code: public String getReqPar(final String name, final String def) {
      final String s = Util.checkNull(request.getParameter(name));
  
      if (s != null) {
        return s;
      }
  
      return def;
    }
docs: Get a request parameter stripped of white space. Return default for null
  or zero length.
  
  @param name    name of parameter
  @param def default value
  @return  String   value