JSF: make f:facet header as commandLink - jsf

Question

jsf:
<rich:dataTable>
...
<h:column>
<f:facet name="header">
<h:commandLink action="fileSearchSort" styleClass="theader">
Name
</h:commandLink>
</f:facet>
#{f.name}
</h:column>
...
</rich:dataTable>
if do this:
...
<h:column>
<h:commandLink action="fileSearchSort" styleClass="theader">
<f:facet name="header">
Name
</f:facet>
</h:commandLink>
#{f.name}
</h:column>
...
that label "Name" in header is dissappeared.
Is it possible to do whole f:facet header as commandLink?
thanks.

Answer 1

As to the behaviour you're seeing, the <f:facet> is to be nested as direct child of the JSF component which is supposed to own the facet, which is in this case thus the <h:column>. Placing it inside a <h:commandLink> instead will make it to be the facet of the <h:commandLink>, but that component doesn't support a facet with name header, so you'll see nothing.
As to the concrete functional requirement, the JSF <h:commandLink> component renders a HTML <a> element which is by default an inline element. If you want to let it occupy the entire space of the parent HTML <th> element, then you need to make the <a> a block element instead. Just adding display: block to its style class should do.
.theader {
display: block;
...
}

Answer 2

The elements of the facet will be rendered into some kind of container, so if you place within the <h:commandLink> a <span> or <div> tag that consumes the entire area then your commandLink should work.
<h:column>
<f:facet name="header">
<h:commandLink action="fileSearchSort" styleClass="theader">
<span style="width: 100%; height: 100%;">
Name
</h:commandLink>
</f:facet>
#{f.name}
</h:column>