Escape a primefaces/jsf page that has required fields - validation

Question

I have a jsf page with
<h:inputText required="true"> attribute.
When I click on my add button, I want to see an error if the field is blank.
I have a <f:message> to display this.
But how can I escape (cancel) the page with that field blank? In my case it continually posts the error message and I have to enter something in the field to go to another page.

Answer 1

If your cancel button is a POST requests e.g. <p:commandButton>,<h:commandButton>, <p:commandLink>, or <h:commandLink>
You can put your cancel button outside the form that has the <h:inputText> so that form is not submitted
<h:form>
<h:inputText value="#{bean.string}" required="true"/>
</h:form>
<h:form>
<p:commandButton value="Cancel" action="anotherpage.xhtml"/>
</h:form>
If you are navigating without any actions or method invocation, then you can use GET requests e.g. <h:button>, <p:button>, <h:link> or <h:outputLink>.
Example:
<h:form>
<h:inputText value="#{bean.string}" required="true"/>
<p:button value="Cancel" outcome="anotherpage.xhtml"/>
</h:form>

Answer 2

You can use immediate="true" in your <p:commandButton>. Then it will skip the validation.
For example:
<p:commandButton action="#{managedBean.action}" value="Cancel" immediate="true" />

Answer 3

Just don't process the form on submit if you want to cancel or navigate away.
I.e. don't do
<h:form>
...
<p:commandButton value="Cancel" action="#{bean.cancel}" />
</h:form>
But just do
<h:form>
...
<p:commandButton value="Cancel" action="#{bean.cancel}" process="#this" />
</h:form>
Or, better if you're only returning a navigation outcome in cancel() method anyway
<h:form>
...
<p:button value="Cancel" outcome="otherpage.xhtml" />
</h:form>