servlets - JSF replacing <p:button> with <h:commandLink> -

i have working <p:button> invokes method inside managed bean follows:

        <h:form id="loginform">                 <p:button value="facebook connect"                     href="#{loginpagecode.facebookurlauth}" />                 <br />                 <h:outputtext value="#{loginpagecode.userfromsession}"/>         </h:form> 

and decided replace link, did following:

      <h:form id="loginform">          <h:commandlink action="#{loginpagecode.getfacebookurlauth}"             value="#{loginpagecode.userfromsession}" />     </h:form> 

but unfortunately <h:commandlink> doesn't invoke method don't know why?

note: method inside managed bean returns url servlet, commandlink have call these servlet when clicked using url returned>

there'a major misunderstanding going here. <p:button> not invoke action method in managed bean @ all. el expression in href attribute not evaluated when button pressed. evaluated when html representation of button rendered. if put break point on getter of facebookurlauth, you'll see it's invoked when page button displayed , not when button pressed. if check jsf-generated html output rightclick, view source, you'll see button navigates javascript in onclick. it's pure navigation button, not submit button.

the <h:commandlink> generates link uses javascript submit parent form. not designed perform pure navigation. should using <h:outputlink>, <h:link> or <a> instead. it's apparently external url, <h:link> insuitable.

thus, so

<h:outputlink value="#{loginpagecode.facebookurlauth}">facebook connect</h:outputlink> 

or just

<a href="#{loginpagecode.facebookurlauth}">facebook connect</a> 

this have been more straightforward if understand jsf merely html code generator , when you're familiar basic html.

see also:

• difference between h:button , h:commandbutton
• when should use h:outputlink instead of h:commandlink?