[FIXED] (PWC6212: equal symbol expected) error when running

Issue

I get PWC6212: equal symbol expected error when I run my code. `

    <c:set set var="un" value="${username}"/>
    <c:choose>
        <c:when test="${!un.equals(null)}">

            <div class="header">
                <img src="../src/img/cd2.png">
                <div class="header-right">
                    <a href="../learning-material.html">View Material</a>
                    <a href="../SummativeQuestionHome.html">Summative</a>
                    <a href="../">Formative</a>
                    <a href="../View-Performance.html">View Performance</a>
                    <a href="../">Manage Profile</a>
                    <a class="active" href="logoutServlet">Logout</a>
                </div>
            </div>

        </c:when>
        <c:otherwise>

            <div class="header">
                <img src="../src/img/cd2.png">
                <div class="header-right">
                   <a class="active" href="logoutServlet">Logout</a>
                    <a class="active" href="../loginpage.jsp">Login</a>
                </div>
            </div>
        </c:otherwise>
    </c:choose>

`Is there a way to fix this. If I remove the @taglib on top, I could make the header visible but only the otherwise one. I wish my question somehow is clear as I dont really know how to explain this problem. Thank you

Solution

JSP and EL parser allows only these operators. As you can see allowed relational operators are:

==, eq, !=, ne, <, lt, >, gt, <=, ge, >=, le

To check if some Stirng is not equal to another like:

<c:choose>
    <c:when test="${un ne 'other string'}">
        <%-- NOT equals --%>
    </c:when>
    <c:otherwise>
        <%-- Otherwise (equals) --%>
    </c:otherwise>
</c:choose>

But in this case you want to check username is null or not. So just use [not] empty condition like:

<c:choose>
    <c:when test="${un not empty}">
        <%-- not empty or null --%>
    </c:when>
    <c:otherwise>
        <%-- empty or null  --%>
    </c:otherwise>
</c:choose>

Answered By - zforgo
Answer Checked By - Dawn Plyler (JavaFixing Volunteer)