Select box problem (option selected)

Question

I have the following code:
<td><p>Topic:</p>
<%
try
Class.forName("sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver");
String sourceURL = "jdbc:odbc:my_Library";
Connection databaseConnection = DriverManager.getConnection(sourceURL);
Statement statement = databaseConnection.createStatement();
     String Topic;
     ResultSet bookDetails = statement.executeQuery("SELECT distinct Topic FROM tblAvailable_Items order by Topic");
     out.println("<select name = \"Topic" + "\">");
     out.println("<option value = \"" + "\"></option>");
               while(bookDetails.next())
                    Topic = bookDetails.getString("Topic");
                    if(request.getParameter("Topic") == Topic)
                         out.println("<option selected value="+Topic+">"+Topic);
                    else
                         out.println("<option value="+Topic+">"+Topic);
     out.println("</select>");
     bookDetails.close();
     databaseConnection.close();     
catch(ClassNotFoundException cnfe)
out.println(cnfe);
catch(SQLException sqle)
out.println(sqle);
%>
</td>
For some reason, the option selected version is never ativated, despite if(request.getParameter("Topic") == Topic) being true.
Any ideas how to fix this problem?

Answer 1

Try this code,
<td><p>Topic:</p>
<%
try
     Class.forName("sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver");
     String sourceURL = "jdbc:odbc:my_Library";
     Connection databaseConnection = DriverManager.getConnection(sourceURL);
     Statement statement = databaseConnection.createStatement();
     String Topic="";
     ResultSet bookDetails = statement.executeQuery("SELECT distinct Topic FROM tblAvailable_Items order by Topic");
     String reqTopic=request.getParameter("Topic");
     out.print("<select name = 'Topic'>");
     out.print("<option value = ''></option>");
     while(bookDetails.next())
          Topic = bookDetails.getString("Topic");
          if(reqTopic.equals(Topic))
               out.print("<option selected value='"+Topic+"'>"+Topic+"</option>");
          else
               out.print("<option value='"+Topic+"'>"+Topic+"</option>");
     out.print("</select>");
     bookDetails.close();
     databaseConnection.close();
catch(ClassNotFoundException cnfe)
     out.print(cnfe);
catch(SQLException sqle)
     out.print(sqle);
catch(Exception e)
     out.print(e);
%>
</td>
Sudha