title: Class literals in Expression Language
body: <p>I've found the literal expressions available in JSP EL listed here: <a href="https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E17802_01/j2ee/j2ee/1.4/docs/tutorial-update2/doc/JSPIntro7.html#wp77280" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E17802_01/j2ee/j2ee/1.4/docs/tutorial-update2/doc/JSPIntro7.html#wp77280</a></p>
  
  <p>While most literals available in Java are available in EL, notably absent are character and class literals (cf. <a href="https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/nutsandbolts/datatypes.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java/nutsandbolts/datatypes.html</a>).</p>
  
  <p>Writing</p>
  
  <pre><code>Integer.MAX_VALUE: ${Integer.MAX_VALUE}
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>displays fine, but when I try</p>
  
  <pre><code>Integer.class: ${Integer.class}
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I get</p>
  
  <pre><code>javax.el.PropertyNotFoundException: Either 'class' is not a public static field of the class 'java.lang.Integer' or field is inaccessible
      at javax.el.StaticFieldELResolver.getValue(StaticFieldELResolver.java:106)
      at javax.el.CompositeELResolver.getValue(CompositeELResolver.java:188)
      at com.sun.el.parser.AstValue.getValue(AstValue.java:140)
      at com.sun.el.parser.AstValue.getValue(AstValue.java:204)
      ...
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I'd really like to be able to pass a value like this into a custom tag. Is there any way to get this value in a JSP other than writing it in a Java Expression?</p>