code: public void setAttribute(String key, Object value) {
  
          if (m_attributeMap == null) {
              // hash table is still the most efficient form of a synchronized Map
              m_attributeMap = new Hashtable<String, Object>();
          }
          m_attributeMap.put(key, value);
      }
docs: Sets an attribute in the request context.<p>
  
  @param key the attribute name
  @param value the attribute value