code: public static long getLongInitParameter(ExternalContext context, String[] names, long defaultValue)
      {
          if (names == null)
          {
              throw new NullPointerException();
          }
          
          String param = null;
          for (String name : names)
          {
              if (name == null)
              {
                  throw new NullPointerException();
              }
              
              param = getStringInitParameter(context, name);
              if (param != null)
              {
                  break;
              }
          }
          if (param == null)
          {
              return defaultValue;
          }
          else
          {
              return Long.parseLong(param.toLowerCase());
          }
      }
docs: Gets the long init parameter value from the specified context. If the parameter was not specified, the default
  value is used instead.
  
  @param context
  the application's external context
  @param names
  the init parameter's names
  @param defaultValue
  the default value to return in case the parameter was not set
  
  @return the init parameter value as a long
  
  @throws NullPointerException
  if context or name is <code>null</code>