How specify path to .JSP file for request.getRequestDispatcher()?

Question

I am confused about the meaning of request.getContextPath(). My file layout is as follows:

MyServer/WebContent:
    /Resources/MyImage.jpg
    /Resources/Script         


        

Answer 1

The RequestDispatcher operates already relative to the current web application context. You don't need to prepend the context path.

Why it is required for JS/CSS/image/etc resources which are linked in HTML is simply because it's the webbrowser who has got to download them by a proper URL path. A common starters mistake is that they think that it's the webserver who has got to auto-include them by a local disk file system path somehow. This is thus not true. It has really to be an URL, like the one as you enter in browser's address bar.

See also:

• Browser can't access/find relative resources like CSS, images and links when calling a Servlet which forwards to a JSP