (ddlbOrgUnits != null)
               ddlbSelection = ddlbOrgUnits.getSelection();
               ddlbValue = ddlbOrgUnits.getValueAsDataType().getValueAsString();
               OBjid = ddlbValue;
               myBean.setObjId(OBjid);
          else
               OBjid = "";
               myBean.setObjId(OBjid);                 
          IJCOClientService clientService;
          IJCOClientPoolEntry poolEntry;          
          JCO.Client client;          
          try
               clientService = (IJCOClientService) PortalRuntime.getRuntimeResources().getService(IJCOClientService.KEY);
               poolEntry = clientService.getJCOClientPoolEntry(sapSystem, request);
               client = poolEntry.getJCOClient();
            // connect to SAP system, logon
               client.connect();
            // Create Jco Repository Object
               mRepository = new JCO.Repository("R3USERMENU", client);
            // Reset function object
               JCO.Function function = null;
            // Run RFC Module on SAP system
               function = this.createFunction("HRWPC_GET_NAV_OBJECTS");
               JCO.ParameterList input = function.getImportParameterList();
               input.setValue("RCORGUNIT", "NAVTYPE");               
               client.execute(function);
               tblRelations = function.getTableParameterList().getTable("RESULT_OBJEC");
               myBean.setRowcnt(tblRelations.getNumRows());
               if (tblRelations.getNumRows() != 0)               
                    myBean.setOrgUnits(tblRelations);
                    if (ddlbOrgUnits == null)
                         // check to see if there is not a position id already assigned
                         tblRelations.setRow(0);
                         OBjid = tblRelations.getString("OBJID");
                         myBean.setObjId(OBjid);
                         //myBean.sTemp = OBjid;                         
               // GET THE POSITION DETAILS
               function = null;
               input = null;
               function = this.createFunction("Z_GET_POSITION_OVERVIEW");
               input = function.getImportParameterList();               
               input.setValue(NavType, "NAVTYPE");               
               input.setValue(OType, "OTYPE");
               input.setValue(OBjid, "OBJID");               
               client.execute(function);
               tblPositions = function.getTableParameterList().getTable("RESULT_OBJEC");
               myBean.setRowcnt(tblPositions.getNumRows());
               tableViewFormat();
               tableModel.setTesting("Startxxxx");
               myBean.settableModel(tableModel);
               //tableModel.setTesting("SSSS");               
               //myDataBean.settableModel(tableModel);                                             //dmm               
               //session.setAttribute("POviewBean", myDataBean);                                //dmm
               oSession.putValue("myBean", myBean);
          //Release pool entry
          poolEntry.release();                           
       catch(Exception ex)
            //name = ex.getMessage();                         
       //String sTest = "this is a test";      
       //request.getComponentSession().putValue("Test", sTest);
       //myProfile.putValue("Testx", sTest);
       this.setJspName("PositionOverviewJSP.jsp");
     public void getPositions()
          String NavType;
          String Root_Ot;
          String Root_ObjId;
     public void tableViewFormat()
          // Define the vectors used to build tableView
          Vector tempRec = new Vector();
          Vector dataRec = new Vector();
          String sDate = "";
          String sPosLink = "";
          String sPosVal = "";
          String sENameLink = "";
          String sENameVal = "";
          String sStatus = "";
          // Loop at company code list and add to vectors
          for (int i = 0; i < tblPositions.getNumRows(); i++)
               tblPositions.setRow(i);
               tempRec = new Vector();
               sStatus = (String) tblPositions.getString("STATUS");
               if (sStatus != null)
                    if (sStatus.equals("0"))                    
                         sDate = tblPositions.getString("ZHR_VACANT_BEGDA");
                         sDate = sDate.substring(5, 7) + "/" + sDate.substring(8, 10) + "/" +  sDate.substring(0, 4);                         
                    else
                         sDate = "";                    
               sPosVal = tblPositions.getString("STEXT");
               sENameVal = tblPositions.getString("ENAME");
               if (sPosVal.equals(""))
                    sPosLink = sPosVal;
               else
                    sPosLink = "<a HREF="myLink" onclick="return EPCM.doNavigate('ROLES://portal_content/com.sap.portal.migrated/ep_5.0/pages/com.sap.pct.hcm.positionprofile?CKey=000000" + tblPositions.getString("OBJID") + "', 1)">" + tblPositions.getString("STEXT") + "</a>";
               if (sENameVal.equals(""))
                    sENameLink = sENameVal;
               else
                    sENameLink = "<a HREF="myLink" onclick="return EPCM.doNavigate('ROLES://portal_content/com.phi/com.phi.mgt/com.phi.mss/com.phi.hr/com.phi.pages/com.phi.mgt.mss.hr.pages.positionholder?CKey=000000" + tblPositions.getString("OBJID") + "', 1)">" + tblPositions.getString("ENAME") + "</a>";
               tempRec.addElement(sStatus);
               tempRec.addElement(tblPositions.getString("OBJID"));
               tempRec.addElement(sPosLink);
               tempRec.addElement(sENameLink);
               tempRec.addElement(sDate);               
               dataRec.addElement(tempRec);
          // Then define the technical column names
          Vector colNames = new Vector();
          colNames.addElement("STATUS");
          colNames.addElement("OBJID");
          colNames.addElement("STEXT");     
          colNames.addElement("ENAME");
          colNames.addElement("ZHR_VACANT_BEGDA");
          // Now we build the actual tableView
          //tableModel = new DefaultTableViewModel(dataRec, colNames);
          tableModel = new SortTableModel(dataRec, colNames, 5);     
          // Define tableView parameters
          tableModel.setKeyColumn(2);
          TableColumn column = tableModel.getColumn("STATUS");
          column.setEncode(false);
          column.setType(com.sapportals.htmlb.enum.TableColumnType.USER);
          column.setTitle("Vacant");
          column = tableModel.getColumn("OBJID");
          column.setTitle("Position Number");
          column = tableModel.getColumn("STEXT");
          column.setTitle("Position");
          column = tableModel.getColumn("ENAME");
          column.setTitle("Holder of Position");          
          column = tableModel.getColumn("ZHR_VACANT_BEGDA");
          column.setTitle("Vacant as of");
     //     * Navigation Button Clicked
     public void myOnNavigate(Event event)
          TableNavigationEvent tne = (TableNavigationEvent) event;
          visibleRow = tne.getFirstVisibleRowAfter();
          // Define request, context and profile containers         
          IPortalComponentRequest request = (IPortalComponentRequest) this.getRequest();
          IPortalComponentContext myContext = request.getComponentContext();
          IPortalComponentProfile myProfile = myContext.getProfile();
          // Get Bean from profile
          PositionOverviewBean myBean = (PositionOverviewBean) myProfile.getValue("myBean");
          // Table Start row
          myBean.setvisibleRow(new Integer(this.visibleRow).toString());
     public void onHeaderClick(Event event)
          IPortalComponentSession oSession = ((IPortalComponentRequest)getRequest()).getComponentSession();
          PositionOverviewBean myBean = (PositionOverviewBean) oSession.getValue("myBean");
          TableHeaderClickEvent tne = (TableHeaderClickEvent) event; // get the event
          SortTableModel tblModel = myBean.gettableModel();
          //tblModel.sort();
          int col = 3;
          tblModel.sortByColumn(col);
          myBean.settableModel(tblModel);
          oSession.putValue("myBean", myBean);
     // Create Function object for RFC Calls
     public JCO.Function createFunction(String name) throws Exception
          try
               IFunctionTemplate ft = mRepository.getFunctionTemplate(name.toUpperCase());
               if (ft == null)
                    return null;
               return ft.getFunction();
          catch (Exception ex)
               ex.printStackTrace();
               throw new Exception("Problem retrieving JCO.Function object");
     public void onSelectddlbOrgUnits(Event event) throws PageException
          OrgUnitSelected = true;          
Here is the JSP
<%@ page import="com.sap.mw.jco.*" %>
<%@ page import="com.sapportals.htmlb.enum.*" %>
<%@ page import="MSSPackage.TableViewCellRenderer" %>
<%@ page import="com.sapportals.portal.prt.component.IPortalComponentRequest" %>
<%@ page import="javax.servlet.http.*" %>
<%@ page import="com.sapportals.portal.prt.component.IPortalComponentContext" %>
<%@ taglib uri="tagLib" prefix="hbj" %>
<hbj:content id="myContext" >
     <hbj:page title="PageTitle">
          <hbj:form id="myFormId" >  
          <jsp:useBean id="myBean" scope="session" class="MSSBeanPackage.PositionOverviewBean" />     
               <hbj:gridLayout rowSize="1" columnSize="1" cellSpacing="1">
                    <hbj:gridLayoutCell columnIndex="1" rowIndex="1">
                         <hbj:textView id="ddlbLable" text="Select organizational unit to display positions" design="STANDARD" />
                    </hbj:gridLayoutCell>                         
                    <hbj:gridLayoutCell columnIndex="1" rowIndex="2">
                         <hbj:dropdownListBox id="ddlbOrgUnits" onSelect="onSelectddlbOrgUnits" selection="<%=myBean.getObjId()%>">                                                       
                              <%                         
                                   JCO.Table org_units = null;                                                       
                                   org_units = myBean.getOrgUnits();
                                   for (int i = 0; i < org_units.getNumRows(); i++)
                                        org_units.setRow(i);
                                        String sUnit = org_units.getString("STEXT");
                                        String Unit_Id = org_units.getString("OBJID");
                              %>
                              <hbj:listBoxItem key="<%=Unit_Id%>" value="<%=sUnit%>" />
                              <%
                              %>
                         </hbj:dropdownListBox>                                                                                                   
                    </hbj:gridLayoutCell>
                    <hbj:gridLayoutCell columnIndex="1" rowIndex="3">
                         <hbj:textView id="listLable" text="To designate a vacant position, click the icon in the 'Create Form' column" design="STANDARD" />                    
                    </hbj:gridLayoutCell>                    
                    <hbj:gridLayoutCell columnIndex="1" rowIndex="4">     
                         <hbj:tableView
                              id="myTableView"
                              headerVisible="true"
                              footerVisible="true"
                              fillUpEmptyRows="true"
                              selectionMode="NONE"                              
                              navigationMode="BYPAGE"
                              onNavigate="myOnNavigate"                                        
                              visibleFirstRow="<%= myBean.getvisibleRow() %>"                                                  
                              visibleRowCount="5" >                                                            
                              <%
                              myTableView.setOnHeaderClick("onHeaderClick");
                              myTableView.setUserTypeCellRenderer(new TableViewCellRenderer());                                                             
                              myTableView.setModel(myBean.gettableModel());
                              myTableView.setColumnType(TableColumnType.LINK, 3);
                              myTableView.setColumnType(TableColumnType.LINK, 4);                              
                              %>
                         </hbj:tableView>
                    </hbj:gridLayoutCell>                                        
               </hbj:gridLayout>   
          </hbj:form>
     </hbj:page>
</hbj:content>
Here is the BEAN
package MSSBeanPackage;
//import com.sapportals.htmlb.enum.TableColumnType;
import MSSPackage.SortTableModel;
import com.sapportals.htmlb.table.DefaultTableViewModel;
//import com.sapportals.htmlb.table.TableColumn;
//import com.sapportals.htmlb.table.TableView;
//import com.sapportals.htmlb.table.TableViewModel;
import com.sap.mw.jco.JCO;
import com.sap.mw.jco.JCO.Table;
public class PositionOverviewBean {
//     public DefaultTableViewModel tableModel;
     public SortTableModel tableModel;
     public JCO.Table OrgUnits;
     public String ObjId;
     public String visibleRow;
     public int rowcnt;
     public String sTemp;
     // Get and Set methods for table model
//     public DefaultTableViewModel gettableModel() { return tableModel; }
//     public void settableModel(DefaultTableViewModel tableModel)     { this.tableModel = tableModel;     }
     public SortTableModel gettableModel() { return tableModel; }
     public void settableModel(SortTableModel IntableModel)     { this.tableModel = IntableModel;     }     
     public JCO.Table getOrgUnits()     { return OrgUnits; }
     public void setOrgUnits(JCO.Table value) { this.OrgUnits = value; }
     // Get and Set methods for visiblerow
     public String getvisibleRow() {     return visibleRow; }
     public void setvisibleRow(String visibleRow) { this.visibleRow = visibleRow; }     
     public int getRowcnt() { return this.rowcnt; }
     public void setRowcnt(int rowcnt) { this.rowcnt = rowcnt; }
     public String getObjId() { return this.ObjId; }
     public void setObjId(String value) { this.ObjId = value; }     
Here is the sorting class
package MSSPackage;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.Vector;
import com.sapportals.htmlb.table.DefaultTableViewModel;
public class SortTableModel extends DefaultTableViewModel implements Comparator {
     //protected int currCol;
     public int currCol;
     protected Vector ascendCol; // this vector stores the state (ascending or descending) of each column
     protected Integer one = new Integer(1);
     protected Integer minusOne = new Integer(-1);
     public String testing;
     public SortTableModel()
          super();
          ascendCol = new Vector();
     public SortTableModel(Vector vec)
          super(vec);
          ascendCol = new Vector();
     public SortTableModel(Vector vec, Vector vec2, int numberOfColumns)
          super(vec, vec2);
          ascendCol = new Vector();
          setSortOrder(numberOfColumns);
     public int compare (Object v1, Object v2)
          // the comparison is between 2 vectors, each representing a row
          // the comparison is done between 2 objects from the different rows that are in the column that is being sorted
          int ascending = ((Integer)ascendCol.get(currCol)).intValue();
          if (v1 == null && v2 == null)
               return 0;
          else if (v2 == null)
          { // Define null less than everything.
               return 1 * ascending;
          else if (v1 == null)
               return -1 * ascending;
          Object o1 = ((Vector)v1).get(currCol);
          Object o2 = ((Vector)v2).get(currCol);
          // If both values are null, return 0.
          if (o1 == null && o2 == null)
               return 0;
          else if (o2 == null)
          { // Define null less than everything.
               return 1 * ascending;
          else if (o1 == null)
               return -1 * ascending;
          if (o1 instanceof Number && o2 instanceof Number)
               Number n1 = (Number)o1;
               double d1 = n1.doubleValue();
               Number n2 = (Number)o2;
               double d2 = n2.doubleValue();
               if (d1 == d2)
                    return 0;
               else if (d1 > d2)
                    return 1 * ascending;
               else {
                    return -1 * ascending;
          else if (o1 instanceof Boolean && o2 instanceof Boolean)
               Boolean bool1 = (Boolean)o1;
               boolean b1 = bool1.booleanValue();
               Boolean bool2 = (Boolean)o2;
               boolean b2 = bool2.booleanValue();
               if (b1 == b2)
                    return 0;
               else if (b1)
                    return 1 * ascending;
               else
                    return -1 * ascending;
          else
               // default case
               if (o1 instanceof Comparable && o2 instanceof Comparable)
                    Comparable c1 = (Comparable)o1;
                    Comparable c2 = (Comparable)o2; // superflous cast, no need for it!
                    try
                         return c1.compareTo(c2) * ascending;
                    catch (ClassCastException cce)
                    // forget it... we'll deal with them like 2 normal objects below.
               String s1 = o1.toString();
               String s2 = o2.toString();
               return s1.compareTo(s2) * ascending;
     * This method sorts the rows using Java's Collections class.
     * After sorting, it changes the state of the column -
     * if the column was ascending, its new state is descending, and vice versa.
     public void sort()
          Collections.sort(dataVector, this);          
          //Collections.sort(dataVector);
          Integer val = (Integer)ascendCol.get(currCol);
          ascendCol.remove(currCol);
          if (val.equals(one)) // change the state of the column
               ascendCol.add(currCol, minusOne);
          else
               ascendCol.add(currCol, one);
     public void sortByColumn(int column)
          this.currCol = column;
          sort();
     public void setSortOrder(int numberOfColumns)
          for (int i = 0; i < numberOfColumns; i++)
               ascendCol.add(one);
     public void setTesting(String inStr)
          testing = inStr;
Any help would be greatly apprciated and rewarded...

Answer 1

Hi Don,
be aware that after the method onHeaderClick(Event event) is executed the method doProcessBeforeOutput() is executed as well.
I look over your code and found the following:
1) In method onHeaderClick you sort the table model and store the table model in the bean
2) In method doProcessBeforeOutput() you create a new table model from scratch (in helper method tableViewFormat())and store it in the bean. Thus you overwrite the sorted model.
I suggest that you move the initial creation of the table model in method doInitialization(). Do not forget to store the created table in the bean. In method doProcessBeforeOutput() you retrieve the table model from the bean instead of creating a new one for every request.
Best regards,
Martin