title: Reading model objects mapped in Velocity Templates
body: <p>I have a Struts + Velocity structure like for example, a Person class, whose one property is a Car object (with its own getter/setter methods) and it is mapped to a Velocity form that submits to an Action, using ModelDriven and getModel structure.</p>
  
  <p>I what to put a button on the form that shows "View Car" if car property is not null or car.id != 0 or show another button "Choose Car" if car is null or car.id = 0.</p>
  
  <p>How do I code this. I tried something like that in the template file:</p>
  
  <pre><code>#if($car != null)
    #ssubmit("name=view" "value=View Car")
  #else
    #ssubmit("name=new" "value=Choose Car")
  #end
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But I keep getting error about Null value in the <em>#if</em> line. </p>
  
  <p>I also created a boolean method hasCar() in Person to try, but I can't access it and I don't know why.</p>
  
  <p>And Velocity + Struts tutorials are difficult to find or have good information.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks</p>